Rocky Shines at Sterling

Rocky and I took a day trip to Sterling State Park today. I chose Sterling because the Rockstar needs to work on keeping it together in a moving vehicle, and a trip to Sterling gives him more time in the car. He tolerated the car ride well and then it was showtime!

Being the handsome hunk that he is, he turns a lot of heads. Most people have the same reaction to him. On the first look, they say, aww, what a cute dog. Then they realize he’s a three-legger and the fawning begins.

There is something about the underdog that reaches people on a deeper level. They want to know what happened to him, they want to punish the people who were responsible for it, and they love hearing that he got the ultimate revenge by overcoming it all and living his best life.

Just seeing him enjoy a summer afternoon in a beautiful park makes their day. It’s like he’s an official uncertified therapy dog.

While Rocky is unlikely to meet the incredibly high standards to become a legitimate therapy dog, he has a gift for lifting spirits and creating positive vibes everywhere he goes. My goal with Rocky is to get him to the point where he can visit dog-friendly retail establishments and interact with more people. I’m confident we’ll make that happen, it’s just a matter of practice.