{ Chance }
Aug 31 1993 — April 15 2001
Shar – Pei
“Chance” came into our lives in October 1993 he was 6 weeks old.
That year I was so fortunate to have started working at home.
We were also very fortunate and blessed the year before to have
my husband’s son Sean come to live with us.
Sean was just turning 12 in October and we thought a puppy
would be wonderful birthday present to Sean and of course to
Don and myself. My son Brian had a Shar-pei “Chang” who was just
the sweetest so we decided we might like a Shar-pei.
So I looked and looked and they were sooo expensive but I found
a man who had them reasonable. So off the 3 of us went to take a
“Chance” at the lesser priced ones.
We got to this place it scared us a little because the man said
they were in his car a big old station wagon and I felt so bad,
but he said he had to put them somewhere so we could look at them
and that the mother of the pups would probably not let us near them.
There was black and a fawn colored we took them both and
held them in our arms the little fawn colored one was just all over us
while the little black one just shook.
We said to the little fawn colored one,” you’re coming home with us
and getting the heck out of here”…we thought he had papers
but never received any from the breeder…but we didn’t care…
not one bit…when we got that little bundle of joy home with us.
We always told him we rescued him from “the mad scientist”..
and we would definitely take a chance on him..that is how
he got his name.
We thought he needed a “sophisticated name” also..
so Chancellor of Indian Hills fit perfectly.
We brought him home and our cat “squeakie” was not too sure
of him but soon Chance had a playmate.
To watch them play was so much fun Chance would pin squeakie up
against the wall with his paw and squeakie would only take so
much and just swat and hiss at him and they would run round and round.
Chance had his playmate for 4 years. Squeakie was so loved also
and passed away in Dec. of 97. He was 18 yrs. old and lived
such a good life.
My sons Brian and Jay grew up with that sweet cat.
Chance learned so well and you knew he understood every word
you said every heartache you felt every joy you experienced.
He loved Christmas and his friend Alex taught him how to open his presents
shredded paper all over the floor but such goodies inside.
Oh and it was a grand day when cousin King came to visit and introduced
Chance to “Mighty Dog”. He grew to love those words also.
He loved chewing on my very best pair of shoes the TV remote,
etc. etc. until he grew out of that puppy chewing stage.
He loved the sofa’s he didn’t care which one as long as he got to
lay on one of them. On Sean’s bed was his favorite place to sleep.
It was always “time to go to bed with Sean.”
He knew those words so well. He could be in a deep sleep,
slowly get up stretch and follow him upstairs.
I would miss him so when I went away and when I came home
he was the happiest dog in the world to see “His Mommy” or
when you said “daddy’s home” or Sean’s home.
He laid by my side day and night following me upstairs and downstairs.
He just wanted to be where I was at all times. Just knowing he
was there gave me great comfort. When my husband traveled ,
Chance was my defender and my guardian (he always knew he was ALL
the time though…) I was never afraid.
He would wait so patiently for his walks his treats and esp. his rub downs
when Sean and Don returned home from work and school.
I often said “I need that much attention”. Chance was sooo
afraid of storms thunder and lightening and would literally be on
your face his little heart beating so rapidly until the storms were over.
Another thing he disliked so was the DREADED kennel.
He always knew when he was going and hated it.
Each time I took him my heart would break.
He shook so bad and just didn’t want to be left.
You can’t imagine his joy when he was picked up barked and
cried and wanted in your lap while driving home.
Aunt Carolyn ,Sean Grandma and Grandpa were much better
sitters AT HOME. When he was just a few months old he rode all the
way to Nebraska on my lap all 4 of us in the front seat of a pickup;
this was a funny site. He also got a second trip to St. Louis,
then Nebraska this time in luxury right up in the back window. He made
several trips to Indianapolis where he loved visiting (esp. since he got
such nice long walks). It seemed he knew he was going to visit Grandma.
Laura and Brian took him on his last long walk and wow what a
walk that was at least an hour or so!
He loved his home his fenced-in back yard was his kingdom.
Thank you daddy for that great fence and such a wonderful place to
romp and play and lay. The deck was pretty nice too.
