Rocky - Black Lab. The best family dog ever. November 1st, 1996 - December 14th, 2008.
My parents got him when we had to put down our basset/beagle mix Buddy around Christmas. They got him because they did not want my brother and I to be sad to lose Buddy. He was quite the naughty puppy that Christmas, but grew into the most loyal family dog, ever. When we went the lake, he would go with me by the water so he could watch over me.
He also sat by me every Christmas for 11 years while I opened my presents. We lost him Dec. 14th, 2008 to old age. He was 12. That was really hard, he loved Christmas so much. It was really hard he died at home (he was sick but had a vet appt. the next day.) but it would have been so much harder if we had to make the decision.
I don't focus on his death, but rather the so many good times we shared. He always had a sparkle in his deep brown puppy dog eyes. We loved him so much. He never got himself in trouble (except when he was a puppy his 1st Christmas), he was just so obedient and loyal.
Jenny - Female Rottweiler/Lab Mix. My best girl dog and friend. April 7th, 1998 - February 7th, 2009.
When I was getting out of the 7th grade for the summer. I went in the car where my parents picked me up and my brother was there holding the MOST beautiful puppy I have ever seen in my life. I asked if she was ours and if I could hold her. They were like of course she's ours, but little did I know this dog would change my life in a big and good way. I had her in my lap and she licked my face. I was in love instantly and that never changed.
She wasn't holdable for long as she grew; she grew into the most gorgeous dog ever. She had terrible manners, though. So I decided to find somewhere to train her as I wasn't too into dog training then as I was pretty young still then. I found out about 4-H and joined. I was excited to find out that they also did obedience classes. So, I put us both in the class.
She caught on pretty quickly and she was so good at the "down" command. She never caught on to "come" because she was a houdini. She would push the gate open with her nose to run around the neighborhood.
She would always look back at me and was like laughing saying come get me mom.
One time I had to chase her in the rain, in my pajamas, and in bare feet. She was so worth it though, but so stubborn. Also, her first trip to the lake ended her up in the emergency vet clinic since she saw a fish hook and there was a piece of meat on it and it got stuck in her mouth.
So that was her last time to the lake.
Jenny and I bonded so much over the years, she would only come inside when I called her in. She wouldn't come in for my parents.
She loved the first snow-fall every year and it was a chore getting her inside then. How I lost her was in the worst way. I was picking out a dress for my best friend's dad's funeral that night. I came home and Jenny was acting weird. I remember she got out earlier that day and just thought she was cooling down.
She sighed but went into a seizure and never came out of it as hard as we tried. She was 10 and a half. We had her 10 and a half wonderful years. It was just 2 months after we lost Rocky, too. Broke my heart that my dog, my best friend was gone and died right in front of me. The vet figured out it was a stroke, I had the hardest time with losing her.
The dog that brought so much joy and laughter in my life was gone. I can now without so much pain look at her pictures and smile. But I couldn't look at them when I first lost her. The pain has subsided with Rocky & Jenny, but they will never, ever be forgotten. They were very special childhood dogs; and they were once in a lifetime dogs.
Puppy Jenny:
My girl and I:
Beautiful girl in the snow:
Her last snow fall:
Also I never thought another dog could bring me so much joy and laughter again after losing Rocky & Jenny.. well Dixie does bring that and we adopted her a year after losing Rocky & Jenny in 2009. We couldn't be happier with this dog.