Move Over Stallone...Here Comes Rocky X

And he was here to deliver a knockout! Weighing in at 7" tall, 11 lbs, he was destined to become a contender. What with that photogenic face, cuddly fur, and winning personality, who wouldn't love this cutie! Rocky was a Chow. He came to us at 2 months old, and it was love at first site. From that moment, Rocky was the center of attention. He loved every second of it. Why wouldn't he! He had three active playmates. Couldn't decide which one he liked the most. He finally settled on my son who fed and took care of him.

The poor puppy barely got any exercise. My kids would carry him around, each taking turns. But Rocky’s favorite past time was simply lounging on the swing on our back porch. The kids wanted to make him comfortable. They made him a cushion and a pillow. At about 10 months old, Rocky pushed the swing with his paw. He didn’t realize it would return to him like a boomerang. A teachable moment! Next time he pushed it and ran a few feet away, turned and stood there looking at it. A Kodak moment! After that, every time he would walk by the swing, he’d push it and run off as if he’d accomplished something. But our joy would not last long.

Rocky was almost a year old when our family discovered three of us, including myself, were allergic to dogs and cats among other things. My son was devastated when we told him. But we had to begin searching for a new home for Rocky. Only took one week to find him a loving home. We decided to have the kids say their goodbyes the night before Rocky’s new family was to arrive. We scheduled the pickup for the next morning after the kids went to school. Rocky was on his way to his new home. Now, when we see pictures of Rocky or remember the good times we had laughing at his antics, we know that it’s long past his life expectancy. But, we don’t let those thoughts linger.