Goodbye Rocky

Almost two years ago my grandson, Gavin, got a little puppy and named him Wall-E. Wall-E couldn't stay in Gavin's apartment. Wall-E came here to live with Gramma and Papa. Gavin misses his little dog, but he knows that he is happy here with us.

Last spring, Gavin's mom got a new dog for Gavin. A boxer named Rocky. Rocky captured the heart of Gavin and played with his new boy endlessly. Rocky visited the kampground this summer and had a great time galloping through the fields. He met all the campers and was quite smitten with he who loves dogs.

We spent Thanksgiving with my daughter this year and most mornings found Rocky in bed with us and the rest of our dogs. He would try to climb in my lap for a hug and lay on the floor with me the last night we were there, his big head on my shoulder. He played ball with my dogs and was sad when we all left.


This morning, for reasons we will never know, he attacked and bit one of Adrienne's neighbors. He was not provoked and no one knows why he did this. The neighbor had to have stitches and Rocky had to go. I suggested that Adrienne contact a Boxer rescue group, but we both knew that he would have to be put down.

My daughter found Rocky on Craigslist. We all thought it ironic that a Boxer named Rocky would be living with his owner named Adrienne. Now I am wondering why the owners wanted a new home for Rocky. Did he bite someone while in their care? Did someone abuse Rocky at some time? Did the person he attacked this morning trigger some memory of a bad event in his life?

See the stick-on labels on Rocky's kennel? They say "I like my dog". Written by a sweet little first grader whose heart is breaking tonight. He went to school today knowing that his dog would not be there when he came home.

I was in WalMart when my daughter called me to tell me that she had no choice but to have Rocky put down. She would not withhold the biting incident and that made him unadoptable. She was crying as she told me that she sat with him for awhile after it was over. I was crying as I asked for my refund for a leaky hose.

My heart is heavy as I write this. My little girl had to be a grown-up today and I wasn't there to help her. She has to explain all this to her little boy tonight and I won't be there to help her. The mother in me wants to do something to make it all better and I can't. Now Wall-E must write a letter to his boy, so Gramma needs to suck it up and get with it ..............