Chloe edged her way into my heart in 2008. She had been showing up at Adoption Day after Adoption Day, but no one wanted her. I didn't think I could handle two dogs in my pack, so I did nothing but keep trying to convince adopters to give her a good look. But after a while, I couldn't stand that she wasn't finding a home.

Chloe was already seven years old and "special needs;" although I didn't think she was all that needy. Thanks to a long-untreated thyroid problem, Chloe, who should have been around 90 pounds, had come in to GRRA at around 140! She could barely walk. And people were really skittish about a dog with "special needs." But all she required were some reasonably priced pills and blood tests, every now and then. And her allergies would result in sores that needed some special TLC, every now and then. But her personality was so loving and fun, I decided to take the leap. After a meet-up with my GRRA-adopted black lab, I decided we had a fit and brought her into our little pack; trying to learn the nuances of having more than one dog.

And then came the adventures. Chloe ran for the first time about six weeks after her arrival. She was also obsessed with squirrels. And once that weight melted off thanks to the right dosage and some good, old-fashioned walking, Chloe took great pleasure in trying to pull me over to get to them. (But a trainer soon helped correct that problem.)

She also seemed to understand that my skittish dog Maddy wasn't comfortable around strangers and would eagerly step in front of her to get the pats heading Maddy's direction. And Maddy soon learned not to be as afraid. Everyone referred to Chloe as "Maddy's Seeing Social Dog." There were thoughts of finding Chloe a vest to show she was a working dog.

Everyone instinctively added "bear" to her name, thanks to her fuzzy coat that made her look like the teddy bear version of a Golden. And if you let her climb on the couch next to you, she'd soon roll on to her back so you could give her the appropriate belly rubs. If you added in a nice brushing, she was yours forever.

Ultimately, it was cancer that took her life two years later. But even when she was tired and dealing with pneumonia and anemia, she was still loving and happy and all Chloe Bear. I don't, for one minute, regret taking in a special needs dog. If you can afford a few extra vet bills, you can find yourself with a special member of the family who you'll treasure always.

-Paula Rosenberg

In the summer of 2001, GRRA called to let us know they had had just taken in a Golden in need of a home. We had been on their waiting list, and they suggested we come and meet this sweet boy who had been a stray. We did, and he had me at hello. Luther's early life must have been difficult. We made it our mission to show him the love he deserved.

He soon became a healthy, confident and beautiful Golden Retriever. We were so proud when his photo was chosen for GRRA's 2003 calendar. His nickname after that became "Mr. July".

Luther fit right into our family, and he and his Lab brother, Chip, spent many happy years together. The years passed way too quickly. The ravages of old age began to take a toll. On March 22, 2010, Luther passed away, surrounded by his family who loved him so dearly. We miss him more than words can say.

- Linda, Bob and Chip Gardner

Many years ago Shelby was adopted from GRRA. At that time I was volunteering and answering voice mails. I retrieved the call from an owner that was retired and did not want to leave her four year golden in a kennel while she was traveling. When I first meet Shelby, I just knew. Shelby became a very special part of my family. All of our neighborhood children loved to pet and play with her. She was always very gentle. Shelby and I had a very special bond. Last June we found out she had cancer. I can't tell you how much this broke my heart. Shelby stayed in good health and had two surgeries to remove a tumor from her leg. The cancer became more aggressive around Thanksgiving. Her vets at Orr Animal Hospital said we could remove the her leg, but I knew she would not get along well with her size, arthritis and loss of vision. We kept her thru Christmas and in January her condition worsened. I am still dealing with my loss of such a special dog.

- Kathleen Martin

We got River (Hershey) in October 2005. He did not answer to the name of River so since he was a chocolate Lab we decided to name him Hershey. Hershey was one of those dogs that you just loved the minute you saw him (even though he had some issues) he was so lovable. Hershey walked with us each and everyday up, and waited for us to put on our shoes, and that was his key that it was his time to go out for his walk. All the dogs on our street knew that Hershey was the boss of the street, and kind of stayed clear of him. He would get along great with everyone and everything except dogs and cats. Our grand kids would play with him and throw the ball and he would bring it back every time. We almost lost Hershey back in December 2007 when his stomach flipped and he pulled through it after surgery and 36 stitches. That did not stop Hershey though, he laid low for about 3 days and was then back on his feet, waiting for his walk again. Hershey was a great companion for me and I called him my buddy. When I had my hip replacements (both of them) he sat by my side with the saddest eyes and look, as if to say, I wish there was something I could do for you. But little did he know he already was doing everything just being there with me. In April 2008 Hershey was diagnosed with oral Melanoma and was given 5 months to live. We found out about a vaccine that Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital was using as a clinical trial on dogs to try and find a cure for humans, and we got him on the vaccines that were given every 2 weeks for 8 weeks and then once every 6 months. He took those shots without any complaints and you would never know he was going through any kind of cancer treatments to look at him. At the end of February 2010 he all of a sudden started to slow down (but continued to go for his walk twice a day until we took him to the vet for the last time the 1st of March. A tumor had grown very rapidly in his abdomen and was causing him to not be able to sit or lie down, but he could still walk. He walked right into the vets and looked at all of us with the eyes that said - It is time for me to say Good bye to all of you. This broke my heart to see my buddy lying there, but those eyes told me that was what he wanted and so I let him go. I held his paw as I wanted to be there right up until the end. As we have told our grand kids that Hershey is up in heaven now, and will always have a special place in my heart forever. We didn't have him for as long as I was hoping but I cherish all the memories that we did have. Hershey buddy I love you.

