"He is MY dog!"

That is what I heard from the backseat when Carl got dropped off yesterday.

I look in to see a little girl holding a stuffed dog. It turns out that the stuffed dog is also named Carl. Imagine that!? She let me see her precious stuffed Carl, and I must report that he was wearing his dog tag. Looks like stuffed Carl is also up on his rabies shots.

This little stuffed dog has been owned by this little girl FOREVER. And she had been asking for a real beagle just like her stuffed beagle for FOREVER.

When they went to the animal shelter to adopt a beagle, there was only one. And his name tag said, 'Carlton'. Perfect! It was love at first sight for the little girl and for her parents. Carl was the only dog in a rather large group of dogs at the shelter who was not barking. Yes, you read that right - a beagle that doesn't bark. I didn't think that was genetically possible.

We were afraid that he might pick up the barking habit from the wild things we have staying at the ranch this week, but so far so quiet. Well, at least Carl is quiet.