Hugo and I met up with Chloe and her mom, Dorie Herman, and I asked Dorie some questions while Chloe and Hugo were playing.
Tell us the story of how you got Chloe.
Chloe was born in Florida on May 11, 2004. Too small to breed, she was given away. She bounced through three homes in one family. Eventually she wound up with an elderly grandmother. When Chloe was nine and the grandmother could no longer care for her, the woman's granddaughter (a friend of a friend of mine) worked to fnd Chloe a home.
My own dog had just passed, and I was looking for a dog just like her. After she came to live with me in New York City, I started an Instagram account to keep Chloe's old family updated on her new life. She was so photogenic! We started having some fun with captions and photos. Soon enough, Chloe's followers were climbing through the thousands. Now Chloe is taking the world by storm! Her growing fan base totals around 100,000 across all social media platforms, which she uses to spread the word about senior adoptions and Chihuahua rescue.
What makes Chloe such a special dog?
That tongue! It is always poking out, because she's only got two teeth (a common side-effect of the overbreeding of small dogs is dental disease, so she's had most of her teeth removed). Between the tongue and big eyes and tiny body, she's just the derpiest thing I've ever seen. She also breaks all the stereotypes about Chihuahuas. Most people think they're barky, bite, and are generally unfriendly. Chloe loves everyone, hardly ever barks, and wouldn't ever bite (even if she could).
How did you get involved with Senior Dogs?
When I was a few months in to Chloe's Instagram, I was contacted by Susie's Senior Dogs (an organization that places senior dogs in homes) to do an interview. It was brought to my attention what a problem seniors being abandoned was. Many seniors wind up homeless because their owners get sick or pass away,
or sometimes people turn them in to shelters because they're just “too old”. It really woke me up to a new mission: using Chloe's face and sweet personality to show the rich lives senior dogs lead. And it was especially important with Chloe because Chihuahuas are one of the top breeds found at shelters—right up there with Pitbulls. I later learned about Foster Dogs Inc.’s Fospice program, which finds foster homes for elderly and terminally ill dogs that are unable to be adopted. Fospice provides the dogs with creature comforts like new beds, treats, toys, and even a professional photo shoot. I loved the dignity it gives these dogs, and it became a personal mission. To date, we have raised over $4,000 for this initiative.
Chloe is clearly a little diva. Her calendar must be full.
A busy day can mean getting up very early for a news segment (she has been on The Today Show!), doing a photo shoot, or appearing at an event. Alan Cummings directed a short film featuring Chloe and some of her Instagram friends, and she posed on the red carpet and appeared at the premier in Times Square. There can be meetings about future projects and partnerships. And we always take time to post Instagram and Snapchat photos throughout the day. Luckily she gets to sleep through that last part a fair amount—a senior girl needs her rest!
Read more about Chloe at chloekardoggian.com.
Instantly download Sweet Paul SUMMER for just $2.99!