It’s the worst when your once young pup begins to get older. I’ve experienced it before, even though now my two doggos are young sprites. Anyways we have an older pup friend named Charleston Chew and he and his owner just moved to a new apartment in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Charleston is 11 years old and he’s slowly started to lose his eyesight due to his age. So since he can’t always see, he howls for what he wants. His owner, Sharla Wilson has learned to deal with it, but if you didn’t know what it was you’d be very concerned.
She told The Dodo:
“It’s the most horrific sound you’ve ever heard. His howl is crazy. It’s a startling noise, to say the least. It sounds like some sort of alien life form.”
Sharla originally adopted Charleston as a puppy, and they have been inseparable since.
She said, “I have to physically touch him — then he’s happy and well again. He just wants to know where I am. He’s very quirky and very spoiled.”
He’s so old, sometimes he gets lost in the mornings when he goes to get water. He starts his maniacal howl and Sharla has to spring up and let him know it’s okay.
She went onto say, “He’s just bananas. He’s a little grandpa.”
So when Sharla and Charleston moved to a new apartment, he had some trouble getting used to his new setting. There’s been much more howling than usual since it’s all so new to him.
Sharla said:
“No one had complained yet. I was told that it was a quiet building, so I made a note thinking we’d get ahead of it. I put this sign up as an advisement, like, ‘Sorry everybody. This maniac is going to howl.’
Here’s what the neighbors saw, it reads:
“Hello, Neighbors!
My name is Charleston Chew and I’m very sorry for my howling.
I’m an old man now, with cataracts, and sometimes I get real scared because I can’t see where I am and can’t find my mom.
As I get used to my new place, I will start to settle down.
Thanks for being patient with me. I don’t mean to be such a pain.”
One of their neighbors, Megan Jones saw the note and just thought it was the cutest thing ever. She told The Dodo:
“I accidentally rode the elevator to the fifth floor. I was annoyed with myself but then looked up to see Charleston’s sign which made the inconvenience totally worth it.”
She tweeted it out, and it quickly caught fire and went viral.
You howl all you want Charleston, honey pic.twitter.com/Cv5bLk0ogh
— halloqueen ☾ (@jegan__mones) April 30, 2018
Even Megan and Sharla’s landlord saw it!
My landlord 😭😂❤️ pic.twitter.com/ROcZiMsPhe
— halloqueen ☾ (@jegan__mones) May 2, 2018
Some of the best responses included people saying:
“He could howl here all he wants *puts him on top of a hill* so the world can hear him! I hope he is doing well”
“Honestly who doesn’t scream when they run into something tho?”
“He just wants to sing the song of his people.”
This whole viral mess even pushed Sharla to join Twitter and she/Charleston already have more followers than me!
I am awestruck and overwhelmed. My heart is so full from the outpouring of support and love for my sweetest little boy. I’m truly and sincerely amazed and grateful. Thank you, people and animals of the internet. 💗 pic.twitter.com/389uX0u5uj
— Sharla (@Charlestons_Mom) May 4, 2018
Sharla concluded:
“He’s been my light during some tough times. He’s been my friend. He’s been everything. It’s heartbreaking to see him struggle, but I’m doing my best to accommodate him. It’s absolutely worth it. He’s been one of the greatest joys of my life.”
