Remembering Chloe......

Four long years

Dear Chlo,

I come here to mark the your passing. My life has changed so much and I am once again busy like when you first came. I so now wish for the chance to spend more of the time you were a puppy with you. You did such a great job of taking care of us that I didn't notice you were also taking care of yourself. You are the best of best and I miss and love you still. I remember you everyday but today especially I miss and remember you. I love you still. Dad.

Three years goneby

Today it has been three years since we last held our Chlo. The day still haunts me and it is truly one of the saddest times of my life. For now I try to keep Chlo's memory alive with me and remember little things about her. At about 7 years old she learned to talk. She would grumble at us and "roo" then at about 11 years she just became quiet again. We still had long conversations though. I still miss you stinkerbell, I guess I always will.

Two Years Gone Bye

It's been two long years since Chloe left us. So much has happened since then. Grandma Betty has left us and Ivy lives with us now. We remember how when you visited Grandma Betty and Ivy that you couldn't wait to leave because Ivy was such a pest to you. Well my dear sweatheart with Chopper around she is getting a little taste of her own medicine. They are so different from you as you were quiet and retiring, steadfast, gentle and mindful. They are loud and the world is all about them. It's so different from sharing my quiet days with you. I miss you still to the point it hurts. I love you my little "stinkerbell".

Holiday Time

Halloween has come and gone and now the holidays are here. Chloe used to love Halloween. She would greet every visitor and try to stick her head in their goody bag. She never took anything, she just wanted to see if there was anything in there. She loved to woof at the door each time the bell would ring and then stick her head out. Some people would step back just due to her size but most just wanted to pet her. She loved being patted on the head and then she would retire to the window to wait for the next group. Sometimes when it was really busy we'd just sit out on the front porch and wait. She would sit and wag her tail at everyone that approached and when they got close enough she would stand and do the "wiggle walk" over to them to pet her. In the later years when she would get cold she would stand at the door and we'd go back inside. I miss those times.

Chloe comes home

I remember the day when and how I met Chloe. There is a story about how she got home but this is when I first saw her. Carol and I didn't have a lot of money and we lived in a 950 sq foot house in the North St. Louis suburbs. It was our first house and it was warm and cozy cool in Summer with a large fenced back yard. For a while we had been "borrowing" various neighbor's dogs and playing with them in our back yard but when ever Carol broached the subject of a dog I always said no. Carol had gone to the park to walk and I was home. It was a hot 4th of July week-end and I was in the basement doing laundry. The laundry room had a small ground level basement window about 12x12 inches that looked out onto the patio. I was loading clothes into the washing machine that sat just under the window but wasn't looking out. I heard the back door open above my head and footsteps in the kitchen which I though odd because Carol would come in through the front door. She would have to go through the outside side gate and into the back yard and walk around the house to come in the back... I couldn't understand why but no matter I went on trying to stuff as many clothes into the washer as would fit. I heard the back door again and the outside faucet come on which is about 2 feet to the right of the window. This made me finally glance out the window. There dancing in front of th window were 4 black dog legs one with a white toe on one paw. You couldn't see the body of the dog because I was standing in front of the washer and she was right in front of the window. I knew in moment what had happened. I was already forming my mouth into a "No". I figured out that we were already watering the dog and I'm sure feeding would come next. Then I heard the back door open and the sweet voice of my dear Carol say these words... "Galen... Can you come up here and look at something?" This is the way she would say things when the kitchen faucet wouldn't shut off, the toilet was overflowing, the microwave was making lightening bolts inside or something like that. I already knew what it was, I just wasn't prepared for what I saw. She was a large puppy. Not a dog but a puppy, but it was too large to be a puppy but it obviously was a puppy. She was black all over except for a couple of white toes and a white patch on her chest that looked like the greek letter "pie". She was happy and dancing around and lapping at the water bowl. I heard the story of how she was found at the park. (which I will leave for Carol to tell) and how Carol had to bring her home and why. So there we were... I opened the back door and in she went bounding up the 3 steps into the kitchen running, no, lopeing from room to room in our tiny house. I sent Carol off to the local Pet-co to get the largest crate they had ($124.00 out of our budget) and some food. Chloe wasn't entirely happy with the sleeping arangements that first night, the crate barly allowed her to stand up straight, but it wasn't terrible and that was the start of many memories for the next 12 years. (and a new crate just a week later...)
entry by galenb

A Year Without Our Girl

It has been a year since we lost our Chloe. We still feel sad and wish she were still with us. We miss her calmness, her composure, her girlish ways, and her gentleness. With one look, she could tell us that she knew what we were feeling---if we were sad, depressed, lonely---she could make us feel better.
We miss our girl and we truly believe she was our "heart" dog. I don't know if any other dog will bond with our hearts like she did. She grew up with us and we all experienced the same life changes---house moves, deaths of loved ones, work changes. She was there for it all and helped us thru it. We miss you Chloe-------