CharlieGodammit

So I was sitting here awhile ago watching CGD maul a rawhide bone at my feet (better the bone than my feet) and thinking about how much he's brought into my life.
I'm at least his fourth owner, and it's no wonder as hard to control as he was when he first came to me. He was almost completely feral, untrained, and fairly mean when I picked him up from his last owner. I truly think that the woman that had him was afraid of him as he grew and he sensed it.
But after 9 months of putting up with me, he's gotten very large (from 55 to 90 pounds), he's trained to both voice and hand signals, he can damned near read my mind, and while extremely protective with my house house and his yard, he's very gentle with other people (especially kids) and other animals except coyotes.
I can actually go to sleep without a firearm in my room with him there and feel as protected as if I had my 45 at my bedside. Other dogs I've had, I've depended them for warning but him? I can depend on him for defense. And he can be so loyal...... lays at my feet, sleeps by my side, and guards my house.
In return, he don't ask for much. He likes his Alpo warmed (no shit) in the morning, he loves his rawhide chews and the occasional cow leg bone, and his doggie treats when he comes in from shitting or pissing outside instead of on an Evil Cat.
And he loves the fuck out of me, especially when I crawl down next to him on the floor and let him know how much I appreciate his wolf/dog bullshit. I can tell because he doesn't bite me..........