Tess & Me

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Judy Fox
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Re: Tess & Me

Post by Judy Fox »

Yes indeed - I bet the wisps of black fur are from Tess telling you it is all as she wants.
I am sure one of the Chow Chows in The Happy Hunting Grounds have shown her where the little hole in the clouds is so she can peep down at you and Mike and the little Lilly and she will tell the other chows and they will all have a little Happy Dance. \:D/
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Re: Tess & Me

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Tess had a certain way about her; Queen LaTifah with a John Wayne swagger. She was bigger than life. She came to us when we needed her. She knew her place in the family from the beginning. Tess was my watchful caring protector, my official flower smeller. She loved to rough play with Mike, block & tackle when he came home from work. Matt could roll her up in a ball, inside out, upside down, she loved it. She loved teenagers because of him. She was patient with Wendy, Wendy didn't show her real affection. I didn't have to correct Tess. She didn't like any female dogs & she did start fights; I could break them up and know that she wouldn't hurt me. She tolerated her best dog-friend Buddy, he was relegated to the back porch when she was tired of him. Tess cleaned up her own water dish messes, she just lapped up the water. She was brave but knew her limitations. She would load up in back of the truck when we would go thru town she would bark all the way to the end of town, letting all know in ear shot that she was Queen. She came to us with the streetwise attitude that she need to survive in Los Angeles. She never backed down to anyone who she thought was a danger to me, she sat on my feet and looked the foe directly in the eyes. She bowed to me when at the end of the day and it was time for me to sit on the sofa, that was her way of asking permission to sit by me. When I stayed up a little too late she protested, little growls turned into big growls with turned into barks. Sometimes she would just get exasperated with me and just go upstairs. She would draw deep sighs. Once in California I caught her howling like a wolf, many dogs in the neighborhood were barking and she just gave way with a big howl. She never did that again, maybe she was embarrassed. We played soccer together in the back yard, me gently kicking the basket ball & her nosing and batting it with her paws. She loved to play and had the most wonderful sense of humor. Her wiggle-wiggle push always had me laughing. We loved to take the junk mail and tear and throw and catch. I don't know who she lived with before us, what she had to go thru. I know that she chose us & would never leave our side. She didn't like big hugs, but loved it when I took my cheek and layed it on her muzzel, just where her indent was, she would push gently back. My cheek fit so perfectly there. I think she was older than I thought when she first came to us, either that or she was an old soul, or maybe when she passed she was the oldest Chow girl in the whole wide world.
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Re: Tess & Me

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Tess will always hold a special place in my heart of hearts. I never saw the bad side of side of her, the snarly grizzly side when strangers approached me, what they saw was most frightening. She was a brave soul. She would sit on my feet when she saw someone who was a possible threat to me. I always felt safe with her. She was a big girl & her steps were heavy. I can still hear them as she went up out stares to the loft. She had us catalogued; me - she protect me, Mike she played hard with, Matt could roll her up in a ball, Wendy, she would wait until Wen would acknowledged her just before Tess' end. I miss my Tess so very much. Tess was an old soul. Tess was street wise.... She took on bear & elk, she was forest wise too. She was sprayed by a stinky skunk and pretended that it wasn't her that stunk, while we ran around the cabin trying to find the source of the stink. Tess was my girl. I miss her so much. I am hoping that somehow Lilly will fill the void. Lilly has so much to learn.
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Re: Tess & Me

Post by Judy Fox »

She will learn - she will.
But - she will never be another Tess - she will be little Lilly and you will learn to love her as much.
My Matilda and Maisie are three and a half now and I love them dearly - as much as I loved Milly and Mabel - but they will never be Milly and Mabel.
They are bigger than Milly and Mabel and Maisie particularly is very affectionate and shows it. She loves us and kisses us - Matilda is more reserved but we can see the love in her eyes, bless her.
We miss Milly and Mabel and I would love to have just one day of them back here to be with Tilly and Maisie - I would love to see how the four of them would be together but of course that can never be.
Your little Lilly is a lucky little girl to have found happiness and safety and you can remember your beautiful Tess with love and I suspect you will always miss her - try to make the missing with happiness rather than grief.
x x x x
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Re: Tess & Me

Post by Me & Tess »

