A Tribute to Chewy

Chewy came into our lives and our hearts when he was just a pup of 7 weeks. He was a chow/black lab mix and weighed 20 lbs!! He was just a big black ball of fur. He was named both for his resemblance to Chewbaca and for his constant chewing of everything he could get his teeth around.

Chewy was a very smart pup. He was housebroken after only two weeks, learned to "shake" in 15 minutes and was just the best little guy around. He was so afraid of everything; our neighbors rottweiler, a little cat that hung out around our house and even a baby possum that he found in our back yard. That may have been what endeared him to me. He grew so fast and looked so big and tough, but I knew he was just a big baby that would rather run and hide than put up a fight. However, I don't doubt for one minute if anyone tried to hurt any of us he would have protected us.

I think everyone has that one special dog in their lives. Chewy was mine. Not only was he a smart dog but he was such a good dog. He knew what was expected of him in any situation. He had a tumor on his right side that had to be left open to drain after surgery. Every day I would bring him into the kitchen and have him lay on his left side so I could clean the incision. After the second time I did it, he would see me with the antiseptic and Q-tips in my hand and walk into the kitchen on his own and lay on his left side. I didn't have to say a word.

Chewy also alerted us to a very large water moccasin that was in our back yard. He was a 100 lb. dog but was yapping like a poodle. When I looked out the window he pounced at a pallet we kept his water bucket on, then jumped back, looked up at the window and yapped again, then pounced again. I knew right away what it was because we had several of them come into our yard that year. I went out to get him into the house and my husband went out to kill the snake. We both told him what a good boy he was and he was so happy and proud.

About a week later I heard the poodle yapping again. I ran to the door and when I opened it I started laughing. He had been digging in the dirt and dug up an old dog collar. To him it looked like another snake and he was warning us again. I had to tell him what a good boy he was and again, he was so happy and proud.

In the summer of 2010 Chewy started limping. It got worse and worse. We tried pain medication and steroids. They would help for a short time but eventually he would be crying and dragging his paw again. He was 10 1/2 years old by then. The vet and I spoke often of what to do. I've been taking my dogs to him for 10 years so I trust him completely. I also appreciate the fact that he asks my opinion on certain issues since I know the dogs and pay close attention to what goes on with each and every one of them. We both knew that he had something pressing on a nerve in his neck; a herniated disk, bone spur, tumor......Since Chewy was prone to tumors that was most likely the culprit. We didn't have the money for surgery, especially at his age and size. I kept him as comfortable as I could, even laying on the floor with him several nights so he would relax and sleep. But soon it was obvious what had to be done so, on September 17th, when my husband was home from his trucking job, we took him to the vet one last time.

I know Chewy is at the Rainbow Bridge now, waiting for me to join him. I take comfort in knowing he isn't suffering any more and is still watching me from above. All good dogs go to heaven and Chewy was the best.

I miss him so much.....