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Chumlee's thread - a Senior? Already?!

24K views 248 replies 37 participants last post by  brianne 
#1 ·
We are snowbound today in the Northeast in the throes of Snowstorm Niko, expecting over a foot of snow so I promised myself that today is the day I will start Chumlee's own thread to record some of our journey together.

I can't believe how hard it is to bring myself to start a thread in the Senior (gulp!) forum! Ok, so Chumlee has been a Senior for at least couple years now. It's just that I prefer living in a state of denial and pretending he's only 6 or 7.....:eek:

On the other hand, I know how fortunate I am to have a nearly 12 year old golden! I've read so many heartbreaking stories here on GRF chronicling many young dogs taken much, much too soon.

So without further ado, here is the story of Chumlee.

The beginning of Chumlee's life is not 100% clear. Chumlee is a rescue dog and I have only the rescue group's account of his life up until 2011.

Chumlee was born in upstate New York. He had at least 2, possibly 3 families before he came to live with us. His first family had 2 young children and the story was that he was likely not socialized or exercised and that little landshark puppy Chumlee played too rough with the children. They surrendered him to a shelter when he was almost 2 years old.

He was neutered and adopted very briefly and returned to the shelter, then promptly adopted by another family with 3 young children. History repeated itself; Chumlee was too rough with the very young children. And somewhere along the line, probably because of poor socialization, he became dog-reactive. Rather than work with him, this family surrendered him to the same shelter after a couple of years, saying he was wild and unmanageable.

Enter Peppertree Rescue, who took him into rescue with the shelter's blessing. Finding a foster home with all of his dog-reactiveness wasn't easy and finding a forever home for him was even harder than that! Despite everything, Peppertree refused to give up on him. They found a trainer to work on manners and they discovered that he was quite an anxious guy but very smart and biddable! He stayed with them for nearly 7 months as they worked to earn his trust and help him become an adoptable pet.

In June 2011, we lost our 18 year old cat and then a mere 10 days later we had to put our nearly 16 year old dog down. To say that we were heartbroken seems a little inadequate. Suddenly we had no pets. At all. :crying: Our house was empty and just too quiet.

For a couple of months prior to losing our pets, I had been looking online at a picture of a handsome GR - he made me smile - but saw in big letters that he had to be the ONLY PET because of his reactiveness to other animals. I couldn't stop thinking about him but knew he wasn't the dog for us since we had a dog and a cat.

After losing our pets, I kept thinking about this adorable GR but I was sure he must have been adopted already. I finally contacted the rescue group to inquire about him. To my shock, he was still available!!

We adopted Chumlee in August 2011, driving 5 hours to bring him home with us without ever having met him in person. I just knew it was meant to be.

Chumlee will be 12 years old in May. We have officially had him longer than all of his other families combined! He has brought joy and silliness back to our house. Chumlee's favorite things are going for long walks and carrying my son's dirty athletic socks in his mouth after stealing them out of the laundry. He is also a skilled surgeon and has performed countless "squeaker-ectomies" from stuffed toys. His favorite "sneak foods" are Cheez-Its and pizzelle cookies, although, like most Goldens, he loves ALL food!

I will try to update this thread often and I know I will be asking for advice from other past and present parents of senior goldens. And I'm trying hard to get over my hang-up and fears over Chumlee getting older. :eek:

My new mantra:

"Know that you are the perfect age. Each year is precious and special for you shall only live it once. Be comfortable with growing older." by Louise Hay
 

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#60 ·
Well you know how as you get older, you kind of forget sometimes, so maybe Chumlee is having those senior moments and he just doesn't remember having breakfast or dinner. He really doesn't seem to be the kind of dog who would try to pull one over on you, would he??
 
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#62 ·
I posted some of these pictures in the picture section, but thought I'd include a couple in his own thread too.

I took Chumlee for a walk yesterday at our friend's property and Chumlee was overjoyed to find one left-over patch of snow and he savored it like a rare gem! The rest of us are ready to be done with winter and snow, but Chum goes into a depression this time of year.

