Rocky

Entrant's First Name
Kristen

Pet's Story
Rocky is a former puppy farm Pug mix who's been with me about five years. When he arrived, he had no concept of how to be a dog - he'd never been on a lead, in a car, been fed anything other than dry food, had no idea of how to react to other dogs at all, and avoided walking on grass - possibly because he never had.
Over time, he's learnt how to play with other dogs, enjoys making new friends of all species, regularly hyperventilates with excitement, loves all forms of food including the "organic matter" unique to farms and even goes wading in the dam. He loves to play and snuggle with his doggy sister (another rescue), sunbake and ask for treats from everyone he meets.
Rocky walks wonderfully on a lead, has learnt to sit and come when called most of the time, and has helped spread the word about rescue dogs through participating in fundraisers and attending the local show as part of the animal nursery, where he laps up pats and attempts to eat everyone's lunch, much to their amusement as he can't reach their hands.
He is fearless on walks, happily trotting through frosty grass, over logs, through obstacles and attempting to bring home the odd bone or two. This is in sharp contrast to when he arrived when he would not walk on anything other than concrete.
Rocky is such a delightful, quirky, boy and brings so much joy to my world. He was a wonderful influence on his rescue sister when she arrived - helping her calm down in new situations (she was very anxious), and settle in to her new home with us.
Rocky has transformed from an uncertain little brick of a dog into a vibrant dog, full of life and enthusiasm and the doggy desire to explore his world as he enters middle age. He makes me smile every day.