the Charette's: Chloe

Our dearest Chloe August 19, 2000 - July 8, 2013
AKA Chlo Butt and Nosey Rosey

We've loved you since the first time we set eyes on you... you were one of the smallest puppies in a litter of 16 chocolate labs. You were only a few weeks old when we painted your toe nail hot pink and waited for the day we could bring you home. After some trial and error in the first year we discovered you were allergic to chicken. Every summer you seemed to locate a wasp nest and manage to get stung 5-15 times. You were also allergic to wasp stings and each sting would swell up to the size of a baseball. You scared us once when you got stung so many times your eyes were swollen shut and you started vomiting. Off to the pet emergency you went for benadryl injections. Another time you gave us a scare was when you were riding in the back of Jason's blue truck on our way up to Green Bluff. Your collar was tied to a cable in the back of the truck, but you were leaning too far over the side and felt out of the truck when we went around the corner. Jason stopped and we immediately jumped out to find your body dangling off the side of the truck still hooked to the cable. Then there was the time we were driving in the 4-runner with the back seats folded down and back windows half way down. You were hanging your head out the window enjoying the breeze when we drove past some horses and you jumped out the window. We saw your body tumbling in the road behind us. When we scooped you off the pavement your body was trembling with fear and your lip was scraped up. Luckily we weren't going very fast.

Chloe never had any puppies... although we did try to breed her once before we had her fixed. The last several years she had trouble with arthritis. She wasn't able to run and fetch anymore. Just walking around the block would require a pain pill. Her back hips would lock up and occasionally her knees would give out. Last year this happened on the patio and she ripped one of her toe nails off. Well, mostly off... it was dangling until Connor pulled it completely off. I can't recall how many times I have been standing at the back door calling for Chloe at night only to realize she's standing right in front of me. Her chocolate coloring makes her invisible at night.

Jason whistle and hand signal trained Chloe to hunt birds. But the first time he fired a gun she went running with her tail between her legs. That was the end of her bird hunting days. Her favorite tricks were shaking hands, giving hugs with her front paws on your chest and balancing a treat on her nose until she's given the "okay" cue to toss the treat into the air and catch it in her mouth. She loved going for walks, playing fetch and playing in the water. She was excellent at listening and following rules. She knew to stay out of the kitchen and at our new house not to go beyond the laundry room and family room. We never had to worry about her wondering off. She knew to stay in our front yard and to heel when we went for walks. She had several favorite toys... tennis balls, dummies, stuffed animals with squeaky toys, but her favorite was a little white lamb that I had bought for Jason the first year we were together... we gave it to Chloe when she was a pup and we knew when she wasn't feeling good because she would cuddle her lamb in her bean bag. She was so gentle with her toys that even after 13 years some of them look almost new (aside from slobber).

The day before her passing we all cuddled her and made sure her lamb was nestled under her paw. We knew this day was coming since her arthritis has been getting so bad she could barely walk. The last few weeks she has been losing so much weight that you could see her bones and she lost control of her bladder, which required her to remain in the laundry room and yard. Being that both dogs have a hard time eating dry dog food they have been getting dry food soaked in water and canned food for months now. Along with some of their favorite soft dog treats... and some occasional fruits and veggies from the kitchen. Their favorite is a warm breakfast of waffles, sausage and eggs on the weekends... which they used to get every weekend. When we got home from trip to Kelso we discovered Chloe had sprained/fractured her back leg. The neighbor had been checking on them while we were gone. We have been talking with Connor about the dogs getting old and that they would soon die and go to heaven. She was in pain and we knew it was time. The night before her passing we all said our good bye's and made sure she had plenty of pain killers. The following morning while Connor was sleeping Jason and I loaded her (she was laying on a comforter inside the bottom half of her crate) into the 4-runner and Jason drove her to the local vet. I'm sure that was the toughest thing he's ever had to do. We had to say good bye to our best friend, our beloved family member of 13 years. Chloe had so much personality. She was an incredible dog and everyone who met her fell in love with her. She was an exceptional playmate for Connor and loved him to pieces.. even when he pulled and yanked on her tail and ears. She will never be forgotten and will forever be missed!