Rocky came to us at the age of eight and a half. His empty-nester family was moving to a retirement community and couldn't take him along.
Foster care
was a challenge for Rocky.
He went from being
home alone all day to living in a house filled with other dogs, a cat, and children.
He learned to share his toys and his treats whether he wanted to or not. He learned
to play basketball, baseball, and hockey, and that he wasn't always allowed to have
the ball. He learned that he didn't like to swim. He learned that only cats were allowed
to walk on the kitchen counter.
Like many senior
goldens, Rocky had a few health issues that needed to be addressed before he could
be adopted to his forever home. He was put on a very strict diet and exercise plan,
and lost more than 20 pounds in just a few months. He had his heart murmur re-evaluated
(not a problem), had masses on his face and lip removed (both benign), a tracheal
exam which revealed overuse of a choke chain, a thorough grooming to remove some mats, paint
and masking tape, a St. Hubert's behavior evaluation, and even a few telepathic conversations
with an animal-human communicator.
Rocky endured these
procedures like a true, distinguished gentleman, always maintaining his dignity and
hopeful attitude that he would find a forever home. An adoptive family saw Rocky's
picture on the website, and made an appointment to meet him.
As soon as the couple
arrived and got out of their car, Rocky greeted them and jumped into the rear seat
and refused to get out. He was smiling and wagging, but he made it very clear they
weren't leaving without him. Luckily, they trusted Rocky's intuition, and took him
home that afternoon.
Rocky had to endure
yet more adjustments during the first week at his new home. He spent time at a local
day spa, where his treatments included an oatmeal bath, a full-body massage, and a
hot oil treatment. Another arduous task Rocky had to learn to deal with was deciding
whether he preferred french toast or hash brown potatoes for breakfast.
His mom
told us that it seemed like Rocky had been with them since he was a puppy. He took his new responsibilities
very seriously. He announced all visitors, patrolled the perimeter of his fenced yard,
kept his mom company during the day, and rode in the car with his dad to get ice
cream in the evening. He enjoyed sleeping in their bed, his obedience training, and tearing
up every ball they ever bought for him.
Who couldn't love a dog like that?
GRRI-NJ's web site
design and maintenance is made possible entirely by donated
services.
Please report any errors to the
Webmaster
Copyright 2008 GRRI-NJ. All Rights Reserved.
