All in the Family

Biography: On September 5, 1989, I adopted a German Shepherd/Rottweiler cross from the Oregon Human Society. She wasn't much sitting in her dog run shivering and looking scared. But there was something in her eyes and her cute little face that started taking my heart. The four month old puppy became known as Chloe. Chloe was an amazing dog. Never did I have to discipline her; just looking at her was enough to encourage her not to repeat the behavior. Chloe was afraid of open spaces and preferred sleeping under a bed or, as she got older, her table in the living room. The Boy, my son, absolutely adored Chloe. They were inseparable. Where the boy went so did the dog. I will never know what their adventures were, but both of them came home panting and happy. I'm certain they shared secret looks and thoughts. Chloe loved stuffed animals, especially Smurfs. She tore the stuffing out of them and then tosses the floppy shell around the room expecting her humans to play fetch with her. Once all the stuffing was out of the toy, she needed a new one. Never did she confuse her toys and the Boy's toys. Chloe guarded against "evil" people; once, in her time as protector of her humans, she cornered a car burglar and with repeated invitations to inspect her teeth, held him at bay until the police arrived to take him away to justice. Chloe knew she was Queen of the house, deferring only to her mistress. She enjoyed teaching the other animals of our house the rules of the road. She provided companionship that was beyond comparison. She taught her household unconditional love and she reaped the rewards of her patience many times over. On June 8, 2004, after a night of untold spoiling with foods that were previously off limits like steak and oatmeal cookies, I painfully put my best friend in the car and took her to the vet for one last visit. She'd endured her last grand mal seizure a few days earlier and would not survive another. At the age of 15, she maintained her duties, even though no one expected it of her. She spent 5,391 days in our lives and an eternity in our hearts.