Chip was a once-in-a-lifetime dog.
This is the first picture I ever saw of my beloved Chip.
I wasn't planning on adding another dog to the pack...and another puppy, at that. I already had 3, and Levi was still a puppy himself. But.... there was something special about him. Something I couldn't explain. It was like I was being drawn to him.
Chip was with a rescue in Mississippi and needed a home. I kept circling back to his picture over the course of a few weeks. Then, I inquired. I couldn't help myself. Everyone thought I was crazy.... but... I was being pulled to him in such a peculiar way.
Feb. 17th, 2012 is when he and I first met.
This is the picture of me holding him when he'd just come off transport. He'd made the long trek from Mississippi to Virginia, and I'd met the transport off of Highway 81 in a Cracker Barrel parking lot.
He was 4 mo's of age, and had been neutered at 13 weeks of age. Ridiculously early, and I knew the ramifications this would likely have down the road; so I spent his years with me through the rest of his life doing all I could to try and compensate for this.
I had some Cherokee Indian name chosen for him... I can't recall what it was now, but it had a special ethereal meaning. When I saw him march off the truck with his tail held high, looking up at the guy with a huge smile on his face, and that signature pep in his step.... that prance he always had ("Chippie toes", I called it), I said to myself, "oh my God... he looks like a little chocolate chip!" From that moment on, he was known as "Chip".
We rented a cabin for the weekend in the Shenandoah Mountains to break up the drive back home. He was so full of life... and instantly brought the energy of the pack to a different level. Chip was just.... FUN.
He immediately acclimated and made himself at home. It was almost like he'd always been there.
We spent the great majority of his earlier years on the trails. Every single day... some of my most treasured memories.
It wasn't long before I discovered Chip was part fish... he absolutely *loooved* the water. So we always hiked spots that included a water element. One for cooling off when needed, and two- so he could get a swim in.
Chip was (is) such a huge part of who I am. What's been built. This work I do. And he was an amazing source of support, comfort, ease, inspiration...and my greatest joy. He was so silly.... downright goofy, and lifted the energy in any room instantaneously. He had an *insatiable* drive to learn new things, do things... anything, and "perform". He loved it, and absolutely craved it.
I lost (the physical form of) my beloved Chip on June 15th, 2022... and it's been nothing short of a total devastation. "Home" doesn't feel like home anymore. It's eerily quiet and seems more ... "still", even with 4 other dogs. Our little family feels fragmented and incomplete. Chip left a massive void behind him, and we're all feeling it.
I've been thinking of a way to honor my beloved Chip and use his legacy to serve and help others in a more unique way. "Chip's Legacy Fund" is my effort to do just that. It's a donation-based fund that will provide information and training help to those in dire struggle. To provide the tools, education, and support to those who need it but are financially strapped and restricted (with valid proof). Everything from the incredibly comprehensive IBAC to our digital coursework to our books to our dog walking meditations to distance and boots-on-the-ground training.
Chip's Legacy Fund will allow us to be of greater service to all who need it... while still being able to pay the bills. We'll be featuring the stories and updates of those who are helped through this effort, so everyone can see who (and what situations) their generosity and kindness is supporting.
Losing Chip changed my world. He was a partner in every way a dog could be to a human…
… and it's my hope that his legacy will help change someone else's world for the better and allow them to experience the same.
Kindly support our effort and donate here.
To apply for help through Chip’s Legacy Fund, email Kimberly at: kimberly@packfit.net