I have very sad news and writing this brings me healing. We are brokenhearted in the Goodnight home. We lost our beloved dog, Rocky, in an awful accident. BUT I don't want to waste this blog on what we've lost, although we mourn, but for it to be a celebration of this incredible dog.For our two year anniversary when Cody and I were merely dating, we decided to give each other a dog. Cody has always wanted a Jack Russell Terrier, so we scoured the classifieds and made several trips to find our puppy. Cody even drove all the way to Woodward just to look, but our dog was in Norman. There was only one puppy left in the litter when we arrived to the house. I remember going into the backyard to see the puppy and he was playing with a little red ball and his sister who hadn't been picked up. His momma, Punkin Pie, was there, too. We knew immediately he was ours. There was another family coming to look at the puppy, too. They were OSU fans. We knew he was born to be a Sooner dog. So because I had cash, $175, and the other family wanted to pay by check, we got to take Rocky Calmus Goodnight home.
He was the cutest little puppy with his pop belly and tiny red collar. We bought him a little red bone, too. He was so small as a puppy that I could put him in my purse. I did one time when we were going to the airport to pick up some family members. He was such a good riding buddy. He lived at Cody's apartment until we were married two years later. I remember one night we came back to Cody's apartment from somewhere to find Rocky had torn up an entire Sunday newspaper - to shreds. He was also up on the dining room table licking away at a dirty dish. We were so mad at the mess, but thought it was so hilarious, too. I remember Cody saying that this dog will not sleep in the bed with us, but he did from Day One and before Rocky was potty trained, we'd wake up in the night because we stuck our feet in or rolled over on dog pee. We washed Cody's bedding A LOT! Cody wasn't suppose to have a pet at his apartment because he hadn't paid the pet deposit. I remember we would have to sneak Rocky out to go potty. Cody finally did get caught - an eviction notice was taped to his apartment door, but he was about to move in to our first home, so it didn't matter by then.
When we lived at the Hollywood house, our first place, Rocky ran off one day. He jumped the chain link fence. Cody and I were devastated to find him gone. Rocky hated being left alone and always thought he should go for a ride. (We'd say "ride?" and his floppy ears would perk up and he'd take off for the door. In the car he would stand or sit on the console in between the driver's and passenger seat and if you rolled down the window and invited him over, he would stand with his front legs on the side mirror and his back legs on the door. You better believe we had a death grip on his leg so he wouldn't fall out.) Anyway. That day we couldn't find Rocky. Cody drove up and down the streets for hours. I called all the shelters asking if a Jack Russell had been dropped off. None had. That night was just awful - neither of us slept; we were worried sick. Cody got up early the next morning to start looking again. I got up to make more phone calls. I stepped outside on the porch and saw a little white dog running as fast as he could home. I was so happy! I wish I had magical powers right now to make that little white dog run home again.
Rocky would always greet you at the door like any good dog would when you came home. Some nights when Cody was at the station, I'd send Rocky into bedrooms and closets to check for burgulars. Or when I garden, he'd smell it out for snakes. (I hate snakes.) He'd even explore the attic for mice when I was getting decorations out for the holidays. Rocky always made me feel safe. Our new house has a lot of square footage. It's very easy to not hear something on one side of the house when you're on the other. Knowing Rocky was there made me feel more at peace. Eating dinner at the table is weird now. There's only one little white dog sitting at your feet waiting for you to drop something instead of two. If you didn't pay attention to Rocky, he'd whine or touch your leg with his paw saying, "Don't forget about me down here!"
We've gone through a lot of pets-3 cats, several fish and a beagle. Rock adapted to them all, but he adapted the best to Addie, our stray terrier/corgie mix. They were brother and sister. He would clean her eyes and lay by her on the couch. They would play tug of war with their "baby", a stuffed animal of some sort. They would go on adventures together - like the skunk incident - or trapping possums. One time Cody brought in a turtle during the living room remodel. He wanted to show Noah. Well we forgot about the turtle and hours later we hear this yelping. It's Rocky and the turtle has him by the snout!! It was so funny!
Moving out here to this acreage is the best thing we did for Rocky, or Scooter as we called him, too. We called him "Rocket", too. My best friend, Abby, called him "Rick-a-rock". Isn't it interesting how we make up nicknames? Out here, he had so much room to explore and stretch his legs. He loved being outside. He'd chase anything with legs...or wings. When he was perched by the glass door, we'd said, "What is it? Is it a squirrel?" He'd start to whine with excitement. We'd open the door and say "Get that squirrel" and he was off running! He would even run over to Mimi's house for a visit. I'd get a phone call from her that he was over playing. He loved wading in the pond, sticking his nose into any hole and tracking scents. He even helped Cody track a blood trail of a deer a few years ago.
