Let me introduce myself. My name is Rocket. I am a dog. I am a Shepherd Mix. You can see me on my own webpage: Rocket
I was born into a litter of nine. A man from Animal Control found us outside, alone. He took us back to a place that had lots of other animals. Some nice lady kept us until we were old enough to go to our brand new home by ourselves. That's when my trouble first started.
Some mean lady took me home, but didn't know anything about having a dog in her home. So I was outside all the time, with flies biting at me. I wasn't taken care of and I was super skinny and I had fly bites on my ear that got infected. It was really, really bad. So for the second time in my short life, I was rescued again.
The nice doctors at the shelter said that I was such a sweet dog, that they would do everything they could to fatten me up, fix my ears, and find me a good home instead of the rotten one I was in.
I have been rescued again by my forever family. My mom thinks that I am mixed with one of those primitive dogs, either the Carolina Dog, or even the Dingo. It isn't really that important to me, but she thinks it's fun to try and figure out what I'm mixed with.
I am really happy now in my new home with my family. But that doesn't mean that I don't have bad memories of my life before. I still have some issues that I would like to tell you about if you would care to listen. Maybe what I have to say will help other dogs like me and other dog guardians like my human family.
Housebreaking Problems - Boy, Am I Embarrased!
I don't usually talk about this, but eveyrone has accidents sometimes, right? At least that's what Mom says. I used to urinate in the house a lot when I first came to live with my new family. My mom said it was because I always lived outside, I never learned to not go in the house.
I don't do it as much anymore but every once in a while, when my family goes somewhere, like to my human siblings' Little League game, they find a little puddle on the floor when they come home. They don't yell at me or anything, so that's pretty cool. I am embarrased about it, though. I guess I get upset and I start to worry that my human family isn't coming back and we'll be in this house alone forever. I know it's silly, but it's just another bad habit I'm trying to break.
Foraging the Refrigerator (and everywhere else!) for Food
This one is a biggie. I lived for so long always hungry, that I just can't get enough food. My mom thinks that my 'natural instinct' to never go hungry is always on overdrive because of being starved before.
The first time I stole food from my family is a pretty funny story. For the first few days, my Mom put me in my own room and only let me out while the other dogs and I were on leashes, so that we could get used to each other. When that finally happened, I was allowed to roam freely throughout the house. My canine brothers never took food without being asked, so they just didn't think I would either. Boy, were they wrong!
My family brought those wooden trays out to the living room to watch a movie while they ate dinner. My human brother set down his plate on the tray and went to the kitchen for something. Quick as a wink, I was up on the tray with my mouth on his baked potato, smothered in butter. My mom laughed so hard, that at first it scared me. I thought I was in trouble. But when no one even tried to take it from me, I figured it was okay. I learned that it isn't okay, and that I need to ask first, but I still steal when I get the chance.
My family is catching on and they are faster than me and they think ahead before setting food down while I'm in the room. But here's a problem they didn't count on. I can open the refrigerator. I got the same reaction from my mom one day when she walked out into the kitchen and I had a whole stick of butter in my mouth, standing in front of the refrigerator with the door wide open. Ha! Now they block it so I can't open it, but every so often someone will forget to block it, and I'll be right there opening it up. My mom says that she never saw dogs do that, except dogs that are trained to help people who are physically-challenged. Maybe I am helping. Maybe I am loweing their cholesterol by eating the butter for them. But then that doesn't explain why I can also open the lettuce crisper drawer to find where they hide the cookies. :)
Thunderstorms, Oh the Horrors!
I am terrified of thunder and lightning. Last night, we had a terrible storm. The loud thunder and the cracks of lightning were enough to drive me right out the window. I've heard that dogs who are alone in the house when a thunderstorm hits, have been known to do just that, jump out a window to escape. Luckily, my family was home.
I paced back and forth, panted like mad, and tried to find a safe, quiet place to get away from the scary noises. I finally laid down in the pantry behind my human siblings' schoolbags. It is dark in there and it was a little quieter.
My mom read somewhere that it is hard to comfort us dogs that are so afraid of these things. She's right. I wanted to know that my family was close because I kept going in front of them and stopping right in front of their feet. But when they went to pet me, I scurried away. I just wanted to know that they were right there with me in case I needed them.
My canine brothers acted like they didn't even hear any of it. I think I must have been outside during a thunderstorm once and got so frightened that it is something I'll never get over, or at least won't forget for a really long time. It finally quieted down and I was able to fall asleep. I stayed in the pantry though for a little while longer, just in case the noises came back.
Why Do We Need Fireworks!
I love my country, wouldn't want to live anywhere else but in the Good Ol' US of A! But, tell me why humans feel the need to hear loud noises and see pretty lights in the sky on the birthday of our country.
Those noises scare me almost as much as the thunder. The first time I spent the Fourth of July with my new family, my mom thought I was going to have a stroke or a heart attack or something. I was trembling inside and out. I went through the same routine as I did with the thunderstorms, trying to find a safe place. I went behind the couch and stuck my head as far under it as I could.
The 'pop' 'pop' 'popping' noises were coming from some dope on our block. My mom says he's a grown man and should know better than to set firecrackers off on a block where a lot of dogs and kids live. There should be a law, wait, I think there is a law! So why doesn't someone put an end to this? I love the hot dogs and the flags, but I hate the firecrackers!
