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Our chow lived for 17 years until we had to put her down because she was suffering so bad from fused joints and arthritis.
I like to think she lived so long because during my junior high and high school years I ran cross country and she never let me go on a run alone. On really long runs Id have to carry her back because she was dog (pun intended) tired. I stopped trying to sneak off without her seeing me because it never worked.
Loved that dog. Rain, sun, snow, or sleet – she was always there to greet me with a smile. Even when she got old and in pain, she would get up just to say hello.