In Memorium: Goodbye Rocky, it was great knowing you...

While working on my promised update to our BLOG, tragedy occurred:

(From my post on the RV.Net Pets Forum)

Our faithful little Australian Terrier was put to sleep this morning. I feel like my heart's been ripped out. I know that you dog lovers will understand.

We began our cross-country, 1-year RV adventure on December 31st, 2009. Of our little group, Rocky was the most enthusiastic. Calling him our "Road Dog," Rocky quickly settled into every segment of our trip. He was at his happiest when he was with us (is it wrong to bend the truth a little and call your pet a "service dog" so that he can ride that bus or enter that store with you? After all, he did wake you several times from a possible fatal sleep apnea event, didn't he?).

He was also content to sit and wait for our return, even if it took hours. All I had to tell him was, "Watch the house, Rocky, we'll be right back." Whenever we returned from food shopping, he would sing his special "food song," knowing that we always brought him home a special snack, especially his favorite leftovers: scrambled eggs and bacon from Cracker Barrel.

He had a "bad back event" in February, which kept him in the hospital for 4 days and gained me a new scar on the back of my hand; one which I'll now treasure. The vet told us that his displaced disks were back in place for the moment, after a run to the end of his lead at our campground to challenge a dog 3 times his size, which flipped him into the air and down hard on the ground, but we should ensure that he did no more jumping. We may of well told the sun not to shine.

His back went "out" again last night. I walked the park with him for hours, trying to help him escape his pain. Every few steps were punctuated with a scream that must have told the entire park of his suffering. When I ran out of energy I tied him up and sat nearby, watching him pace back and forth, back and forth, crying out and trying to bite the place on his back that was causing so much pain.

We sat there until daylight, when I had made up my mind to end his suffering. I've had to do this 8 times during the past 45 years and have died a little each time I held my beloved dogs as their life quickly slid away following the vet's injection. I cried like a baby every time, without embarassment. I did this time, too. Maybe more then ever before.

My wife and I have decided that Rocky will be our last dog, a decision we have made several times in the past. I think that we'll keep the promise this time, though, since, as my wife reminded me that, at this time of our life, we've started saying our last goodbyes to family and friends and will soon enough have to face each other's death... We've seen enough of death for now...

And for now I'll have to content myself with an affectionate hug and hello for every dog that I meet. Rocky, it was good to know you.

Love,
George and Maureen