He continues to do well. My DH and I went away for a long weekend and left him home with our son. According to our DS, Chumlee moped around while we were gone. I missed him sooooo much and couldn't wait to get home to see him. Thankfully, he was quick to forgive us (after we took him for a long walk and gave him far too many treats). :)
 

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#63 ·
Precious Chum, love the photos, I can just imagine how pleased he was to have you back, bless him x
 
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#64 ·
Another long span between updating Chumlee's thread. For the most part, things have been blissfully uneventful. Chum still enjoys his walks and car rides. I'm grateful to say that he is very energetic and we sometimes forget he is a teen.

Chum continues to be quite a trickster. His latest escapade involves ice cream. DH and I took Chum for a ride in our antique Jeep. Chum loves to feel the wind in his face and ears! Not surprisingly, we ended up at the local ice cream stand. We went and ordered small cones for DH and I and a small "puppy cup" (dish of vanilla with a little dog biscuit on top!) for Chumlee. To our surprise, Chum acted distracted and disinterested in his cup. We got worried that maybe he was: too hot, too excited, too nervous, had an upset tummy, etc., etc., etc. DH and I quickly finished our ice cream except the cone. I was looking for a place to toss my cone so that we could hurry and get Chum home. Suddenly Chum hopped forward and snatched the empty cone out of my hand and happily chowed down on it! Then he gladly accepted the cone DH offered him. And, once our cones were gone, he then slurped down his puppy cup! It seems that Chum was holding out on us and just waiting for the cones! Such a goofy boy and DH and I repeatedly fall for his tricks! :rolleyes:

Lastly, a couple of weeks ago Chum got schooled in messing with skunks! Again!

Every Sunday morning, DH and Chum get up early and go for their walk, allowing me to sleep in a bit. On this day, they got up extra early and headed out. Apparently it was so early, that one of the local skunks had not gone to bed yet for the day.

Chum spotted the skunk and bolted towards her, ignoring DH's call. Not surprisingly, Chum got a huge blast right in the face and chest. Chum threw himself on the ground and started to roll in an attempt to get the lovely perfume off while the skunk sauntered away.

DH arrives at home and proceeds to tell me that "WE" have a problem to deal with. No, dear, it sounds like YOU have a problem! :D

I crawled out of bed and mixed up the "skunk recipe" for Chum. Poor guy looked so forlorn at the awful turn of events. Luckily, he was still wearing a bandanna from the night before and much of the "perfume" was on it, so we tossed it away. What a yucky ordeal! DH and I were gagging at the smell and Chumlee couldn't understand why we were so persistent in giving him a bath!

Most of the smell is gone now, but when he gets wet we get a pungent reminder of Chum's adventure.

I guess that's it for now. Getting ready to host our annual 4th of July BBQ. Chumlee enjoys it so much. I have been scurrying around searching for and destroying every little firecracker I can find. DH and DS love them but Chum does NOT. They will be asking me if I've seen them and of course my answer will be an innocent "No". Please don't tell them or I will be forced to deny it! ;)

Happy Independence Day to all our US friends!
 
#66 ·
Oh no, sorry to hear about the mishap with the skunk!. I laughed at Chum grabbing the ice cream cone, I remember a certain doggy doing something very similar!.
 
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#67 ·
I've enjoyed reading Chumlee's senior thread. He is a lucky boy to have been rescued by Peppertree. A wonderful group. And then you getting him.
I have such trouble accepting that Chance is a senior too and am trying to just embrace and enjoy every day. I like the quote in your opening post of this thread.
 
#68 ·
It's been ages without an update, as usual. Life has been really busy but I have a minute so here goes.

Chumlee had a fun summer, although it was incredibly humid here. He didn't enjoy that part so much because it really put a crimp in our walks. I hesitated to exercise him very much during the worst of it because he is really affected by the heat. It's difficult to find places to swim because of his dog-reactiveness, but we took a couple trips to our camp on the hottest days to help him keep cool. I'm attaching a picture of the fearless stick-retriever at camp looking blissfully happy. :D

With Autumn here and cooler weather, we are able to get back to our walking schedule which makes Chum so happy.

