RIP Coonhound "Cheefers" Dreams of Bicycling, Jogging, Swimming

01/18/2022

Five years ago today, I sent Chief to the other side. I still love him, still shed tears at times, but I have no regrets. He is healing there. He lives in perfect peace. Chief is still the wallpaper on my phone and I see him every day and I still talk to him sometimes. He taught me so much about life and what comes after.

01/19/2020

Friends, look what I found. I am not making this up. I found this old photo of Chief, re-saved yesterday so it showed up as new in my Photos app. But I didn't re-save it. I think he somehow made it happen. Out of the hundreds of photos of him saved in my phone, I think he chose this one to tell me that he is resting in the beautiful blessed peace of Home, surrounded by healing light. He felt me grieving again and he did this. Feeling awestruck and breathless... the cycle of life and death create great mysteries.

01/18/2020

Three years ago today I sent my beloved hound Chief to his Home. He continues to teach me.

01/17/2019

Two years ago I said goodbye to my beloved Chief under the most difficult circumstances imaginable and finally today I had the strength to organize all my phone photos of him into an album. Tears are flowing....

09/26/2018

My sweet Cheefers, thank you for coming to comfort me today. I love you so much.

02/07/2018

Lennon is wearing Chief’s coat. This is comforting to me. Thank you Julie for the photo.

09/24/2017

This afternoon, I put Chief's ashes in this peaceful lake near Chetek, just a few steps down the little path you see in the lower left. And I took one small gray stone from the shore with me. Many hot tears have stained my cheeks today. One thing I'm glad about is this photo. He was happy. We had many happy hours near this lake and he was at his best during our afternoon walks. The fresh air and sunshine chased his demons away.

09/16/2017

Chief, I am thinking of you. Tomorrow will be 8 months since I sent you Home. Not a day goes by without seeing you in my thoughts and memories. It would have been easier in some ways to have kept you here with me. But better for you where you are, I believe with all my heart.

07/17/2017

Six months ago today, dear Chief, I said goodbye. Pure agony. But we had many happy hours and I will hold them closely in my heart.

03/18/2017

Dear Cheefers, two months ago today I sent you home. Tears are falling again. I will love and miss you for the rest of my days. But your scary side chilled me cold... I was so afraid. You were so huge and so deeply aggressive. Anyway you are in a better place now. A place of peace.

02/18/2017

One month ago today dear Cheefers, it was our goodbye. You are deeply loved and missed. I love this picture of you. It was a happy day for us both.

By the way my arm is healing. Where all the punctures are from your teeth they are now just purple spots. I know you couldn't help it, Cheefers. You couldn't stop yourself. You loved me but the demons were in control.

Best smile picture of Cheefers ever!! He was so mellow and sweet. And he was perfect on the leash all the way. Jana Logghe, I'm so impressed with your training skills!! He used to be so difficult on the leash and now he is like a different dog.

02/05/2017

This link below has been a helpful read, as I continue to wrestle with my agonizing decision and the bottomless loss I feel for Chief, who I loved so very much. I miss him every day. I see him everywhere in my imagination. If he is watching over me, he knows that I'm feeling his loss acutely. Thank you to all my friends who have reached out to me in support. Calls, emails, messages, cards, it matters so much that I heard from you. It helps. Thank you.

Some dogs aren't wired correctly, and no amount of training or medication can fix that