Rocky
On Monday we sent our Rocky to the Rainbow Bridge. What a tough decision to make. Rocky was with us for 10 years.
Here's a picture of King Rocky in his prime
I'd been looking for a Basset puppy but then learned of Basset Hound Rescue where we found Rocky. He'd lived in a drug halfway house managed by an old guy who died. The family didn't want the Rockster so he was headed for the dog pound..18 months old. The Orange County coroner, investigating the death, rescued Rocky from that fate and called Basset Rescue. She took him home to wait for his adoption.
When we met him, we walked in the door of her apartment and he jumped off the sofa, ran over and licked us both. I was in love. We took him home and into our hearts. He was such a character and had such a beautiful face. He could focus on something, like food, and never blink an eye until he got what he wanted. The best thing about Bassets is their ears and his were long and silky. Feeling a Basset ear is a free therapy session after a stressful day. The next best thing is the beautiful sound of their howl...except at 6 AM!
Of course he had negatives...flinging slobber, lazy, smelly, stubborn, slow moving, a speed bump in the motorhome...but these fade from memory and are replaced by his loving gaze, his beautiful coat, his silky ears and his funny ways.
Rocky was our conversation starter as we walked around campgrounds. Everyone loved him because he was a magnificent Basset guy. We sorely miss him on these walks.
About 2 years ago he developed a sac-like tumor under his tail, inoperable. Last Friday it erupted and neither we, nor he, could cope with this. We held him in our arms and said goodbye in Manchester, TN on October 24, 2004.
Here's a recent picture of the old guy.