I was a little upset with Lilly yesterday. She had an accident in the guest bedroom. Mike had asked me in the morning if when I went to bed Lilly stayed down stairs. She had come up with me. I didn't think much about it until I went in our guest bedroom in the late afternoon and there was a puddle. I was stern with her & she deflated again. I took her on our evening walk and she was good, but when we came home she wanted to stay out & laid on the edge of our porch looking towards the door, sad deflated little Chow Girl. Lilly & I stayed up until after midnight & I took her out. I gave her lots of "good girls" and she started smelling me - she loves to smell my face & clothes, pushing her nose against me. I realized it was really my fault. The night before at (Mike's urging) I took Lilly out at 6 pm to 7 pm. I usually take her out around 7 pm to 8 pm. She is a little girl with a little bladder. I really do love her. & it's not fair for me to compare her to Tess - doesn't do Lilly any good. Last night it was so bright and beautiful, I didn't really need the flashlight. Since I am the last to bed, I will be taking Lilly out before I retire. I am sorry about my little rant yesterday. Lilly has made some great strides & I will post soon on her site.
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Re: Tess & Me

Post by Cocoa »

It is so hard not to compare but they are all so different. Buddy was my first and like Tess with you he found me (I found him in the parking lot where I worked, he came right to me). Like Tess he was fearless. He was our protector, best friend and playmate to my kids and even though he's been gone for over ten years I can still sometimes find myself looking for similarities and differences with Cocoa (and before her Baby). The one thing I miss most about him was that he was a talker, we used to have chats every day where he would sit and stare at me and huff and chuff and grumble. If I didn't give him my undivided attention he would tap my knee with his paw.
Cocoa is completely different from Buddy, where he was serious and dignified she is a clown and I love her for her silly antics. I cannot imagine life without her now.
I think as time goes on you will find yourself just remembering Tess, enjoying Lilly for who she is and comparing less.
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Re: Tess & Me

Post by Judy Fox »

I don't think your post was a rant!
Of course you remember Tess and miss her. She was your soul mate and you will always miss her but as time goes on without the grief.
I miss Milly and Mabel terribly - Milly was such a shock from being a bit poorly on the Monday to being operated on on the Friday and found to have a tumour in her tummy. Mabel was an old girl and that was a dreadful decision to have to take her to the vet to be put to sleep.
I missed her when I was getting the food dished up and for weeks after she died I would put three dishes out and then realise what I had done.
Now I just remember them but as I said, I would love to have them - just for one day to have all four together. Stupid I know! :D But it would be lovely.
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Re: Tess & Me

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I finally got to drive into town yesterday. The ice is completely gone from our driveway & the roads. Mike worries too much about me driving when there is ice, I am sure I can do it, but Mike goes without sleep thinking about it. I visited with friends, got my hair cut... the shortest it's ever been. When I was young my hair went down to my waist. Now that I am older short hair seems to suite me. I told my friends about getting Lilly. I also talked about my dear Tess. This was the first time I didn't have tears talking and thinking about her. Some times I just want to tell her story. One of my friends had a bad experience with a Chow. It seems it wasn't the Chow's fault. Her owners left her alone a lot and the poor thing barked a lot. The fence was high and she couldn't see the world around her. She was a big black girl like Tess.
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Re: Tess & Me

Post by Me & Tess »

A little memory my Tess.
When we lived in Norwalk, she looked forward to the junk mail. I would put the papers on the coffee table and she would take them and run. I would run after her, she would shake them until they ripped. I would take the pieces and throw them to her like confetti, she would jump up and catch the paper pieces. I guess you could say we both did zoomies (we were younger then) Our zoomies went on for about 5 to 10 minutes.
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Re: Tess & Me

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Tess loved to be brushed, the harder the better. Mike & I would have competitions to see who could brush the most fur when she blew her coat. In the city, our back yard would get covered by a blanket of dark fur fog, we would have trash cans full. She had her favorite places to be brushed, in front of the cabin & then move to some shade when the sun shone. I could brush her for about an hour & no complaints. I still hold onto a bag of her fur. Mike wants to burn it. I have memory pains and I will be sad to finally let go of it. Maybe when our son comes up this summer we will burn it in our fire pit. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
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Re: Tess & Me

Post by TyChowgirl »

Maybe you won't have to burn it...depending on how much you have you may be able to send it away and have something clothing like made from it? Even if it's a hat, mittens, a scarf...something?
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Re: Tess & Me

Post by Me & Tess »

I tried spinning the fur but couldn't get the hang of it. I may save just a little and put it in my locket.
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Re: Tess & Me

Post by Me & Tess »

& the tears still come. Always missing Tess, always in my memories. I needed to tell her story to truly mourn. It was a heart wrenching need.

