RIP Chumlee

Chumlee Seaver

Feb 27, 1998 - May 19, 2012

Chumlee and I have had a strained relationship over the years.  I've always been allergic to him and resented him for that.  Finally I gave my parents an ultimatum: Chumlee or me.  The next day I received luggage, packed, on the driveway.  j/k... but I did eventually move out and had significantly less allergies!  Once Scarlett was born though we began bonding.  He brought her so much joy!  As evidence: I have almost no pictures of him before Scarlett, now I have 150+.  Scarlett loved to feed him and pet (aka smack) him.  He would just lay there and take the beating.  Until finally he would get up and just walk away, but he never bit or barked at her.  The first thing Scarlett did in my parent's house was point her "bossy finger" until we found the dog then would squeal "puppy!"

Chumlee's really loved his mommy.  He would follow her all over the house and would cry when she wasn't home.  Once his vision started going bad, he would occasionally follow me around.  I must smell like my mom.

Chumlee's best friend was James.  They had a special bond that grew stronger with ever poop scoop that James did.  James would sleep next to him on the floor often, sometimes even in the kennel.  Before James left on his mission you could usually find both of them in the computer room.  Chumlee would just lay next to James's feet while he played his computer games.  I think that Chumlee waited to see James one last time (via Skype on Mother's Day 6 days ago).

Chumlee was a very handsome pug and the oldest pug the vet had ever seen.  He was close to death a few years ago, but my mom (the master-nurturer) brought him back to life!  But over the past few weeks he's been passing out.  We now know this was from his failing heart.  My mom and dad took him to the ER cause he was really having trouble breathing, the vet listened to his heart and said that it was very weak.  Before they even had to make a decision about medication, he passed naturally.  Chumlee took his final breath in my mom's arms looking at her as he slipped to the next life.

 Favorite Chumlee memories:

• sitting under Scarlett's high chair waiting for food
• chasing the my Winnie the Pooh slippers
• chasing the laser pointer
• falling asleep with James
• following me around, thinking I was his mommy
• freaking out if you wore all black
• going potty on deck when it was snowy (wouldn't walk out in the snow)
• falling down window well at the new house
• falling under deck at old house
• having a random black spot on his back, which we figured out was from mom's hair dye dripping on him!

Young Pup

Chumblebee

Party Animal

James wrote about Chumlee in his letter this week:

This Sunday I heard a talk by President Jensen, the stake president in the W. Columbia Stake. He made some comments about the Atonement and it's far-reaching effects. He said "I just want to make it home." I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ enables us all- man, woman, child- to "return to that God who gave them life" (Alma 40). Every living thing on this planet is a child of our Father in Heaven. Everything. As the saying goes, "all dogs go to heaven." I'm glad he passed happily. Thank you for letting me know.

I do want to say my favorite Chumlee story though. Once upon a time, when I was a wee lad, Brennan and I would walk calmly down the hallway towards the stairs and Chum would be in the kitchen. Then we'd take off at full speed towards the mirror and he would chase us and bark up a storm! For some reason it would freak us out, even though he never actually bit us (cause he was just being a loving, playful little buddy, whereas we figured he was a blood-thirsty destroyer!). One day we thought for sure he was gonna get us, so we ran and jumped onto mom and dad's bed! Close one! Well, later that week, when at least mom, dad, and myself (can't remember who else was there) were watching tv on their bed, Chumlee came cruising down the hall and bounded up onto the bed!! :D Good dawg! R.I.P. Chumlee. See ya soon!