Chum continues to attempt to trick DH and I into giving him an additional meal by standing in his "feed me" place on the rug and staring innocently at us and communicating telepathically. "No, ignore that mark on the chart. Despite what it says, you most DEFINITELY forgot to feed me! Honest!"

This morning, Chum the Opportunist scored big. I was upstairs working intently on a project. DH had gone downstairs and given Chumlee a Milkbone before leaving to do errands. I eventually became aware of lots of activity downstairs. I looked around upstairs but didn't see Chum. I went downstairs to investigate further and caught Chum in the act of helping himself to a dog biscuit! It seems DH had left the closet door open and left the lid off the Milkbone container so Chum decided it was an all-you-can-eat buffet! I don't know how many he managed to sneak before I realized what was going on! :uhoh:

Well, I guess you gotta love his ingenuity...

Chumlee is getting a little greyer and lumpier (me too!) but I'm happy to say that he continues to do well at nearly 13 1/2. I feel very blessed and grateful. :smooch:
 

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#70 ·
I was just thinking about you all yesterday!. Great update, so glad to hear that Chumlee is keeping you all on your toes. Just love that boy for helping himself to the treats!.
 
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#72 ·
A couple of months gone, so time for another update.

Blissfully, things are still pretty uneventful with Chumlee. Deer hunting season is over here so we can get back to our usual walks and that makes him so happy.

Last week, my car, (aka "The Dogmobile) was in the shop and the mechanic was stumped. I had a rental car with a clearly stated "No Pets" policy. Chum was stymied and a little irritated that suddenly he couldn't go for rides for a couple of days. He would look out the window and growl at the rental car like it was an evil stranger in our driveway. Made us chuckle.

The Dogmobile is back and Chum is elated to again be able visit the ladies at the bank and other drivethru windows again. ;)

My DS is doing well and has a great job that he loves. He tells us the only thing he needs now is a new girlfriend (he and his GF broke up several months ago.)

All the young 20-somethings use an online app to meet other singles in the local area and I jokingly suggested that he take a picture with Chumlee to be his profile picture. I guaranteed he would get dozens and dozens of matches because Chum is so irresistible. DS rolled his eyes but to humor me, he did just that. DS, DH and I were eating dinner at a casual restaurant. Suddenly, DS's phone started dinging repeatedly. DS tried to hide it, but I asked him what was going on.

He finally admitted he had gotten 27 "interested" girls in about 15 minutes after posting the picture of himself with Chumlee! See, son! I told you that Chum is a "chick magnet'! And obviously, the girls have good taste!! :D

Chumlee had his usual Sunday morning egg on top of his breakfast and then took a few minutes to gnaw on his Himalayan chew and mess up the extra blankets on his bed. Such an exhausting morning that he has decided to take a little snooze....
 

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#73 ·
Aw, that's so cute, Chum certainly is a real hit with the girls and now he's showing his brother how it's done!. Really glad hear he's doing do well and enjoying his wonderful senior years. I hope you all have a great festive season and an even better New Year xxx
 
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#74 ·
It's nearly Spring and not much new to report, thankfully.

Chumlee is still delighting in the snow that the rest of us are so sick of. He makes sure to start each day by sticking his face in the snow followed with a good roll. Maybe he was a Malamute in another life...

In December, my old car, aka "The Dogmobile" finally let me know it was time to go. At almost 200,000 miles I had to agree but it was awful. Am I the only one who gets ridiculously attached to a car?! If the Rainbow Bridge accepts cars, I think that's where mine will go since I spent so much time transporting animals! So many memories. Anyways I began my search, knowing it had to be comfortable for Chumlee and I found just the car. It's kind of ugly and bears a striking resemblance to a toaster but Chum can get in and out of it quite easily. He's happy with his new ride. :)

And I just had to share silly picture of Chum. I was sound asleep and I thought DH was, too, based on the quiet breathing I heard beside me. Then I opened my eyes and found myself nose to nose with Chumlee's handsome face. At nearly 14, he can still jump up on the bed. I just love this dog! :x
 

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#75 ·
That photo is SO cute, Chumlee is adorable. Sorry to hear about your car, you made me giggle about it going to The Rainbow Bridge, I'm sure all the dogs will be riding around having a blast!. Please give Chum a hug and some treats from me, great to hear from you as always.
 