This story brought the "missing" back to the forefront.
http://www.vin.com/vetzinsight/default. ... Id=5894486
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Re: Tess & Me

Post by Judy Fox »

The memories are always there and always will be. :)
We still miss Milly and Mabel and I have a little bit of their fur in my jewellery box. I don't know which is which now - doesn't matter - they came as a pair. :)
I am just happy we had their love and companionship whilst they were here with us.
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Re: Tess & Me

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Today is the 5th anniversary of Tess going to the Rainbow Bridge. I think of her almost daily. I try not to compare Lilly to Tess, but it is hard. One thing about Tess she wasn't a snuggler, I couldn't just go up to her and give her a great big hug. (Lilly lets me do that.) Tess used to leave me right there in the middle of a hug, although, she was content for me to lay my cheek against hers. She'd sit on my feet when there was a stranger talking to me. If it was in the middle of the night those who approached me had better take heed. She was a protector, always, up to her last days. When I was sick, she would watch me, if I coughed she would sit by my bed and watch me during the night (Lilly doesn't like me to cough either). She gave me bows, but that didn't come until our later years. Tess was so real. Our family misses our big black girl so very much.
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Re: Tess & Me

Post by Judy Fox »

You will always remember and you will always miss her - but - the memories become happier, the sadness a little less painful. :)
I am glad you have little Lilly. :D
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Re: Tess & Me

Post by Me & Tess »

I thought I lost Tess & Me. It was really pages past. I thought I would bump her story.
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Re: Tess & Me

Post by Me & Tess »

After taking Lilly for a walk in the snow, Mike asked me if I was in a good mood. Yes, I was in a good mood, to be shattered in a moments time. Mike had been clearing our road of snow & Earl was coming up the road. He told Mike that he had put Buddy down yesterday. I knew it was coming, Buddy could no longer climb stairs, his back end was in bad shape even before he got in the way of a horse trailer. Buddy' legs were bowed, like his master Earl, both old men. They were a sight to see walking together down Main Street. I had cried sometime back when I heard that Earl was considering the inevitable. Every time I saw Bud, I would stop and give him a pet. Usually he was laying in front by the little house. It had been a while that I've seen him, I always looked for him. Once, late last year I was with a friend, we were at her rented storage (Earl has storage buildings on his ranch) Earl & Buddy were back there and Buddy came up to me with his world famous smile and danced in front of me, I gave him a gentle hug and push. Earl said "He really loves you." I said yes.

I know that Earl misses Buddy, he found him as a pup at the trash bins. Buddy has had the greatest life with Earl, he was a greeter to Earl's guests at the Ranch, he went on job sites with Earl. Once, Earl took Buddy to Kalispell, to the Home Depot. Earl loves to talk and Buddy got tired of waiting for him, so he jumped out of the truck & entered Home Depot looking for Earl & found him. We watched Buddy when we were living at the airport. Buddy disappeared. We didn't know where he went. Mike got in the Trooper to look for him. He went north and south and made a circle to the highway & back. We questioned Tess, where did Buddy go. She just looked at us, confused as we were. Oh, no Earl is going to be mad at us. We called Earl, he had picked Buddy up without letting us know. When we watch Buddy here at the cabin for extended sleep overs, Buddy would pine for Earl, he wouldn't hardly eat, Tess would sneak in and eat Buddy's food, but not before I hand fed Bud several bites.

Buddy is the end of a generation of great dogs, my Tess, and dear Deli. Buddy, Tess & Deli are greatly missed.
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Re: Tess & Me

Post by Judy Fox »

Oh Dear! It is sad - but there again, the old boy has had a good life and The Happy Hunting Grounds are good for old dogs! :) Every day is springtime and there is no pain. r.i.p. old fellow. He is with all the others of our beloved pets.
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Re: Tess & Me

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Bump
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Re: Tess & Me

Post by wrat »

The memories remain
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Re: Tess & Me

Post by Me & Tess »

I think of Tess. She was perfect. I am sure I will never find another like her. She was a gift from heaven, just when we needed her. Just a brief memory passing from me to Mike.
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Re: Tess & Me

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