Rocky Reader-Hoer

FAREWELL LOVELY BOY (22.11.2019)

Rocky was a very popular member of the West Country gang and everybody who met him instantly fell in love with him so we were all deeply saddened to hear he had passed away.

For some time, Tracey and Mark had been treating every day with Rocky as a bonus and were completely guided by him. He had been in a gentle and gradual decline, the way old dogs do, for some time but on Wednesday he was eating and on Thursday he wasn’t. 

Tracey said “Unfortunately, when they are that age (almost 14yrs) they have such little in reserve that it does not take much to drive them to the edge.

On Friday, Rocky’s condition crashed and he did not eat or drink for a whole day. I tried to help him to force it down but he really wasn’t too happy about that. For a dog that loves his food (and I mean was obsessive about it since we had him) this was not a good sign. 

He didn’t want any treats and kept having these ‘episodes’ as we called them.  It was like an electrical flicker in his brain that made his head and body twitch.  He had done this for some time but yesterday started doing it all the time and when he put his head down to eat or drink, it seemed to exacerbate it.  It is like when a cat has kidney failure and they get the same reaction from an overload of toxins.  I wasn’t sure if it was this, or something in his brain?

He was just laying around and sleeping, sort of skirting the edge of the world it seemed, and his face looked confused which was heart-breaking.  I spoke to the vet who agreed to come that afternoon.  My Mum had been with him all morning so he wasn’t alone. We all knew it was not looking good. 

We did not want him to suffer and, whilst he did not seem uncomfortable, he did not seem like our Rocky either.

I kissed Rocky goodbye from Pauline who asked me to do so and from everyone who loved him.  I just kissed and kissed him that afternoon as you do! 

Our dear, sweet gentleman is now an angel and running in Rainbow Bridge with Digby and Cleo. xxxxxxxxxx   When I looked on the calendar – Rocky would have been 14 on 10th February 2020, so he was a brilliant age!”

LIVING WITH DELPHI and DIGBY WAS, SADLY, SHORT-LIVED

Delphi and Digby were both there to welcome Rocky when he joined the household in 2016 but it was not long before the inimitable and much loved Digby very sadly crossed Rainbow Bridge on 1.12.2016.

A VERY POPULAR SPONSOR DOG

Rocky took over from Digby and became a very popular Sponsor Dog just like his sister Delphi but he had giant pawsteps to fill.

Rocky was happy to be a Sponsor Dog, helping to raise funds to help rescued Golden Retrievers who, like him, had been surrendered because they are old and not as active and exciting as they once used to be as well as others who are abused, abandoned or simply unwanted.

It was so exciting for him to be able to share the news about his new life in his comfortable retirement home in Devon with Delphi and a menagerie of other rescued furry and feathered friends which included cats, ponies, sheep, rabbits and chickens.

Rocky, quickly, became very popular so, it was with great sadness his Sponsors learned of his passing over Rainbow Bridge.

Tracey would like to thank Rocky’s kind Sponsors on his behalf:-

GIZZIE’S GET TOGETHERS

They were firm favourites at Gizzie’s Get Togethers in Bath. This was Rocky with Delphi in February 2017.

THEN IT BECAME OTTO, DELPHI and ROCKY

In June 2017, after a short stay in foster with Bridgette and Ricky, Otto joined the family to make them a threesome again. Delphi was quickly his partner in crime but they both looked up to Rocky who had become a wise and wonderful elderly companion for them.

Tracey told us “Otto adored Rocky. Recently, he had been completely obsessed with a small benign tumour at the top of Rocky’s ear and would not stop licking it.  It didn’t bother Rocky so the vet said not to worry about it, as Otto was only trying to heal it.

Otto and Delphi were very quiet after the event but, at least, they were there when it happened. As we were all at home and the vet came to us, they got to sniff him afterwards and say ‘goodbye’ properly.  In fact, Delphi lay on his back leg the whole time, which was rather sweet.  Otto had lain next to him the whole morning the day before. My mum also came over to be with them all. 

