Chloe Fatsoey

Can I just say that, a few minor quirks aside, she is the best dog in the whole world! She's 100 lbs of pure bred Labrador. (I didn't have to pay a cent for her. She was my cousin's dog until they moved and couldn't take her with them.) We've had her for three years now, and I've never once regretted getting her. She is great with the kids. Justice tries to use her as a step stool, ride her like a horse, and practically loves her to death, and she never so much as growls at him. In fact she's probably cleaned more snot off of his face than I have.

Anyway, I just feel like dedicating a post to her. She's recently starting to show the beginning signs of arthritis, ie. stiffness when she gets up and she's started gimping somewhat after a long walk. (I've just started her on a glucosamine and chondroitin supplement, which supposedly should have her feeling like a puppy again in about a month or so. We'll see.) Mind you, I am pretty hard to keep up with on a walk, especially for someone who is 7 1/2 months prego. Since I can't run anymore, walking is one of my only forms of exercise these days, so I try to make it count as much as it can. (12 more weeks of non running, I can't wait!) I'll walk her for an hour to an hour and a half at as fast a clip as I can. I've been wearing her out, I think. She's taken to stopping dead in her tracks, and refusing to go anymore as soon as we reach our driveway. But she's always excited to go again the next time.

She apparently sees Bruce as the pack leader, followed by herself, and then me. It's funny, but she barks 100 times more when Bruce is gone, than she does when he's here. She goes into over protective mode when he's not home. She drives me nuts sometimes! If the windows are open, she can hear things like 10 blocks away and she stands at the window and barks at everything. I swear she barks at the leaves blowing through the yard sometimes. Last week I put the recycle bin out at night instead of waiting to put it out the next morning like I usually do. So, when I let her out to go potty before bed, she saw this big shape at the edge of the yard. She tore off after it, barking like mad - at the recycle bin. Goofy dog.

Anyway, I hate the thought that someday she's going to get old and die. We'll have to replace her. But as much as I'll want another lab, I probably won't be able to afford another pure bred. Plus, I'll have to deal with a puppy. Chloe must live forever! Okay, I'll shut up, sorry for chattering about nothing.