The Performance Dog

It was April Fools Day, so when I got the call I questioned whether or not Chad was just playing a horrible joke on me.  A dog had shown up in their work yard.  Apparently he'd noticed something back there in the morning, but thought that it was a bobcat so he thought nothing of it. They were eating lunch when he was pointed out to Chad.  The comment made was, "Hey Chad, there's the dog you've been looking for."

We weren't actively looking for a dog, but we were keeping our eyes open.  We both believed that Elijah would send us the right dog when we weren't looking.  The poor pup was severely emaciated and in need of medical help.

I went to his office in my first ever attempt to rescue an animal.  He was very skittish at first, almost completely terrified by humans. He had no idea how to jump into a vehicle and was very untrusting of humans.  I miraculously gained a glimmer of his trust and Chad hoisted him into the work truck, and I got in and started the drive to our home - we knew he was just too sick for us to keep.  I was a little concerned and nervous having him in the truck with me - I already had my plan set up if he decided to attack.  (I was going to pull over and push him out of the truck). Surprisingly, I didn't need that plan. He literally sat right next to me, with his head on my thigh the entire drive home.

Getting him out of the truck once we got home was quite tricky, as he had no intentions of leaving the safe vehicle.  I eventually got him out and put him in the backyard while I made phone calls trying to find a shelter to take him.  I finally found one, and Animal Control came to pick him up.  That was a pretty tough thing to see...knowing that this dog needs help, but also knowing that he could be euthanized for many different reasons.  I cried when he left.  That night I was weepy, I felt so badly for the sweet boy.  He didn't deserve it.  I promised him I'd do better for him.  Chad missed him too, and we made a decision...

The next morning, bright and early, we called Animal Control and put a hold on him.  Once he was available for adoption, we had first dibs on him.  Unfortunately, Chad would be out of town a lot that week, so we couldn't actually pick him up until the following Saturday.  In the meantime, we had a lot to figure out....

He had heart worms, so we had to figure out the cost of treatment and where we could get it done.  Where would he sleep?  What if he wasn't kid-friendly?  (Let me assure you right now, he's VERY kid friendly). There were just so many things to figure out, including his name.  We chose Rocket (Rocky) Elias.  Rocky because he's a tough, badass survivor, just like Rocky Balboa. (Also like Rocket Raccoon). Elias because he's also a lab, albeit yellow.  I needed someway to honor my sweet Elijah Winston.  Also, because of Walter Elias Disney, creator of my favorite place in the world.

He looked much better the day we picked him up, though he was still grossly underweight.  He was a pretty sick puppy...his heart worms were so advanced that he ended up quite ill and spent two nights at the vet.  He came home taking 7 pills a day.  We had to push his heart worm treatment back to ensure that he was healthy enough to survive treatment.  His neutering has also been pushed back until he is healthy enough for that as well.

All in all, though, he is such an amazing dog.  I swear, the boy doesn't know a stranger.  He's the sweetest boy ever.  Even when I feel like a shitty dog mom for not spending as much time with him as I'd like, he is not bothered by it.  He's just happy as a clam to have people who love him, a safe place to sleep and food & water.

Sometimes I feel badly for loving him so much, and for being so obsessed with him.  But Chad made a good point - we are so attached to him because we saved his life.  Who knows where he'd be without us.  He's a very muscular, but skinny, English Lab who thinks he's a lap dog. Silly pup.  We still believe that Elijah sent him to us, he knew that I needed some 'saving' and that Rocky would be perfect for it.  I may have needed him just as much, if not more than he needed us. 

Sadly, we are pretty certain that the sweet boy is deaf.  That throws us a bit of a curveball, but we will survive...hell, probably even flourish. He is just one of the sweetest boys in the world, and I'm so thankful that he's mine!