They definitely understand, much more so than people realise. Their emotions are as real as ours and their love for each other is as strong as our love is for them.   Our vet said that often the dogs will give them a sniff afterwards but then walk away, like they know their friend has gone but all the dogs seem to react in different ways. Some just need a quick sniff and others will go slowly from head to toe and even lay on top of them. I think Otto is very special. He has more emotion than any other dog I have met! Mark always calls him ‘special needs’.

Otto has been quite destructive in the mornings although not too bad.  Today, he chewed a log and took the throw and cushion off the sofa but, at least, he did not chew them.  I am now leaving a ‘pretend tea towel’ that he takes every day. Of course, there is no doubt that Delphi helps!

The cottage seems very empty without our sweet old gentleman. We all miss him so much” 

A WONDERFUL FOREVER HOME

FIRST UPDATE ON ROCKY FROM HIS FOREVER HOME (6.5.2016)

Tracey told us, “Rocky is doing wonderfully well.  We have never known such a well adjusted, completely balanced and delightful rescue dog.  

He has literally just slotted into the routine.  He has not chased the sheep (shows no interest in them) stays close to us on walks on the lead (such a treat), is not bothered by Thomas the cat and, whilst he does not yet show any great bond to either Digby or Delphi, the three of them are always lying close by each other. I really think he is just so happy in himself he does not necessarily need to latch on to anything.  

He has developed a very close bond with me and I would say he is much more of a people dog than certainly Digby is and he watches me all the time and wants to be close which is rather sweet.  Having said all that, I got a lovely photo of him and Digby lying back to back in the lounge this morning. 

On Sunday, we went to my brother’s family’s new house near Swindon.  We decided to take Rocky and Delphi with us as I didn’t want him to think he was being abandoned again when he is settling in so well.  We left Digby at home for the day with Mark’s parents, who came to house sit for us, as we felt he was better being left home in the quiet to carry on his recovery and normal routine.  

Rocky and Delphi had a lovely day at my brother’s with their Golden Retriever, Barley.  Delphi did go in the pond when none of us were looking but then she wouldn’t be Delphi if she didn’t wreak some havoc somewhere along the line.  She just made Mark and I laugh but I think my brother and wife were a bit shocked, as were the fish!! 

They all thought Rocky was lovely and we all struggled to tell him and Barley apart (Barley is taller but that was about the only difference). He was very relaxed in their home and was no trouble at all.  I did wonder if he thought perhaps it was another home he was going to but any fears he might have had must have all resolved when we left and took him home with us.

Actually, since then, more of his character seems to be coming out and he does have a bit of a naughty / stubborn streak to him but in his lovely way, so you can’t get cross with him.  Yesterday, he seemed to discover poo (sheep and horse) and so was going around hovering mainly sheep droppings but to excess which was a bit worrying.  I gently distracted him each time and am hoping the novelty will wear off. 

He also has started talking a bit, like Digby does, which is rather sweet and although he is nowhere near as vocal as Digby, he is now getting the odd little word in, which Mark says shows he is “settling in”.

Everybody that has met him can’t understand why he was given up for adoption but, as we say, “their loss is our gain” and I am just so glad I saw him on the website that day.  He is just perfect, Mark calls him “gentle Ben” as he is just so gentle and gentlemanly in every way.  After mad Delphi, he is such a welcome and calm addition and, hopefully, he will have that effect on her too!”

SECOND UPDATE FROM TRACEY (26.5.2016)

 ” Well, dear Rocky rather blotted his, up until now, immaculate copy book the other day!  When I got home from getting some hay on Sunday, he had knocked over the stair gate and got through a tiny gap to go upstairs where he proceeded to gobble all the cat food, rip up a toilet roll and rip up a carrier bag.  He was still upstairs when I got home so there was no denying who had done the deed as Digby and Delphi were both downstairs looking very innocent!!

