This is is Champ.
The gray on his chin makes him the "George Clooney" of dogs
He gets a lot of flack here on this old bloggity blog for things such as eating our linoleum kitchen floor, eating socks, and rolling in dead things like baby birds and dead worms but we love him anyways.
After all, he is our first born.
We got Champ shortly after I injured my back in 2003. I was practically bedridden at the time and Shawn thought that it was a good idea to “buy me some company”. Little did we both know, that having a dog is a lot of work.
But totally worth it.
Champ is more than just a pet to us. He’s part of our family.
Whenever we plan on a family vacation, Champ is always included. We’ve been known to squish all of us, our luggage, a cage and his furry 85 pound rump into our vehicles.
And yes, we take him visiting even during the holidays.
Wanna kiss?
Some people find it weird that we include Champ in so many things. Here is some fun facts for those people who think we are out of our minds:
According to the Dog Chow® Family Poll three-quarters of Canadian dog owners take their canine companions into account when making decisions about vacations, homes and car purchases. Even more, over half spend more time with their loved ones because they have a dog and the majority (85%) speak to their dogs like a full-fledged family member.
See, not so weird eh?
We also get a lot of questions as to whether Champ gets along with our son and I will tell you that he is absolutely amazing with him.
Amazing.
No matter how many times Chunky has tried to ride him like a pony or has tried to wrap him up like a baby in a million blankets, Champ has never retaliated.
Chunky and Champ are the best of friends.
Fact: It may come as no surprise that as a nation many of us (71%) describe the family dog as a playmate, with this number increasing slightly for those with kids (76%) (According to the Dog Chow® Family Poll ).
Are you thinking about adding a pet to your family?
If so, here are some tips from the expert:
Jill Priest, a Certified Pet Dog Trainer shares some easy tips to help Canadian families make the most out of their canine relationships:
1)Whether it’s the daily routine or special events, it’s clear that dogs play a variety of important roles that impact our lives
2)Leaders Not Littermates: Children should take on smaller tasks such as feeding, positive treat training and walking the dog to ensure the family dog understands his position in the pack
3)Consistency is Key: And when it comes to timing for feeding, exercise and discipline, getting on the same page as an entire family is a great way to bring everyone together and assign responsibilities.
Champ's 9th birthday in January. Of course he had his favourite muffin. Blueberry.
How could you not love this guy?
The Dog Chow Family Day Prize Pack includes:
- A luxury dog bed – To provide a plush home for your pet
- Tasty bags of Purina Dog Chow – Provides a complete, healthy meal in every serving for a fun and energetic Family Day
- Dog-inspired picture frame – To display your Family Day memories
To enter the contest simply visit Losing it and share why dogs make the perfect addition to the family.
You must sign-in to enter so we know how to get in touch with you. Click here to join.
LOVE our dogs! They bring happiness to any home.
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Kimberly Reply:
February 19th, 2012 at 8:48 am
@karynclimans, They sure do. How could you not smile when they plant a wet kiss on your face or snuggle up to you?
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Champ sounds like a sweetheart! Actually a naughty sweetheart,but a sweetheart all the same.
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Kimberly Reply:
February 19th, 2012 at 8:48 am
@Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell, Yea he is a mischief maker but now that he’s getting older he lets Chase do all the dirty work
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He’s perfectly squishable.
Even if he smelled like dog stink and foot I would hug him.
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Kimberly Reply:
February 19th, 2012 at 8:47 am
@Leighann, What is with them and their feet smelling like a bag of Doritos??
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he is a cutie. i love it that your sponsored posts are not super annoying and boring
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Kimberly Reply:
February 19th, 2012 at 8:47 am
@katery, Well thank you. I am dedicated to promoting the product/company as best as I can. You have to really relate to them…ya know. Plus we use Purina Pro Plan and Champ LOVES it.
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Hey I wanted to say that! you did great on this post! Champ sounds wonderful.
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Kimberly Reply:
February 19th, 2012 at 8:46 am
@Mirjam, He is…despite the fact that he also eats cat poop. Weird.
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My Monkey hugs my parents dogs the same way! (he also tried to ride them)
Champ is adorable by the way.
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Kimberly Reply:
February 19th, 2012 at 8:46 am
@Alison@Mama Wants This, He is a lover of kids..and dirty underwear.
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champ sounds wonderful and i see no reason why he should get left behind. you go mama! great post!
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Kimberly Reply:
February 19th, 2012 at 8:44 am
@vanita, We almost feel guilty if we do. Sure there have been times when we had to leave him like when we went camping way up north…an area that’s known for bears.
We got him a baby sitter (my brother) and made him live in our house for a week
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Thanks for those tips. Now that monkey is a little older we are planning on getting a dog soon. Just don’t know which type…
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Kimberly Reply:
February 19th, 2012 at 8:41 am
@Imperfectmomma, Labs are amazing. AH-MAZING. Chunky gives him a beating and all Champ does is lay there. One day Chunky smeared peanut butter on him (head to toe) and Champ didn’t even make a sound. He just took it…like a Champ.
Beagles are good too and small
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We have a Champ, except she’s a Hershey. Big, goofy, much loved, and our first born. We got her as a companion for me when I was going through a rough time with panic attacks about 9 years ago, and we’ve never regretted it for a second.
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Kimberly Reply:
February 19th, 2012 at 8:39 am
@Laura Wright @ The ODD Mom, He’s awesome like that too. He knows when I’m not well. Especially with my back problems. He lays right beside me. Love that guy.
PS. We thought about Hershey as a name
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Love your love for Champ.
(I’m a newish dog owner and lover, and even I agree – part of the family, for sure.
(Also? I love these photos!)
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Kimberly Reply:
February 19th, 2012 at 8:28 am
@Galit Breen, He gets a lot of flack for all the bad things he does. Dare I mention that he chewed up our baseboards too. A-hole. But we love him still. He’s a great dog…despite his occasional a-holeness.
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It’s so nice having a pet that loves your kid. We keep our dog separated from Donut because we don’t trust him.
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Kimberly Reply:
February 19th, 2012 at 8:12 am
@Rach (DonutsMama), Oh no! Before we brought Chunky home from the hospital, we brought a blanket that he was swaddled in and let Champ sniff it. Then when Chunky came home, Champ recogonized his smell and he was soooo gentle. He would lay where ever Chunky laid. He’s amazing with him.
But you’re right you still have to be very careful
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So sweeeeet!! I love me a lab.
I had a Black Lab growing up, then a white Alaskan Husky, and hopefully… HOPEFULLY – this family day, I will have special news 
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Kimberly Reply:
February 19th, 2012 at 8:08 am
@Lindsay, My parents just bought a black lab. They are so ridiculously cute when they are puppies. My aunt also has a Husky with one blue eye and one brown one. He’s kind of mean though
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I love labs – they are so friendly and fun!
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Dogs are the bestest.
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Aww. I used to like our dogs. Then the babies came. Now I trip on our dimwit dog daily. And yell at them for snorting like pigs. Poor dogs.
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