Rocky came to us as he was recovering from Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, a tick disease he contracted as a very young pup. Arriving with a stack of medical papers, he had struggled with responding to antibiotics and had seriously challenged back leg mobility. Nonetheless Rocky was a spirited puppy that really had a will to survive. He could walk when we first got him, but his back legs often gave out, and he would not go up or down stairs, or walk on wood floors. We had to carry him to go to the bathroom, and to go to bed. After a few days with us his health declined. The little walking he could do turned into crawling, then he couldn't even stand or sit on his own. This was very disheartening especially when he needed to use the bathroom. We took him to the vet, who was surprised he wasn't already on an anti-inflammatory so they gave him a Cortizone shot and a prescription for Prednisone. Rocky was standing in the back yard and walking around within 36 hours. After that he was on Prednisone for a couple more weeks, and has now been drug-free for over a month with no signs of his old health returning. We believe the couple weeks he was on Prednisone gave his back legs a chance to develop some needed muscle. We saw improvements every day. Rocky went from not walking, to running around, walking up and down all of the stairs, herding, chasing balls and frisbees, and wrestling and romping with our dog Bandit.
Watching Rocky run around the park with other dogs, and playfully greeting people with a vigorous tail-wag, you can barely tell he ever had any handicap. He is in perfect health, he loves people, kids, and other dogs. He loves to play, chase balls and stuffed animals, and snuggle and kiss. Rocky is an amazing dog and has become a very special companion to our dog Bandit, and our family. Like all working breeds he is eager to please and loves to be near his owners. He is a super quick learner, and he knows his basic commands (sit, lay, shake, stay, come) and would be more than happy to learn a lot more...especially if being enticed by a tasty treat!
Rocky is a beautiful dog, with a perfect liver/fawn colored coat and happy eyes. He loves to play and munch on bones. His favorite thing is to go to Hillcrest Dog Park and sniff around and meet other dogs. Rocky is a working breed, so he will need a home with an attentive owner who can give him both mental and physical stimulation everyday. He enjoys walks and is great on a leash. He likes to play games and has fun learning. He often spends time off-leash at the park as well and does great. He is a good listener and never strays too far from me. Our dog is a terrific listener and Rocky has been taking notes.
Rocky needs a forever home to provide him with love and care, as he is a very very sweet dog and truly seems grateful that he pulled through his rough younger life.