Rocky had been rattling the gate by putting his head through the cat flap (we have a special pet gate that has a cat flap in too for Thomas) and it has been quite loose so he probably thought if he kept working on it it would come open, which it did. Mark has since tightened it all and we now put a chair in front of it, just in case! 

His little bits of naughtiness are coming out all the time but, of course, we still love him to pieces”

UPDATE ON HIS BROTHER FROM DIGBY  (3.6.2016) 

Digby tells us “We have now got a lovely little green shamrock dog tag for Rocky so he is very official now and, I think he must know it, as he has been a bit naughty and managed to break the stair gate down again (even though mum had put a chair in front of it) and he went upstairs and ate all the cat food again. 

That is all he did this time, just ate the cat food (which he seems to have developed a real passion for as he had to physically move the chair to get to the stairgate!!)  Mum is now putting 2 chairs in front of the stairgate and that has managed to keep him at bay for the moment but we’ll see how long for!  He really is ever so funny and is quite a character in his quiet little way”.

STOP PRESS ON NAUGHTY ROCKY  (6.6.2016)

 Digby continues “It has been all quiet on the western ‘gate’ front!!  The two chairs seem to have done the trick and Rocky has been a good boy all weekend. 

He had a lovely new bone in the field, as did me and Delphi – we love our bones!!  Rocky is a funny boy as the dear chap always takes his bone to the top of the hump we have in the middle of the field!!

The good news is that the dry skin is coming off his nose now (Aunty Lynne told Mum to put some chapstick on it so Mum has been using her Aloe Vera one from the health food shop).  What’s underneath is like a new ‘normal’ nose, still with the odd colouring so, hopefully, all the lovely food he is getting is doing him the world of good. For sure, his coat is lovely and soft now where it was very dry before. He will soon be as handsome as me (well, almost!)”

EARLIER HISTORY

Rocky is a handsome, gentle, laid back, male Golden Retriever who was surrendered to IRR through no fault of his own and was looking for a caring new owner to love and spend the rest of his life with. When rescued in 2016, he was 10years old.

On arrival in the UK, Rocky went into foster in Lancashire.

FOSTER ASSESSMENT

HEALTH
Rocky is neutered, microchipped, wormed and is up to date with his vaccinations. When Rocky arrived at his foster home, he seemed arthritic but with daily short walks, his general muscle tone seems to be improving.

PERSONALITY
Rocky is very friendly, affectionate and placid in temperament. He will gently lean on you and put up his paw when he wants some attention and fuss.

SOCIAL LEARNING 
Rocky is well socialised, house trained and knows and responds to several basic commands. He is described by his fosterer as:  “lovely old boy, no trouble about the house or on walks. Very well behaved gentleman.” Dogs   He gets along with the fosterers’ other dogs but prefers not to join in their play. Cats  Rocky has shown very little interest in cats and has even slept happily with the fosterer’s cat at the side of him. Lead walking Rocky is always keen to go for a walk and gets excited when he sees his lead. He enjoys going for walks and walks well on the lead. He also travels well in the car.

ROCKY’S DREAM HOME

Rocky would love to find a quiet comfortable retirement home where he can be spoilt and loved as he deserves. He will need to continue be taken on regular short walks for gentle exercise to improve his muscle tone especially his back legs. He would be best suited to an adult only home and would be happy as an only dog. Could Rocky enjoy a long and happy retirement in peace and comfort with you? In the words of his fosterer, Rocky:  “Will make someone very happy, knows his own mind. No trouble out or around the house….. Lovely old boy.”

THE BEST POSSIBLE NEWS (April 2016)

Following a short stay in Somerset with Gizmo and the gang, Rocky went to live in his fantastic Forever Home with Tracey, Mark and the menagerie in Devon. Needless to say, he soon got his paws under the table.