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We first met Chloe when she was
only 4 months old. She was running loose in Lincoln Park. We took her in
and immediately fell in love with her gentle yet mischievous personality.
We eventually found her owners who expressed their frustration at trying
to control this spirited dog that escaped and ran away from home as often
as she could. They enrolled in my class in hopes of taming this wild spirit.
They tried for two years, but were also struggling with their health. After
battling cancer for a number of years, one of Chloe's owners passed away.
His wife no longer had the energy to try to control Chloe and hoped I would
adopt her.
My family and I were eager to take this dog that had captured our hearts the moment we met her. At the time, I had two dogs that were no longer physically able to meet the rigors of being a demo dog for my classes. That was in 1994. She became my partner and excelled at showing everyone "how it's done" until her death on April 16, 2004 at the age of 12. Like her first owner, she too succumbed to cancer. Chloe's passion was running. In her younger days, she would run while we, riding our bikes, were barley able to keep the pace she had set . Her nickname was "Rocket Dog". Even in the last few days of life, when she was weak from not eating and the cancer was growing in her lungs, she was excited to get out and go for a short run. Chloe's second passion was lounging and cuddling on the sofa. Her other nickname was "Princess". She always managed to find the most comfortable spot, and of course it was best if someone was close by to snuggle with. Chloe loved everyone. In my classes, when I wasn't looking, she would wander off to someone sitting on the sidelines. She would place her head on their lap looking for, and always getting, some pets. She had a gentleness and calmness about her. I would bring her occasionally to the Physical Education classes I taught. There would be children who were afraid of dogs, but Chloe was always able to win their trust. We'll miss you Chloe, you will always have a special place in our hearts. |
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