Chad

When Angel and I Lost Taz, we called Gay Latimer to adopt another greyhound. Chad was a fawn color and had the most beautiful hazel eyes I've ever seen. My other greys all had chocolate brown eyes. He was so stressed, he paced back and forth constantly until time to go. Gay said he had been in the rescue kennel a year, longer than most. His eyes were frightened and unsure and his tail tucked between his legs. He seemed to calm down when he met Angel and stuck to her constantly. It was sad to see him afraid of everything (mostly men) and noise and change. He loved to eat and have treats and mostly Angel being near.

He seemed to feel secure in my master bedroom closet with his stuffed bear, a bed, and security blanket. It became “Chad's Room”, his safe place. We formed a tight bond, he grew to trust me and would come and lean on me whenever he could. Each morning he would come out of “his room”, come to the bed and stare at me until I would scratch his neck, kiss him on the nose, and tell him I loved him. Only then would he “dance” on tiptoe to find Angel, knowing he was safe, secure (tail up!) a happy boy. I called him my “handsome man” and “big baby boy”! and that made him feel special.

When we lost Angel, he was devastated. He was depressed and frightened and lost without her. I missed my “Special Angel”, and called Gay for a new friend for Chad. We found “High Volt” and renamed her Sasha, to fit her sweet and playful nature. She seemed to distract him from his sadness and they became best friends. A friend gave me a bag of stuffed animals for them and Chad, who didn't play with toys much, picked a large yellow chicken, put it on his bed and made it his own. Sasha took the rest. Whenever I came home he would grab the chicken, run out the dog door and wait for me. I would yell “Hello Chickenman!”, only then would he bring the chicken back and put it in his bed. It became my welcome home ritual and always made me laugh.

He seemed to slow down, didn't want to eat, and didn't seem himself. Several visits to the vet and many tests revealed a large and swollen spleen. He was in a great deal of pain and there was nothing we could do for him. I was in shock! He was only 8 ½ years old – same age as our Angel when we lost her. Sasha lost her big friend who welcomed her here, and I lost my special, one of a kind “Chickenman”. I know Angel came to bring him home. Goodbye my Sweet Prince.