If anything was changed in the house, he would say "roooooooo" until we fixed it for him!

Chester was the alpha to his littermate, Charley, and he made sure that we all knew it. They were always given identical toys, but Chester stole every one of Charley's toys and made sure that Charley couldn't have either one, at least for a while. Chester ate very slowly, and Charley ate very fast. Once Charley finished his food, Chester tormented him by looking directly in his eyes and chewing his food very slowly. Charley passed away suddenly 2 years before Chester. Although the first several months after that were very difficult for all of us, we are so proud of how Chester carried on.

When Chester was just 2 or 3 years old, a baby bird fell out of a tree into our yard behind a wire fence, out of Chester's reach. Chester said "rooooooo" until Daddy and Mommy came to rescue the baby bird. Chester did not see where we took the bird. For the next 9 or 10 years until we moved out of that house, every single day he ran right out to the spot where he saw that baby bird and looked for it.

Chester developed allergies and broke out in skin lesions when he was still just a puppy. First, Mommy put ointment on his "boogers" regularly, and Chester learned that this would help him, so he gladly rolled over when asked and even thumped his tail on the ground, knowing it made us happy.

Then Mommy had to give Chester allergy shots 3 times a week. The first few shots were so mentally, emotionally, and physically challenging for Chester, Mommy, and Daddy. Daddy held Chester on his lap in a chair while Mommy tried to administer the shot. Chester managed to fight his way out of Daddy's arms almost every time. Mommy would end up in tears and then in the vet's office asking a technician to help. Finally, one day, Mommy said that Chester was a very emotional as well as intelligent dog. While she was struggling to give Chester a shot, she stopped and decided to talk to Chester. She told Chester how much she loved him and how the shot was going to help him. She said it would make his "boogers" go "bye-bye." She had tears in her eyes by the end of her "speech." Chester then buried his head underneath Daddy's arm and let Mommy give him the shot. He never made a fuss again regarding shots or other medical matters and was simply the best patient ever.

Even with advanced arthritis and dementia, Chester continued to forge forward every day. He would never give up. It was so hard to say goodbye, but we know that it was the right thing to do.

16 1/2 years of endless love.

We will always love you so very much, Chessy Boy. Rest in peace, snuggling with Charley once again.