"Tails" of Rocky: 2011

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Happy New Year!

Howdy Friends!

Well it's that time to say good-bye to 2011 and welcome in 2012! I will be kicking off the new year with a new Reading with Rocky program that mom and I are very excited about. I can't wait to meet the kids who have signed up to read with me next week. It's going to be soooo much fun!!! Here's to a very Happy & Healthy New Year to all my friends. Stay safe ~ woof! Rocky

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Hi, it's me, Rocky! I know, I haven't been plugged in for awhile but that is about to change! It's good to be back! Mom has told me we will be able to keep this up to date now that she isn't so busy.

Check out my new Christmas present!

My new bed!

I love my new bed. It's very long just like me and it's very soft and fluffy. It also has this cool pillow that I like to rest my head on -- can you tell? I also got a new Nylabone.

In case you haven't heard, next week I start a new Reading with Rocky session at the Meredith Public Library. I'm very excited to go and can't wait to tell you all about it. In the meantime, hope you all had a Merry Christmas and have a Happy and Safe New Year! Woof! Rocky

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Happy 4th of July!

Howdy Friends ~

I love summer and 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. I get to do all the things I love -- lay in the hot sun on the deck (reminds me of those North Carolina days), visit with friends (hope mom has a pool party!), and best of all visit my friends at the NH Veteran's Home in my special 4th of July "attire." Hope ya'll have a safe and fun 4th of July weekend -- I'm hoping I do! Rocky

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Mouth Full of Toothpicks?!?

Howdy Friends! I sure am glad last week is over!! All I wanted to do was say hi to this little black critter that I found in my yard Thursday night at 11:00 p.m. I wasn't going to hurt it, afterall I'm a therapy dog. I give kisses, I don't bite! Well, this little visitor didn't give kisses, no he wacked me with a tail full of quills and, yep, you guessed it, I had a snout full of quills! Those things stick like velcro! No one ever told me about porcupines. Down in North Carolina where I come from, they don't have porcupines. Sure wish someone had warned me about these nasty critters.

Real pretty, huh? Well, mom and dad took me to -- Concord Area Veterinary Emergency Services -- known as CAVES around here, and about 3 hours and $300 later, I was sleeping like a baby on my way home. Dad carried me up to my bed and I slept until about noon the next day. Whatever they give ya down at that place really zonks you out. Guess that's a good thing because these things smarted going in, and I can only imagine how they would have felt going out. Glad I was out!! Do you like my "pierced" ear? Well, take it from me, if you see a porcupine, don't try to get up close and personal! Rocky

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Cats Need Therapy Dogs, too!

Hi ~ this is me and Chloe, one of my feline sisters. I'm giving her some therapy dog care because she has a bad boo-boo under her arm. Mom calls it an abcess and she can't look at it, or she'll get sick. We don't know how Chloe got it unless it was a cat fight, which knowing how mean my other feline sister and brothers can be to Chloe, that's probably how she got it. Dad and I took Chloe to Meadow Pond Animal Hospital today to have it checked again. Dr. Keenan said it hasn't changed since Monday, so they changed her antibiotics. If it doesn't get better by Tuesday, Dr. Keenan might need to do surgery. I sure hope it gets better because surgery is no fun. Stay tuned. Rocky

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

No More Snow! Do Ya Hear Me, Mr. Weatherman?

Another Nor'easter headed our way on Friday -- and they say it is no April Fool's joke! Now ya'll know I'm a Sou'easter and I've had it with all this snow! Although I do have to admit, Steffi and I have had some good times in the snow. Like we did during the last Nor'easter -- check us out! I'm the one making all the noise. Geez, and to think the snow is almost gone from my front yard right now -- so easy to find a spot to do you know what!! Grrrr, Mr. Weatherman -- maybe I can scare the storm away! I sound pretty scarey in this video, don't you think?

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Happy St. Patrick's Day & Happy Birthday to Mom!

A birthday kiss for my mom. We've been having a great day. Went to the NHVH and saw all my friends while Steffi stayed home and played in the sunshine. Hope you all have a great St. Patrick's Day. Love, Rocky -- and Irish Shepherd for day.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Happy Birthday to Me!

Saying goodbye is never easy -- love you, Foster Bob!

Three years ago today I began my new life with my new family in NH. It was a long ride, but once I got used to my new mom and dad, I enjoyed it. It's been a great three years and I can't wait to see what the next three bring! I celebrated my "birthday" by having 2 Munchkins -- my favorite snack!

Monday, March 7, 2011

When "Irish" Eyes are Smiling

Getting in the mood! Mom's taking her birthday off next week and I just know we're going to have fun!!!

Monday, February 28, 2011

I Feel Like a Star!

Well, here's Mom and me at our photo shoot. What do ya think??? Do I look like a star? I think I have Rin Tin Tin beat. Bullet, too! Just a little sample from the many photos Mary Boudreau took. Can't wait to get the prints we ordered! Thanks again, Mary. Check out Mary's site at http://alpllc.daportfolio.com.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Snow, Snow and More Snow!

This is way too much snow for a southern dog like me! Where's a dog supposed to do you know what?!?

