Rocky the Pom
by jtpix

I had just gotten a Golden Retriever a few months after my beloved Sheltie died of cancer. I had two other dogs already, a lab and a mixed breed, both about 12 years old. Then, one morning a friend called me up and asked if I wanted to take in another dog. My golden was then only about 4 or 5 months old! So I said no, but it was agonizing.

The dog, a Pomeranian, belonged to a friend of hers who was an elderly woman living alone. She had only had the dog a month, he was 13 weeks old. She had never had a dog before and was having a tough time dealing with house training problems and was in despair. Not knowing what to do, she decided to give the dog away, even though he had cost a lot to begin with.

I had been thinking about getting a little dog, but with my daughter’s dog, there were already four in the house, and I doubted my husband would let me take another. But it nagged at me. I kept thinking about it. The more I thought, the more I had to have that dog. "He’s really little," I pleaded. "He won’t be any trouble." It took a bit of persuading, but he finally relented.

My daughter and I drove over that afternoon with my friend to see the dog. He was the cutest little ball of white and brown fluff, and he looked just like a raccoon at that age. I had to have him.

We gathered up the Pom and his possessions – toys, treats, blankets, carrying bag, etc. and took him to his new home. The lady giving him away had tears in her eyes as we left. She couldn’t keep him, but she hated to let him go!

My golden retriever adopted Rocky (named after the Beatles’ song Rocky Raccoon) right away, and Rocky just celebrated his 2nd birthday this month, Feb. 2009. His original owner still asks after him to this day.