He could always look in the window to see what I was doing.
On nice days I would say “stay out for a little while it’s such a nice day”
and he would just turn away from the door or window,
wishing I would be out there too but most of the time I would have the
window open and talk to him while I was working cleaning etc.
As he got older his bark became fierce and when anyone came to the door,
look out… until you let them in and a rub on the head was all he wanted.
He would bark at the kids getting off the bus and all you had to do was say,
“they are nice kids” Nice this and nice that and he definitely knew
what you were talking about. Or someone would come to the door
and you would say “now Chance. you know that is so and so and that’s
all he needed to be reassured you were not going to get hurt.
His favorite was the pizza man and “pizza night”oh how he loved
those “bones” (crust). He loved other dogs who came to visit as long
as they just played with him but DO stay away from his food and don’t
give the visiting doggies too much attention.
He never met anyone that he didn’t love and long for their attention. He
loved to play with his squeaky ball but could never figure out how to get
the squeaker out. He loved it when you “played sticks” and would just go in
and out the back door because each time he thought he would get his doggie
bone treats (He got way more than he should have many many times…)
The sweetest face is when he would come in from outdoors after
having buried a bone (we would just watch out the window as he did this)
and he thought no one was around….then come in with that
dirty dirty nose.
At about 4 or 5 yrs old he developed what is called Familial Shar-pei
Fever. He would be so sick his little hocks were so swollen and red.
His fevers would be so high and each time off to the Vet.
Just medicine and sometimes aspirin would take care of this after
about a course of 24-36 hrs. He developed this maybe 2 or 3 times.
The Vet said he may develop some kidney problems from this but each
time he snapped back so quick. Little did I realize he was having
kidney problems. It seemed he slept alot more and started reverting
back to “pottying” in the house and I would scold him so.
I just didn’t know. Now that I look back at his last couple weeks his
water bowl was always empty and he had a BIG water bowl.
He was pretty sick for 2 or 3 days a couple weeks before he died
but did snap out of this or so I thought.
On the Thursday before Easter Sean noticed he was not
feeling well and said he thought maybe Chance couldn’t see.
He was still eating and drinking. On Friday he definitely seemed worse.
Saturday I noticed him “wobbling” a bit.
But still thought he would be okay. Easter Sunday he was really
lethargic bumping into things and vomiting. His breathing was really
shallow also. He was still drinking water around noon.
I knew I would be taking him to his Vet in the morning and thought
maybe about calling the Emergency Pet Clinic as that was the
only place open on Easter Sunday.
Around 8 o’clock his breathing was worse he was totally disoriented.
I called the emergency clinic and they said to bring him in for
x-rays and blood work but that I would just end up taking him
back to his private vet in the morning.
I thought about this until I saw what trouble he was in about 9.
He just kept looking at me like “help me mommy” but I know you’re
here (and we’re not at the doctor’s.) We called again for directions.
The next thing we knew he got up stumbled into the wall walked
towards the door like he wanted more fresh air then fell over.
Don rushed over to him and the last words he heard was “it’s okay buddy”;
those soft comforting words he had heard so many times before.
I do know that his hearing was not affected at all.
He just looked up at us with those big brown eyes and took his last breath…
We wrapped him in a blanket and I helped Don lift him up and we put
him in the car and took him to the emergency clinic.
I was hoping he was in a coma and that they could revive him
but in our hearts we knew he was gone.
All the way to the clinic I just kept rubbing his chest and his legs
still so warm. They confirmed our worst fear. I got in the backseat,
lifted his head in my lap and said “I am so sorry pookie I just don’t know
what happened.” I told him over and over how much I loved him.
I know you are with baby Wesley guarding and playing and
just being his “best friend” too.
All of the loved one in our lives and all the special animals in our
lives are so happy to have you with them now.
We had Chance cremated on Apr 18 at the Littlest Angels Crematory
and will spread his ashes in all of his favorite places.
He will be in our hearts forever.
We may rescue another little dear but to our dear
“Sweet Chance”,
“There will NEVER be another you.”
Don Joan and Sean
| Chancellor |