ABOVE IS ELVIS’ GIRLFRIEND LINDA THOMPSON WITH HIS PUPPY “GET LOW”
By: Alanna Nash
Source: Ladies Home Journal
Linda Thompson was born May 23, 1950, in Memphis, Tennessee. Linda won several beauty pageants, including the 1972 Miss Tennessee USA title. In July of that year, she began a relationship with the recently separated Elvis Presley and immediately moved in with him at Graceland for roughly three and a half years.
Interview with Linda Thompson by Alanna Nash
Elvis was a very tender soul. He had such a good heart. We literally bought out a pet shop one night. Elvis paid for about 20 dogs, just gave them out to his friends. And we kept this chow, little Getlow. He was a beautiful dog, but Elvis was going to get rid of him because we read an article that said chows turn on their masters 80 percent of the time. Elvis said, ‘I don’t want to have to be worried about leaving this dog with you, or come home and find you have to have plastic surgery’. But I said, ‘Oh, give the little fella a chance. He may turn out all right’.
So I raised him, and he turned out to be as gentle as a kitten. He was our sweetheart. But he had a congenital kidney ailment. I don’t know if that made him so lethargic he didn’t feel like being mean, but he had a wonderful disposition. About three o’clock one morning, Getlow was acting really strange, so we had a doctor come over. He said, ‘I don’t think the dog will make it through the night’.
So Elvis leased a Learjet and flew Getlow, my girlfriend, Jeannie LeMay and me, and the doctor up to Boston to a special clinic for kidney dialysis. We left him up there for about three months. But he didn’t live long after that. He was only about a year old. We were on tour when he died, and we were coming home on his plane when they told us. Elvis just cried.
Chows can be very sweet and loving dogs…I had one who passed away at the age of ,13. Years old..he stopped eating 3 months before he passed. ..from stomach cancer…it just broke my heart..from the first day I had Simba I raised him in the house..Simba would never hurt anything..very sweet and loving chow!
Welcome to ChowTales E..cook!!! Oh that is so heartbreaking to hear about Simba. Stomach cancer is one of those things that has been showing up in the breed and is being researched by someone in Minnesota. I’ve lost a chow to refusing to eat (not cancer though) and know exactly what you went through. Bless your heart.
They are beautiful dogs also
My chow chow Teek (an ewok name!) would rule the roost if he thought he could. But just like any other dog they need an alfa male. I’m number 1 and because my partner is to soft with him she’s number 3!! They are very stubborn and strong willed. Not an ordinary dog for everyone but if you can tame them you have a friend for life with so much love to give.
David I agree they are the most amazing dogs you could ever own. Not for everyone but certainly the perfect dog in most chow owners eyes. I miss my own chows dearly losing my oldest one this spring.
My dog Kidiak was part chow and part Malamute. He was so gorgeous and his son King was born on Elvis’ birthday so I named him King. King was nearly 12 when he died , he died in August 2008. I miss him greatly.
Sorry- Kodiak
I got my first chow in 1981. He was AKC registered but back-yard bred, and not very good quality. I’ve since shown dogs and currently am owned by a 12-year-old. She is the most stubborn dog I have ever had the pleasure of living with. I’ve had both rough and smooth coated and intend to get another smooth coated girl when available. Chows are not for first time dog owners and need a person stronger willed than they are. I’ve had four in my lifetime and will always have one. They have all been a joy to live with – while all have been different, I love their loyalty and devotion, their spunky attitudes, their aloofness and their tenacity.
I have owned Five Chows. First one was a show dog that I named Simba. Sweetest animal. I trusted him so much that I left him with my parents when I went to work, and my dad was very sick but he never bit them or hurt them in any way. Next dog was Fuji, again great temperament.Then a Black one we named Bear. Then rescued a Female named Teaka, she was so calm that children would run up to her and stroke her fur. She got a tumor in spleen and assed when she was 12. Rescued Max from a abusive owner so he did not trust humans, but he was a loving dog, unfortunately he just died just Two weeks ago from Cancer in his Liver, at the age of 12 and a half. I miss all of them every day.