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#77 ·
Amazing memory

I snapped a quick picture of Chumlee as he was sprawled on his back on the bathroom floor. He always looks so silly when he lays like this! :)

As soon as I came into the bathroom, he watched me warily for signs of opening the vanity door where his dreaded ear medicine was kept - 4 years ago!!!! It amazes me that he still remembers this.

I may start another thread to ask if anyone else's dog has such a memory...

Chum continues to do well, going for walks and rides and having his favorite Sunday breakfast - a cooked egg on top of his food.

Last weekend I went away for a girls weekend in NYC. It was exhausting but so much fun. When I got home, Chumlee charged down the stairs and I received such a joyful, enthusiastic greeting. He acted like I had been gone for ages instead of a couple of days. It was quite a display. :smooch:

DH and DS had been gone for a week just a few days prior to my trip and when they returned home, Chum, well, was much more, um, relaxed when greeting them. It led to many eye-rolls and disparaging comments about Chum's loyalty and love for them... :rolleyes:
 

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#78 ·
Bless him, loving the "up the wall" look!, Barnaby used to do the same thing.

It's so cute that you got such a wonderful greeting after your trip, I'm sure you must be his "favourite" 22 human!!.

Please pass on some Easter treats and hugs from to precious Chum xxx
 
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#79 ·
14 today!

I am so happy to report that Chumlee is 14 awesome years old today!

I was nervous when adopting him at age 6 that we wouldn't have him for long. I've kept my fingers and toes crossed, threw salt over my shoulder, knocked on wood, and was very careful to never step on a sidewalk crack :eek: - all kinds of very silly, superstitious things in the attempt to keep Chum with us. And it worked! :D

I'm very grateful that his 2 previous families weren't clever enough to see what a wonderful dog they had and that they turned him over to rescue so he could come to join our family. This is where he was always meant to be.

Happy Birthday, Chumlee!
 
#80 ·
I'm also going to wish Chumlee a Happy Birthday over here, in case the other thread does get deleted. 14 is indeed awesome! He is lucky he wound up with you to live out the best years of his life.
 
#83 ·
I haven't been on the forum for a year now. It has changed.

Anyways, I figured while I was here to send my condolences to Towhee's mom, I would do a very brief update of Chumlee's thread.

🎂🧡 Chumlee turned 15 years old this week and celebrated with a steak dinner, a new toy and a walk at his favorite place.

He is still doing relatively well. Lately he has begun experiencing some age-related aches and pains, some weakness in his rear legs, eyes not as sharp as they used to be, etc.

In case any Senior owners look here for advice on helping their seniors I will share that the things that help Chum the most are supplements. He gets a great quality fish oil on his food every day for joints and mobility. I also give him a Cosequin chew daily, and I have found some wonderful food-based vitamin supplements for him that he devours (I'm not sure if it's ok to name the product so I won't). The product I found that has helped his rear leg weakness is called Duralactin. It's a natural supplement to help with inflammatory issues like arthritis. I'm pretty sure I read about it on this forum ages ago.

He still begs for treats and has a typical Golden Retriever bottomless pit appetite. He's still amazing and I'm so grateful to still have him in my life.

I guess that's it. Chumlee and I wish everyone the very best.
 
#84 ·
I'm so happy Chumlee is still doing well and enjoying life! I give my 3 year old boy fish oil, Dasuquin and also a duralactin once in a while. Please mention the vitamin supplements you give Chumlee. I'm hoping to have that info to help my boy as he ages. I don't think it's against the rules (as long as you don't supply a link?) Also, a big Happy Birthday, Chumlee!!!
 
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