It's Saturday! I have a very busy schedule the next few days & am actually looking forward to it. There's loads to do in the world of cookbook writing, in the kitchen, & various other pressing matters. I am happy that my son stopped in for a visit with our cute pooch!
Rocky has been a part of our family for years now, we rescued him from a sad life. He had never walked outside, was terrified all the time because he'd been abused, and had not been socialized with other dogs or people because he was constantly locked up in his cage for the first 9 months of his life. That's when we got him.
It was crazy and amazing to watch a dog who had been so neglected start to learn about living life & seeing what the world had to offer. Thank God that we had become an insatiable Cesar Milan show, family, we had been preparing for a dog for almost 2 years because we wanted to be great dog owners & strong pack leaders. Rocky's previous owners were not good dog owners, they loved him when he was a cute, sweet, very small, new, adorable puppy but didn't understand the responsibility and commitment required for the task they had taken on. So Rocky suffered for it, his fur was so badly matted when he was first shaved, our groomer showed us the patches where it had been pulling on his skin & had to be cut close to finally get them off. His neck and under his legs & belly were the worst but it did him a world of good & he walked out of there feeling like a brand new doggie. We were lucky we got him at 9 months of age, we were able to expose him to new things, train him, and he acclimated very quickly. First lesson was how to go up down steps as we walk outside then to learn what grass and a real walk were. The second was a visit to the dog park, third was a visit to two outdoor markets to adjust to sights, sounds, and people. He was nervous at first so we picked him up when he was overwhelmed but he quickly began to enjoy & let his curiosity get the better of him. We soothed, reassured, & gave loads of support with treats to help him adjust. It did him a world of good.
I think the most heart wrenching times were around food & the time we got up later than usual & were late for his morning walk. It was then we saw that he exhibited all the signs of abuse. He crouched and tried to make himself small, he was shaking and terrified, trying to hide against the wall, his body language was introverted & he twitched in fear if we went near him or near his head. We felt awful because it was our fault he had to hold it for a while more than usual because we had forgotten to set the alarm & had had a late night.
Food was the same thing, he never went near his bowl,we really had to coax him to eat. Not because he was well trained or not hungry but because he was so scared, he would shake and bow down, staying far away until we brought him to his food. It wasn't right & if you saw that pup then compared to the pooch we have today, not even the same dog.
Look at that happy face!
We think Rocky's favourite place is on a lap but he loves my mom's the best because she rubs & scratches him like no other. He always wears this goofy face of bliss when he sits on her lap:
I can't stand animal abuse, it hurts my soul & breaks my heart.
We must be the voices for those who cannot speak, say something, do something, get involved if you see something that is not right.
Remember not to buy from pet shops because this is the sad hidden and seedy reality of lives of pet shop animals:
Adopt, go to reputable breeders, save a life by going to the shelter. Your furry friend will thank you for it in ways you could never have imagined.
From me & the Rockstar, have a happy & blessed day!
Rocky has been a part of our family for years now, we rescued him from a sad life. He had never walked outside, was terrified all the time because he'd been abused, and had not been socialized with other dogs or people because he was constantly locked up in his cage for the first 9 months of his life. That's when we got him.
It was crazy and amazing to watch a dog who had been so neglected start to learn about living life & seeing what the world had to offer. Thank God that we had become an insatiable Cesar Milan show, family, we had been preparing for a dog for almost 2 years because we wanted to be great dog owners & strong pack leaders. Rocky's previous owners were not good dog owners, they loved him when he was a cute, sweet, very small, new, adorable puppy but didn't understand the responsibility and commitment required for the task they had taken on. So Rocky suffered for it, his fur was so badly matted when he was first shaved, our groomer showed us the patches where it had been pulling on his skin & had to be cut close to finally get them off. His neck and under his legs & belly were the worst but it did him a world of good & he walked out of there feeling like a brand new doggie. We were lucky we got him at 9 months of age, we were able to expose him to new things, train him, and he acclimated very quickly. First lesson was how to go up down steps as we walk outside then to learn what grass and a real walk were. The second was a visit to the dog park, third was a visit to two outdoor markets to adjust to sights, sounds, and people. He was nervous at first so we picked him up when he was overwhelmed but he quickly began to enjoy & let his curiosity get the better of him. We soothed, reassured, & gave loads of support with treats to help him adjust. It did him a world of good.
I think the most heart wrenching times were around food & the time we got up later than usual & were late for his morning walk. It was then we saw that he exhibited all the signs of abuse. He crouched and tried to make himself small, he was shaking and terrified, trying to hide against the wall, his body language was introverted & he twitched in fear if we went near him or near his head. We felt awful because it was our fault he had to hold it for a while more than usual because we had forgotten to set the alarm & had had a late night.
Food was the same thing, he never went near his bowl,we really had to coax him to eat. Not because he was well trained or not hungry but because he was so scared, he would shake and bow down, staying far away until we brought him to his food. It wasn't right & if you saw that pup then compared to the pooch we have today, not even the same dog.
Look at that happy face!
We think Rocky's favourite place is on a lap but he loves my mom's the best because she rubs & scratches him like no other. He always wears this goofy face of bliss when he sits on her lap:
I can't stand animal abuse, it hurts my soul & breaks my heart.
We must be the voices for those who cannot speak, say something, do something, get involved if you see something that is not right.
Remember not to buy from pet shops because this is the sad hidden and seedy reality of lives of pet shop animals:
Adopt, go to reputable breeders, save a life by going to the shelter. Your furry friend will thank you for it in ways you could never have imagined.
From me & the Rockstar, have a happy & blessed day!
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