Son of Colleen and Brego

Sent: Monday, December 03, 2007

Subject: Chief

We had a dream 4 years ago - to own a mastiff but without the drool. Is that possible we asked our selves???!!!

We searched the Internet endlessly until, (I still remember the day my husband called me at work), and asked me to look at this amazing dog breed - the American Mastiff.

I went to this www.flyingwfarms.com web site. Could this really be? Is this a hoax? Is our dream really going to come true?  After asking every question you can think of, and you know what I mean, because as an American Mastiff owner yourself you asked them all too.  We got on the list, that infamous months long waiting list. The list we thought we'd never get off of - with a dog. In October 2003 we got a call that our puppy was born.  Our dream was about to be a reality - after all we had a daughter and decided no more kids we were going to have a mastiff.  December 24^th 2003 we picked up our new puppy. Just like every new proud parent we had the mildest mannered, sweet, beautiful new addition to our family we could ever hope for, BUT there was something wrong. We got home and this new puppy would not leave me alone.  He had a sense about things with our family from the first day.  It turns out that I was pregnant with our son.  Some how, some way he seemed to know.  This was going to be very interesting, a daughter, a rotty, a mastiff, and now a son.  Little did we know the affect that this little puppy would have on our life.

From a very young age Chief amazed everyone he came in contact with. He was known as a "legend" at our vet, the local Pet Smart, the groomer and everyone on our street.  Kids from neighborhoods we didn't even know would come to our house exclaiming, "You're the ones with "Chief" that big mastiff, and he is awesome. He was an instant success.

Chief was one of a kind.

We faced trials and tribulations with him . . . like the time as a puppy my husband build a 4ft x 5ft kennel in the basement only to find that every time we came home he was out - lying on the couch.  

I can laugh about the loaves of bread he would steel off the counter, sneak into the next room and eat.  An even most trying time was when I caught him red handed. I had just put my daughters Barbie birthday cake on the counter. You know - the kind that is dome shaped - with the doll inside. I left the kitchen, I am sure for only 5 minutes. It occurred to me I better not take a chance with that cake on the counter, because as we all know mastiffs don't even need to get on their hind legs to take whatever they want off the counter. I walked into this enormous dog with his enormous mouth around the cake slowly pulling toward the edge of the counter. I exclaimed, "What are you doing!!!" He let go of the cake - unscathed and ran for the door. I laughed so hard that he was going to eat the whole thing and yet ever so gently let that cake go and ran out of the room. Hmmm I thought for a moment no one else saw him . . . can I get away with serving the cake - should I serve the cake?!  In the end I didn't, I ran up to the store and got a cake to eat. The cake he had his mouth around was for show. 

Chief was also known as our daughters dress up partner. It was not unusual for this gentle giant to be sitting on the floor with our daughter;
Chief  dressed in a kitchen towel saddle, beaded necklace, earrings, and princess tiara. 

Chief  was also a hero.

I had just had our son my husband was traveling and I was home alone with the kids. A man tried to break into our home in Chicago - all I can ever think about is "what if". We have rottweiler as I mentioned above - he too is a sweetheart but I think with a pat on the head he would of let the man in. Chief was at the door on his hind legs, through the screen on the storm door, chasing the man off, our hero.

Of all the mischievous things he did and trouble he got into he never once raised a lip, bared a tooth or failed as protector of my family. 

Chief was our best friend, companion, protector, baby sitter, and when I looked into his eyes he had nothing but endless devotion and love and I felt it everyday he was alive.

This house is quiet, and unfamiliar to us. No big clunky toe nails on the floor, no groaning every time you rubbed his ear, no earth quakes from him deciding to "flop" on the ground for a nap and finally I can go to the bathroom alone - and that truly makes me sad.  When people say their pet is truly part of their family then we hope they mean it the way we felt it. 

Someday, maybe the time will be right for a new friend but there will NEVER be another "Chief".

Wherever you are Chief we love you, we miss you and we are glad you are not in pain anymore. Someday we will all be together again.

The Smith Family