Chester came into our lives after my father died. It was Dad's dog first and when Dad knew he was going to die he asked if we would take Chester. I had been taking care of Dad during his illness and of course Chester made his way right into our hearts. Chester had been sick for a couple of days. Not being able to urinate like he should and wasn't eating or drinking much. My husband took him to our Vet on Thursday morning while I was working. He was given a couple of shots thinking he might have a virus of so kind and they took blood work. The blood had to be sent to the lab and wouldn't return with results until Friday.When I got home from work he looked so sick and sad. I took him in my arms and rocked with him like a baby and he just stayed in my arms like that for a long time. Jan 25th. 2008; Friday morning he wasn't doing any better and the doctor called with the lab results. Chester had severe kidlney failure and they couldn't really do much at his age to help him. He had been very healthy until a year ago he had to be put on heart meds and a water pill to help with Congested Heart Failure. Even with that he was still very active and healthy. They could try different things with kidlney failure but with his age and being on the water pill the doctor said the best thing and the right thing for Chester was to bring him back in to be put to sleep. My husband was so distraught that he knew he couldn't take Chester or even be there for that. So I took our beloved pet in my arms while the doctor gave him the shot to end his life. I prayed that our good Lord would give me strength to do this and I did feel God's peace but after it was over and each day since we can't seem to stop cyring for the lost of our wonderful dog. He was like having a child here in the home. We had hin for almost fourteen years. Chester was so much fun to be around. He could out run a frisbee and loved to play in the yard with one. He always had a young spirit even the weekend before he died he was at the cabin running back and forth (100 yards) to the dock. He loved to be at the cabin and seemed to act so much younger when he was there. He had his own little life jacket for the pontoon and would watch the fishing bobber in the lake go up and down and he would bob his head with the motion of the bobber. Then he would give us a look that said; "well are you going to catch that fish or not" My husband always said he was waiting for Chester to upzip that furry suit and see a little man jumb out. He would look at Chester and say "Your so Cute and so Smart". When I would be at work my husband would spend the day with Chester and they would go for lots of rides. My husband would say "Chester you want to go for a "SPIN" and Chester would run for the door. He seemed to charm everyone he would met. He would go with my husband to get a haircut and the barber would have a special drawer for treats for Chester and he would walk right over to that drawer and wait for the barber to give him a treat. They would go to Grandma House and she always had a closet with toys for Chester to play with when he came to visit. Chester would go right to the closet and wait for someone to open the door for him. He enjoyed Christmas and had so much fun opening up gifts. He seemed to know which gift was his under the tree. When someone in the family would have a birthday we had to make sure there was a wrapped gift for Chester to open also. How does this happen that a dog can steal your heart so much? What joy we had with him in our lives. He even traveled with me in an airplane to go to see our daughter in Virginia. He was in a pet carrier right at my feet in the airplane. When we landed he would stick his head out of the carrier and everyone would be making a fuss over him. He loved that. He seemed to enjoy getting his picture taken. and there are so many memories in those pictures. One night my husband was leaving for work and I was trying to teach Chester to sat up and speak for a treat. My husband said at ten years old he won't be able to learn new tricks. Well let me tell you its a fact that "You can teach a old dog new tricks" He learned in one night how to sit and speak and roll over for his treats. I would only have to say go this way and he would roll in the direction I was pointing. Go this way: Go that way and he would get all excited and do just what I was asking him to do for his treat. We even had someone come stay at our home with Chester when we would have to go for a week somewhere without him. A kennel was out of the question as far as my husband was concern. He wanted Chester to be home where he could be around his own things and have greater freedom while we were gone. The morning we had to put Chester he acted like he wanted to go outside to potty. My husband carried him down the steps to the back yard. Chester was out of our sight for a few minutes and then came to the step for help coming back in. We both were thinking maybe he did go potty. When I came home from the Vet and Chester was gone both my husband and I were having a hard time over our lost. I went to the bedroom crying with my head on the window looking out to the back yard. I was something in the snow that I will never forget. I called my husband to look at what was a perfect heart shape made by chester paws prints in the snow. What a beatuiful gift he left behind. His Heart. I thank our good Lord for all the memories and love that Chester gave us.

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