- Nola Crane

Many years ago Shelby was adopted from GRRA. At that time I was volunteering and answering voice mails. I retrieved the call from an owner that was retired and did not want to leave her four year golden in a kennel while she was traveling. When I first meet Shelby, I just knew. Shelby became a very special part of my family. All of our neighborhood children loved to pet and play with her. She was always very gentle. Shelby and I had a very special bond. Last June we found out she had cancer. I can't tell you how much this broke my heart. Shelby stayed in good health and had two surgeries to remove a tumor from her leg. The cancer became more aggressive around Thanksgiving. Her vets at Orr Animal Hospital said we could remove the her leg, but I knew she would not get along well with her size, arthritis and loss of vision. We kept her thru Christmas and in January her condition worsened. I am still dealing with my loss of such a special dog.
- Kathleen Martin

For the past 3 1/2 years, an angel named Chelsea has walked by my side. My journey with her began not long after I started fostering for GRRA in 2004. In December I was asked to fill in for Chelsea's regular foster mom for a few weeks. I met Barb Hall on a cold, rainy December night in 2004 to pick up Chelsea. The whole way home, she stared out the back window of the car like she had lost her best friend. It was one of the saddest sights I've ever seen.

Our hearts pretty much melted within 24 hours. By the next day knew we could never give up the most beautiful golden girl we had ever seen. The following day, we made the decision to adopt her and GRRA approved. Chelsea was now ours forever. At first, I don't think she thought her new family would be hers forever so she held back from us. Since she wouldn't come and sit with me, I went and laid in the floor next to her to win her over. We worked hard to correct her lack of bad habits (she was way too proper and perfect) and started teaching her to beg and get on furniture. She came right around to all the spoiling and soon was an accomplished beggar.

Her life was extraordinary after coming to our home. She has been a Duchess in the Royal Court of the King and Queen Mutts of the Mystic Mutts of Revelry Mardi Gras Krewe in Fairhope, AL and marched in the Mardi Gras parade. She is featured in a coffee table book which will be released fall 2008, "The Dogs of Fairhope", and part of the proceeds benefit homeless animals in Fairhope, AL. Perhaps, the highlight of her celebrity career though was being selected as "Miss December" 2007 for the GRRA annual calendar. Her final legacy and the message I'm trying to get across is that she was proof that adopting a senior dog is truly one of the most blessed experiences a dog lover can have. The time may be brief, but the rewards are beyond belief.

This past spring, I began to get premonitions that I was going to lose my girl. Some people don't believe in such things, but I always was very connected to her. The subtle hints were there when I watched her just sort of slow down. She sometimes stumbled a little, couldn't get up the steps without help and had to have help getting up on the sofa. She still danced for her "din-din" up until the week before she died due to kidney failure. I knew on the last day when her tail no longer wagged that her time was up. I spent much of the last five days of her life lying beside her with my arms around her so she'd know how much I loved her and that I didn't want her to go.

I've said too much and I've cried too much while writing this. Chelsea, you are at peace and in no more pain. We thank our dear Lord for creating Golden Retrievers and Chelsea in particular. God would never have created anything so precious if He didn't love them just as much as we do.
- Your forever loved ones, Chuck, Mary Frances, Rex and Trouble

We adopted Lucky back in 1996, a year before our son was born. As was Lucky, an adopted Golden, our son was adopted as well.

Our Lucky had been our baby until our son was born, as many dogs are especially to those of us older parents, who try for so long for a human baby, but start out with a very special fur baby.

Lucky became our sons constant companion and protector, as my husband states, she would treat him like her pup. To make sure that he did not get hurt or fall as he began his attempt to walk, she would nudge him and bolster him around our house.

She was diagnosed in the early part of 2007 with cancer of the spleen. The doc only gave her 3 months to live. In May, exactly one week after my husbands 50th birthday party, my son and I knew it was time. That morning, Lucky was still in the same spot that she had been the night before. We had gotten up and both of us lay next to her in the hallway. We called the animal hospital and carried her to the car.

At Dacula Animal Hospital, the vet told us she could administer some drugs that would lengthen her life for a few days, but that was all. We spoke to her softly and rubbed her head, while the I.V. was administered. Lucky is buried at Oak Rest Pet Cemetery in Dacula, Ga. She was given a service in their chapel that befited such a wonderful, sweet, beautiful girl.
- Mom, Dad, Robert Testa

We adopted our dog Buck, from GRRA back in January of 1996. He was about a year old, give or take and had been abused and abandoned. Hard to imagine how anyone could have treated him so badly. I met Buck at an adoption day. He was alone against the wall and not jumping around like some of the other dogs there that day. I went and sat with him and that was it. He came home with me that day.

He was very afraid of everything and when we got home, he hid under my bushes till he felt safe enough to be coaxed out. He was very afraid of men and when he met my husband, he backed up into a wall out of fear. If you opened a closet he backed away. If you took a belt off, he backed away in fear. If the cable guy came to the door, he back away and would run into the wall.

A year later we adopted a puppy who would not know fear and she was able to teach him to be happy and free. They were the best buddies and played and romped together for 9 years after that.

Buck became THE BEST dog ever. Everyone loved him and he loved everyone in return. There wasn't anyone who came to my house who did not want to take him home with them. He had this enormous soul and true compassion for anyone who was having a hard time or a bad day. He was there.

In 2000, we moved to Naples, Florida. Buck really loved the new home and the weather here. He liked the openness of the house and took over the biggest room as his. It was his comfort zone. He was the happiest dog ever.

In 2006, we found that Buck had a hemangiosacoma. Surgery was not recommended. He lived without symptoms up until his last morning when the tumor took over and we had to let him go. That was on April 23, 2006. We will always miss him and his best buddy, Maxine who also passed away this past November 23, 2009. I am sure they are together again and have the best romp of all!
- Kate Del Gatto