SEVEN Reasons Why CHLOE is a Unique Babedawg

[1] Chloe has specific bark for a specific emotion, need, or urgency. Sporadic, tiny barkies (li'l barks) mean she's annoyed at a Stepford Wife, her major critic in the neighborhood; shortened, more insistent but slower barks suggest that she needs to get in the house, right now—pronto, ora mismo! and little woofs-like bark means, “Don't mess with my food!” 

[2] Chloe intently observes a lot of human movements/actions, especially if it's directed to her. When we set up a fence on the front porch so she wouldn't escape and run to the streets (Stepford Wives complain a lot), she exactly knew how to devise or strategize an escape act. Whenever she ran and as I convinced him to get in the car `cause “... we're going to the park...” Well, she already got that trick figured out (that meant we'll just bring her back home). So she learned to just ignore the bait, and simply nonchalantly walked home each time, as though mumbling, “Jeez, I know that BS already! Let me just walk home myself, dude! Saves you the shit!” Chloe didn't really respond to, “Come here, girl...” she'd do it as she saw it fit. I mean, with the many hours—in four years—that she stared at me like a specimen on a litmus paper, what do I expect? She got my number, alrighty!

[3] Chloe can be a bully to stranger-dogs, a fight-starter—that is, if there's a bigger dawg to back her up. Many times she provoked a fight with bigger dawgs, and when the pissed dog moved to accost her, she'd run behind Georgia. It's a good thing that Georgia is a peaceful dawg, she simply apologized to the annihilated canines. And Georgia knew how tough the boss that she's defending—because in those three years that they co-existed, they had at least two brutal fights. Chloe didn't back down at all, small as she was, down in all fours or whatever. We were able to pull Georgia away, but Chloe was still swinging away like a really pissed off Manny Pacquiao! Hence, she earned Georgia's respect.

[4] Chloe is not a dawg who'll beg for food or will grab any food that is dangled on her snout. She will smell it first and checks if it's organic, gluten-free and local... Of course, that didn't work all the time. She'd easily succumb to submission when I instead enticed her with chocolates or cakes—and then her food.

[5] Chloe is a very sensitive dawg, unexpectedly touchy sometimes. Whenever I was angry, she'd come to me and would place her paws on my lap; when I was sad, she'd sleep on the slope of my bed... She has this look that isn't really sad or downcast, just a look of concern and intent--not cuddly, yet reassuring. The week that she passed away, although she was hurting, she climbed up a dozen flights of stairs to stay with me in my room—almost every night in those few days.

[6] What kept Chloe strong, we all agreed, is her spirit and will power to live... I was told by her owners that when Chloe was a child, she was almost fatally mauled by a huge dog and dragged to the woods, bloodied and almost lifeless, hanging by the fangs of her tormentor. She survived such an ordeal... Hence, most of the defensive aggression that she exhibited towards bigger dogs was apparently brought about by such grim experience... Until the last days or hours of her death, we were confused if she's really hurting or not, she seemed weak indoors but when she's out, she still exuded fire and life. Until she was brought to the hospital... This tiny dog is a real amazon warrior.

[7] One thing is sure and certain, I have never been with a dog with such a mysterious, confusing if not intriguing demeanor and attitude. Chloe is a rare breed, and that could be an understatement even. I don't think there'll be another CHLOE...

CHLOE is a Chinese Shar-Pei, named as one of the world's rarest dog breeds. Chloe is often suspicious of strangers, which pertains to their origin as a guard dog. She is a very independent and reserved breed—and believes she is the 357th incarnation of a Chinese sage who was also an escape artist and a snotty Food Network cooking judge.