The Villages - May 2019 - 4

{ For The

Love

oF peTs }

Meet Charley

The Coolest Cruisin' Canine
Story By rica LewiS | PhotoS By Brandon at weLL

You might see him cruising by in his
Bugatti, his candy apple red Mini Cooper or his pint-sized Porsche replica.
He's no bigger than a shoebox but
boy does he command a crowd.
When little Charley shows up,
the cameras come out and
smiles become contagious.
A Yorkie-poo, Charley is a
cross between a Yorkshire terrier and a toy poodle - a designer breed, which might explain his
upscale sense of style. But Charley is
more than a snazzy dresser. He's intelligent, affectionate and incredibly social. At
a mere 4 pounds, he is a teacup pooch with a coffeepot
personality.
Village of Polo Ridge residents Anthony and Laura
Utzie discovered their dog's love for cars four years
ago, while preparing for a parade with the Dynamic
Dog Club.
"It was just too far for him to walk," Laura said.
When the couple placed him in the driver's seat of his
first car, Charley took to the Mini Cooper like a pro.
"He put his paws on the steering wheel and knew just
what to do," Laura said.
From there, the Utzies added more cars to Charley's
collection.
At nearly 6 years old, Charley has many possessions,
including an extensive wardrobe boasting the latest
trends: skinny jeans, muscle shirts, themed costumes
and party wear. And when it comes to coordinating accessories, Charley has it all worked out with miniature
caps, visors, sunglasses and shiny beads - whatever
suits the occasion. But no dog's ensemble is complete
without a flashy pair of shoes, and Charley has Converse
sneakers in every color.
"He was around 3 when we took him to Woof Gang
Bakery in Brownwood and he tried on his first pair,"
Laura said. "The staff told us they'd never found a dog
that liked to wear shoes. But Charley was so excited, he
ran all around the store with them on. He loved them.
4

MAY 2019

After that, we got him a pair of jeans and
a muscle man shirt. We never planned
this - the shoes, the wardrobe. It
just happened."
More than a pretty face, Charley is a charitable pup. When a
neighbor was undergoing medical treatment, he was there to
comfort her.
"He has a gift of nestling up to
people who really need him," Laura said. When their neighbor began
calling him her therapy dog, the Utzies
saw Charley's potential and pursued formal training.
"We realized he could visit more patients as a registered therapy dog," Laura said.
Newly retired from the health care field, Laura and
Anthony share their little dog's passion for patient care.
"When you work in a hospital, everything becomes
routine to you, but it's all new to the patient," Laura
said. "They just want someone to take the time and acknowledge they're a person, not just a disease."

The Villages - May 2019

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