That’s My Girl! That’s My Chloe!

“Das my girl! Das right!”

That’s what I would always say in a gargle-y, voice as if I was talking to a newborn baby.

The video version has the audio for this entire story. Otherwise, scroll to keep reading. (Video/Audio has slightly different text but same story.)

Otherwise, I’d turn sing to her either a cheerful or spooky voice.

Like this:

“Das my girl! Das my girl! Das my Chloe!”

Or

“Das right…das right! Das right! Das right! Das Right! Das Right Das Right!”

The Day I Fell In Love with Chloe

Then, at almost three years old, she had the perfect fur texture and weighed about 45 pounds. Dog fur cleanup was a chore, but she remained one of the most beautiful creatures I ever saw.

That day, I forgot how much she would bark and growl sometimes, and she even terrified people as a puppy. She wasn’t even a year old the first time I saw her, and I didn’t even want to go near her.

Even though I knew she might be a “problem dog,” I don’t regret the three years she was in my life. She helped me through some of the toughest times.

What I Miss About Chloe the Most

She used to sleep in the bed with my partner and me for as long as she could stand the heat. I also enjoyed her company and companionship when my significant other could no longer stay at the house.

I also used to love playing ball and fetch and just got a kick out of how she’d follow me around the house – even stop eating to stalk me as I walked back into the living room.

However, I think our all-time favorite inside game was playing the rope tug-of-war game. My partner played the rope with her more than I did, but I did enjoy watching and participating too. It offered me laughter and entertainment on numerous occasions.

For me, she used to give me an incentive to walk because she needed her exercise. This was my favorite time with Chloe.

Too bad I didn't think of getting her a wireless collar. I explain that at the end of this story. Let's just say I would have felt less horrified when taking her to dog parks or around strangers.

If she didn’t get all the action she needed, she would bark and growl. Therefore, I took her out as often as I could – at least once a day unless it was super cold out. In that case, we’d run around in circles or up and down the stairs inside the house.

We used to walk on the park path about two blocks from the apartment where we used to live, and I even took her to the dog park for as long as I felt it was safe to do so. Once her personality started changing, however, I had to just spend time with her mostly just her and me on our property.

How My Partner and Me Ended Up With Chloe

In 2016, the stepdaughter asked us if we would take Chloe because the stepdaughter and her boyfriend at the time couldn’t handle her. I felt apprehensive the night we took Chloe especially since I felt unprepared to have her -- at least not until the following morning.

However, at least the stepdaughter and the granddaughter could still see Chloe if we kept her. My temporary anxiety dissipated after a good night's sleep, and this new furry friend did bring me great joy – at least for the time being.

As far as how Chloe ended up so mean, I don’t believe anyone person was to blame. Some dogs no matter what are “bad seeds.” Just like a misbehaving child, I still loved every minute of the stressful three years I had her just as much as I hated her dark side. Also, I had met pure-bred pit bulls and shepherds nicer than Chloe the half-breed, so it’s unlikely that genetics was the reason.

Events Leading Up to Changes in Chloe

So many other unexpected circumstances could have led to Chloe’s increased aggressiveness during her last year alive. For instance, she lost contact with the other person living in our home who ended up being admitted to an assisted living place that probably wouldn’t take an animal as mean as Chloe was. Chloe and I also had moved around periodically before I attempted to rehome her.

As far as whether or not to have her euthanized because Chloe had a bite history, that was not an easy decision. I considered it but still wanted to give her one last chance at a home. As sad as I was when I lost Chloe, I no longer had the stress of worrying if she would bite anyone.

Within her last six months alive, I had to build her a 6x8 kennel to stay in so she wouldn’t destroy someone’s basement where we stayed. For a while, I wasn’t sure how I was even going to work outside the home, and I didn’t trust her around other people anymore.

My Last Day with Chloe

Chloe and I had the chance to take a walk in the woods. Then, we drove a ways with a friend who had an RV down the road.

Chloe started convulsing in the car. By the time I was able to stop, it, unfortunately, was too late. We placed her on the forest park trail where I saw life gradually slip away from her. The friend who was with us wrapped her up for me and placed her in my trunk, and I headed back home to the animal hospital.

Before Chloe died, she began puking up foam even when I stopped to give her some air. To this day, I’m not sure why. At the vet, they said she was fine a month earlier. If she did have a condition that caused her to become more aggressive within the year before she died, that could explain things. However, her cause of death was undetermined.

I still have quite a bit of survivor’s guilt, especially after all my mom and some friends did to help me take care of Chloe.

Still, if I ever have the chance to love and care for another dog, as much as I did love Chloe, I hope it’s a dog much nicer than her.

I also don’t plan to get another dog until I know I can pay to have it properly trained as a puppy. Until then, I do at least have some of the happy memories of Chloe on her good days.

Oh, and About the Wireless Collar Idea

Maybe if I had Chloe long enough, that could have saved me from some of the trouble I had with her. That's one lesson I will learn about having a dog. I would have for sure liked to have let her off her leash more in the park. Next time, I will for sure find a way to let my dog live "unleashed" as often as possible.