Though Noah didn't think so, Rocky liked him. I think Rock had some jealousy issues toward Noah. After all, Rock was our first "child". Noah said he misses Rocky, but doesn't really miss him because Rocky always nipped at his heels when he and Daddy rough-housed. We were always yelling at Rock to quit or "go to bed" which was the phrase we used when Rocky had been bad. Rocky knew how to sit up, sit, lay down and roll over. I tried to teach him how to roll over, but he never got it. I worked on him for a week! Then Cody spent one day with Rocky and he had it. Whatever. :) If you said, "Rock-eeee" and pointed your finger at him, Rocky would submit, lay down and show his belly. He would be really, really still thinking he was in trouble until we'd fiercely rub his tummy. He'd give us a playful little growl. It's like he was saying, "You tricked me!" Rocky was so playful, especially for his age. If we had a rope of some sort, he'd latch on with his teeth while you swung the other end in a circle. He was a flying dog! He'd keep coming back for more, too! He loved playing catch. Noah has lost many toy balls to that little dog. Rocky would stick his nose in the toy box and take them. He loved getting dog treats. I'd say "treat" and he'd come running across the house. Within the last year, I haven't been able to give him yummy treats, or even table food, because it was too heavy on his sensitive stomach. He would just throw it up in our bed, I'd stick my feet or hand in it and we'd have to change the sheets in the middle of the night. I think I will miss that from now on.
Cody told me once a long time ago that he heard on the radio someone talking about loosing a loved one and the things that annoyed you while they were alive are the things you miss the most. That is so true. I miss Rocky's impatient bark outside the door to let him back in. I miss his constant and obsessive licking because of his skin issues. I miss him waking us up in the night to potty. I miss him leaving saliva stains on the couches from his obsessive licking. I miss how he would get into the small trash cans in the bathrooms and tear up things in defiance when we'd leave him behind and not take him for a ride. I miss the way he would lick the water bowl when all the water was gone until I got up to fill it. I miss the way he'd whine and shake after a bath. I'd make him drip dry for a few minutes before letting him out. I'd lay the towel down first then say "come on". He'd jump out and immediately shake drenching me with water. He would run around the house like a race horse showing off his clean coat. I knew he felt good. I miss the way he'd always manage to be hungry right when we were rocking Noah to sleep or during an intense part of a movie. Talk about distraction to hear this loud crunching coming from the kitchen. I miss him coming and putting his two front paws on my legs to tell me he was hungry and he wanted to be fed right then. Just recently Noah's chore has been to feed the dogs. Addie and Rocky would dance around and get so excited when Noah would scoop out their food. He would say, "Look, Momma! I'm making the dogs happy!" Yes, Son, you did.
Rocky would have been ten years old on May 28th. These last almost ten years have been wonderful with our little companion. He was always by your side whatever you were doing, always looking for a lap to lay in, ready to give you kisses with his stinky breath and knew when you were sick. He would never leave your side when you were feeling bad. He'd lay with me a lot during my season of chronic migraines. He had a funny way of pulling back the covers then crawling underneath to cuddle with you. He'd paw at the edge of the blanket to get your attention to say, "Let me in". For me, it's hard to sleep now because I miss him in the bend of my legs. But I'll adjust. Rocky was the type of dog that understood English. He knew exactly what we were saying and was able to communicate through tilting his head or expressions on his face. He was one sharp pup.
We told Noah that Rocky was old, which is true, and Jesus wanted him. Rocky was getting old. After lots of money and tests at the vet, Rock was put on a special expensive diet to help his weak tummy. He was constantly throwing up his food and loosing a lot of weight because of it. He was loosing hair, too. He was also loosing bladder control, but you wouldn't know it because he was always happy and hyper, a true Jack Russell trait. The vet said a few months ago when we had x-rays done on Rock's stomach to see why he was throwing up that Rocky had an enlarged heart that was growing bigger each year. Eventually he would suffer from heart disease which is a long, painful death. So I guess this is a blessing in disguise. Surely I'll feel that way in a few more weeks or months or years.
It's surreal that this happened. Accidents happen and no one is to blame, but that doesn't stop you from wishing you could take it all back. I know he is in Heaven; dogs go to Heaven you know? He's probably chasing squirrels or playing catch with God. Noah had a dream that he went to Heaven and saw Jesus heal Rocky. He stayed and playing catch with Rocky for a while. Then came back here when he woke up. He said, "Rocky was playing with Jesus and he was happy." I think God sent that to Noah for Cody and me. So that's what I'm hanging on to.
Cody held Rock during his last moments and we both told him goodbye. We buried Scooter on the back part of the acreage. Cody wrapped him gingerly in his "Beat Texas" shirt - so fitting for our little Sooner dog. Eventually the tears will stop and we'll have the happy memories in the forefront of our minds. We are grieving like we've lost a child, which he was. Rocky was more than a dog. His grave is marked with a sign nailed to the tree where we buried him on the back of the property. His name is written in red. Rocky had a good run. We sure do ache for him.
Rocky, you were the best dog...worth every penny.
We can't wait to rub your belly when we see you again.
Keep the bed warm for us.
