March, 2010 update:  Poor Rocky is back with us, 2 years after being adopted, through no fault of his own.   Won't you give him his forever home?

 

Rocky is a great big hunka joy! He is a fun loving playful lab mix who loves everyone and everything. He lives with three cats and, although he hasn't been around small kids, he's never met a soul he didn't like. His owner is leaving for boot camp shortly and so he is looking for a new family to play with. She thought she had found him a wonderful home but a month later she received a phone call from animal control. They had found Rocky wandering collarless, starved with bleeding paws 40 minutes away from the "home" that had adopted him. When she called them, they told her that Rocky was doing great, not knowing that she already knew he wasn't! She says there is no way she will risk her baby again and has asked us to screen families for him. Hey, that's what we do for all our pets, and we're serious about it!

Here are some insights on this darling:
"Rocky is one year old and a very fun puppy. He loves to play with other animals, preferably dogs, people, cats and pretty much anything that will play with him. He loves to destroy stuffed animals and chew on bones. I've never had a problem with him chewing on anything that isn't his. He is
about 80 pounds, so he needs a house with a fence and lots of room to run and play. He doesn't know his size and wants to be a lap dog when you sit on the floor. He's never been allowed on the bed or the couch, so he sleeps on his dog bed or preferably in your room on the rug. He's a people puppy, so he'll follow you around so he can hang out with you:) The black lab in him brings out his love for the water.. He'll swim for a ball as far as you can throw it. I own a ball launcher to really get it out there. He's a ball fanatic. He's neutered, micro chipped and trained with basic commands. Rocky is very active and needs a lot of attention. I run about 15-20 miles a week with him and take him swimming twice a week. I crate trained him as a puppy and we never have any accidents. He'll be a great addition to a loving home."

Rocky's new foster family is really loving this guy! I have to share some of their comments with you:

"So, have I raved about this guy enough? He's a little stinky right now, but very laid back. Not a protective dog at all at this point - far from it. He does look scary, but really isn't. A big teddy bear, really. He's still looking for his momma right now, so he's not quite settled in. He's also a bit of an escape artist - so far no digging, but if you open a door, he suddenly is on the other side of it. It's hard to explain, being that he's a big boy, but he's just quick to zip out. This might be how he got away from the other people, as we've grabbed him by the coller or called him back in a few times. He knows Sit and Paw, and was hard to photograph because he comes when you say his name. He's a ball fiend, and actually drops the ball at your feet to throw it again. Very fun guy who deserves a great home.

The lady in the pic is my mom who is 5'4" for scale."

Foster update Feb 06:
"Rocky is just a great dog. He's still a little insecure, but he loves to be with his people. We broke down and let him up on the couch - he is a cuddler, for sure. He doesn't realize how big he is, but he's much more gentle than I would have expected for a young big guy. He really doesn't know what to think of the puppies we're fostering, which is kind of funny. He really enjoys going for walks or runs - he is pretty well behaved, too. As I mentioned before, he isn't really protective, but he's also at the bottom of the pack here. I suspect that when he finally gets to bond with that special family, he'll be like glue. He's not much of a barker unless my big GSD is between him and his people, and then it's more of a whine. He gets along great with my other dogs, and doesn't mind cats. Would probably LOVE a boy or girl of his very own, but could be quite content in a retiree's home as well. He loves loves loves rawhides and tough things like Kongs (especially if I stuff with something yummy) to chew on, but hasn't chewed on anything not a toy. He really wants to be someone's