Okay, okay, I know it has been a while since I've posted. I could tell ya that the cat got my tongue, but you know that wouldn't be true. No, no -- I'm blaming it on my mom -- Busy with work, busy with selling Usborne Books, busy with visiting gram at the nursing home, busy, busy, busy. But we're back on line now! And I've got a lot to say!

This weekend was so cool -- I had my own professional photo shoot by Ambient Light Photography of Sanbornton, NH, at the Lakeside Animal Hospital to benefit NH Foundation for Companion Animal Care. (http://alpllc.daportfolio.com) I felt like a model! I even posed nude!! Yes -- no collar, no nothing!! Then I posed with my red therapy dog coat on and I felt so proud -- I think it showed! I can't wait to show off my new photos.

And tonight I visited my friends at the NH Veteran's Home. That was so much fun. Roger was happy to see me. Bud scratched my ears. And I met some new veterans that I hadn't seen before. I love being a therapy dog!! Well, that's it for now. Hope ya'll had as great a weekend as I did. Rocky

Things I Love

Ice cubes! Bud & Sadie taught me to crunch ices cubes. Sure wish I'd had those on hot days back in NC!
Meeting new people -- the Southern gentleman in me really shines here!
Carolyn's Canine College -- Carolyn is so nice to me and gives me treats!
My dog sister, Sadie (notice I didn't say, my dog brother, Bud)
Fish Oil Capsules -- My bedtime snack, yummy!
Riding in the Car -- sometimes I get to stick my head out the window!
Going for walks with my mom on my country road
Sleeping (Especially on my mom & dad's bed!)
Food (Mom only lets me eat dog food, no table scraps)

Rocky's Story

My story begins in North Carolina back in December of 2007. I was rescued from the woods by a kind young lady who overheard some hunters say they were going to "shoot the shepherd" because they thought I was keeping deer away. I had already been shot at once -- and hit! I had a BB lodged in my forehead that my owner never bothered to have removed. There were a lot of things my owner never bothered do to, so that's why I ran away to begin with and got lost in the woods. Another thing my owner never bothered to do was give me heartworm medicine and, yup, you guessed it, I not only had that BB in my head, I also had heartworm.

I wish I knew who that young girl was that gave me a ride that day. She saved my life and I'd like to say thank you to her someday. After she saved me from those hunters, she took me to a vet to see if I had any identification -- I didn't, of course. So the vet contacted Bob, a volunteer with Forever Home K9 Rescue. Bob came over and brought me back to his home. It wasn't a forever home but it sure was nice to be out of the woods. My owner actually did track me down and when he found out Bob would help find a good home for me, he decided that was the best thing for me. That was just what Bob was hoping for, now he could get on with helping me and that began with getting that BB out of my head and neutering. Then came the heartworm test...positive; then the heartworm treatments, ugh! They were tough but Bob, Denese and the wonderful vets and technicians at Animal Hospital of Statesville took real good care of me and I made it through! Thanks, you guys!

Bob then started taking me to PetCo for the adopt-a-dog days. A lot of people would stop and pet me, but Bob told me he was waiting for the right people to give me a good home. My lucky day was February 16, 2008, when a man and woman came by and began talking with Bob and petting me. I thought they were very nice, but I knew they weren't from around NC because they had a different accent. But Bob seemed to like them and I trusted Bob. About three weeks later, back at PetCo I met the same people again and they seemed very happy to see me. That's when I began to realize that these people were going to be my forever home.

On March 10, 2008, in the early morning hours, Bob got my things and we headed out while it was still dark. We went to a hotel parking lot and there were those same two people again. That's when Bob told me I would be going home with them. I was sad and alittle scared to leave Bob, but I knew that's what I had to do. Leaving the parking lot, I whimpered a little as I sat in the corner of the back seat of the pick-up truck. I was trying to be brave. These people seemed nice, but I was really missing Bob and I had no idea where I was being taken.

I rode quietly for quite a while, with a scared look on my face. I looked out the window to try to see where we were going but I couldn't tell. Finally, I started to relax a little and took a nap. When I woke up, I felt better. I continued riding for miles and miles, hours and hours -- about 17 hours to be exact and pretty close to 1000 miles. We stopped off and on along the way for potty breaks and snacks. I was getting to like these new people!

Finally we arrived at a house in the country. I got out and stepped into this icy cold white stuff that was slippery to walk on! Oh no, snow! I'd seen a little of this stuff in NC but not like it was here. Then they told me, I was in New Hampshire!

This was my new forever home! It was really late, so we went right to bed. The next morning I met my new family: my German shepherd sister, Sadie, and my German shepherd brother, Buddy; and my feline brothers & sisters: Sam, Jack, Eddie, Annie and Chloe; and my grammy, who is 87-years old and blind.

My life has changed so much since I joined my forever home. I go for walks. I have a huge yard to run free in with my brother and sister. I have my own bed. I go to dog school. And I'm preparing to be a therapy dog so I can go to nursing homes and children's reading programs. Life doesn't get much better than this! Thank you Forever Home K9 Rescue for helping me find my forever home...even if it was 1000 miles away! Rocky

"Tails" of Rocky

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