RICHMOND, Va. — Walter the Weather Dog, the faithful companion of CBS 6 Chief Meteorologist Zach Daniel, crossed the rainbow bridge on Friday after a brief battle with lymphoma. He was 12 years old.
WATCH ON YOUTUBE: Our favorite moments with Walter the Weather Dog
A Chunky Star is Born
Walter's story began on Jan. 12, 2013, a cold, snowy day that portended his future as a canine meteorologist. The chubby-cheeked yellow lab puppy vaguely resembled a loaf of sourdough bread, immediately capturing the hearts of Zach, his wife Lindsay, and their three small children.
When he wasn't serving as a pillow for his human siblings, young Walter began accompanying Zach on CBS 6 promo shoots — making his first on-camera appearance running in a Monument Avenue 10k training commercial.
The public response was immediate: everyone wanted to know more about Zach's dog.
"We knew Walter was magic from the beginning,” CBS 6 General Manager Stephen Hayes said.
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PHOTOS: Remembering Walter the Weather Dog
In the fall of 2018, CBS 6 unveiled the outdoor weather garden, enabling Zach to bring his best friend to work, with the dog regularly appearing in the 5-6 p.m. newscasts.
Walter did not disappoint, swiftly winning his way into the hearts of Richmonders through his absolutely terrible behavior.
Viewers were delighted to see him chase squirrels, wallow in the pond and repeatedly injure Zach with various large sticks carried at knee-cap height.
Watch 2018 News Blooper Reel: Walter the Weather Dog and Zach
In an infamous viral moment, the stubborn lab once barked for 5 minutes straight through a forecast, furious that his tennis ball had been placed high out of reach. Anchor Julie Bragg dissolved into tearful hysterics, "I just could not keep it together, Walter was so mad that Zach was forced to stop everything and go get that ball off the shed."
Walter's followers grew by the day. Devoted fans frequently pushed his social media musings on naps to the top of the CBS 6 leaderboard, past stories on major world events. In addition to his extremely sassy and frequently misspelled posts, Walter dipped his paws into writing, churning out several wildly popular columns for River Road Magazine.
WATCH: Walter the Weather Dog featured in new kid's book
By 2021, Walter expanded his skillset to co-author a series of educational children's books, "Walter and the Terrible Twister," as well as "Walter and the Horrible Hurricane."
Despite winning more than a dozen Emmy Awards, Zach Daniel found himself in the unusual position of being his dog's sidekick. Zach laughed, "Everywhere I go, people see me and the first thing they say is, 'Where's Walter?'"
In an event only known as, "The April Fools Incident," Walter incurred the wrath of Central Virginians, by faking his retirement and replacement with "Lightning the Weather Horse." The staff at CBS 6 were forced to deal with hundreds of angry comments, emails, and voicemails as they clarified that Walter was irreplaceable.
WATCH: Walter the Weather Dog gives out free hugs
Over the years, Walter and Zach teamed up again and again to give back to the community. The lab participated in numerous "CBS 6 Gives" segments-- riding shotgun as Zach offered bus riders a lift in Storm Rider 6, giving free Walter hugs to U of R students during finals week, and through tremendous fundraising for the Richmond Animal League (RAL).
To date, Walter has raised more than $30,000 for shelter pets at RAL. At one point, a series of mugs emblazoned with Walter's face were given away to donors-- causing a rabid furor akin to 90s parents trying to get their hands on a Tickle-Me-Elmo.
By January of 2025, Walter reached the ripe old age of 12. With a 401K full of snausages and a soft bed at home, the possibility of retirement beckoned, and he began yielding CBS 6 Weather Dog duties to his younger brother, Stanley.
That spring, Zach announced that Walter was undergoing treatment for an oral cancer, but still in good spirits. The community rallied with messages of love and support. Care packages poured into the station for everyone's favorite Weather Dog.
When treatments proved ineffective, the Daniel family focused on making the most of the time they had left. After several months at home with his favorite people, Walter died peacefully surrounded by loved ones.
"There will never be another Walter; that dog was one in a million,” Zach said. “He was a very good boy."
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