his is Chesty. To those who know, it is the same name as the Marine Corps mascot. He is also known as… Pup, my pup, Monster pup, and Chestydawg. I wanted a rugged, fearless “guy’s dog,” and I got one. He was five weeks old and ran up to my biggest horse and played bowed him to wrestle. He is Chow Chow and Golden Retriever mix. It has been a great joy to watch his DNA at work. The Chow Chow makes him sooo loyal and a very one man dog, and the Golden makes him a great hunter! Both breeds gave him a beautiful coat, and lord how he hates the mailman!!
He pulled me out of depression and dragged me back into the world. When I first got him, he would go out in the back yard every day, go to the woodpile, find a piece of kindling, and chew it to bits in the middle of my apartment. He was teething and finding his own solution, leaving a perfect little pile of wood chips. Until the day he realized that the only time I did not play with him, was when I was reading or working on the PC. That day I came home and found a perfect little pile of my glasses. Smart boy!
His first night, I figured since he was away from the litter, he would want body heat and heartbeat. I took him onto the bed and cuddled up. He lasted five minutes, and went down to the foot of the bed, and put his chin on my ankle. He has slept there for fifteen years.
Gosh, the first three years it was just Chesty and me. I had a pick-up truck, he would jump in and sit at my right, him staring out the front window eager to take off. It had a camper shell, and sometimes we would just go until we were tired and sleep on a mattress in the back. He is totally fearless and very adventurous. On rainy Saturdays we would take our early morning walk, come home to sit on the couch and watch K-9 to 5 together, and he would really watch.
He loves water. We lived very to close to the water in the Bay area. He would wade in all the time. One day he saw some ducks and wanted to chase them. He took off! I tried to stop him, and then realized he had to be swimming. About the time I realized it, so did he! He immediately turned around, then decided he wanted the ducks and turned back, then the ducks took off, and he realized, swimming was good! Swimming was fun! Now on rainy days he will go and just stand in puddles! I think it is time for a drive to the water this weekend!
He is now fifteen years old. Chesty is sundowning. Arthritis is slowing him way down. We have started medication, and now I am glad to report the medications are working! I came home from work after his first day on them and he stood up, smiled, and walked to the car for his trip to the park! I am sooo happy! I could tell a million stories… but he is, simply put, the bestest dog in the world.
What’s The WOTC Talkin’ Bout?