So "Shhmaart"

Rocky:  "I has a shmart"

Pouty Face!

This is the look I get from my dog when I leave for work every morning!  What a pouty face!  I wish he knew I had to leave to earn money for his kibble and treats!  :)

A Boxer's Top 10!

The top ten things a boxer loves (according to Rocky) are...

10.  Keeping their innocents (aka, pushing their ears back and tucking the nub when they tore up the trash!)
9.  Treats (do they even taste it when they suck it down in one gulp???)
8.  Chasing birds (who are they kidding???)
7.  Giving the "cute face" (yep...it works!)
6.  Napping (must be nice right!)
5.  Other Boxers (go figure...)
4.  Playing keep away instead of fetch (whose really in charge???)
3.  Biting at the sprinkler hose  (why...???)
2.  Cuddling (it makes their humans melt)
1.  Wagging their nubs at warp speed (where is the grease fitting???)

Car Rides

So, when we go on car rides with the dogs, our other two dogs (Kara and Oreo) are good and lay down in the backseat.  Rocky on the other hand, decides the perfect spot is in the foot-well!  Yep....my feet usually end up going on the dashboard!  Of course, it is too much of a bother for Rocky to have my feet rest on him (God Forbid!).  I get my toes licked and defiant sighs if I disobey!!!

....And.... sometimes Rocky sleeps like this and lets me get my feet room back.  How nice of him :)

The day I met Rocky

Just to give everyone a little background, the day before I knew Rocky, I had been wanting a dog for literally 17 years (or since my childhood dog passed away).  My husband (boyfriend at the time) and I had to go to St. Louis for wedding that same weekend.  The next day, his family and I went to a flea market.  I am pretty sure everyone was annoyed with me because I was talking about wanting a puppy so much.  I even went as far as buying a leash and collar before I even had a puppy picked out!

Our time there was ending, and to my disappointment, there were no puppies at the Flea Market.  Well, so I thought.  As we were getting ready to walk back to the car, my boyfriend had mentioned to me, "Well, see that hill...usually there are puppies up there...but I don't see any...maybe some other day..."  Then, my child behavior came back!  I begged and begged that we should all walk up the hill to check, and the whole time he kept saying, "I'm telling you Jess, there just aren't any dogs here today."  After we got about half way up the hill I heard him say, "Oh crap, there's puppies!  Boxers!"  My brisk walk turned into a sprint.

After holding pretty much every puppy, I was almost sure I was going to bring one of the little girls home.  She was adorable and had perfect markings.  Contemplating names in my head, and being indecisive as ever, I couldn't make up my mind on anything.  Deep in thought, my boyfriend interrupted me by holding up another puppy I hadn't seen and said, "hey Jess, what about this one?"  That was Rocky!  I held him for three seconds and knew he'd be my dog.  It was puppy love at first sight :)

Puppy-hood Memory #3

Need I say more?  :)

Gangster Pup

Rocky:  "THAZ SUP"

As you can see, Rocky can fit in with multiple personalities.  He is a dog that can wear many hats ;)

First Step!

The first step to dealing with a problem is admitting you have one.  I am admitting I spoil my Boxer.  But c'mon!  Look at him!!!

What I see when I get home

Dogs or Tweens?

One night my husband and I were watching T.V., and to no one's surprise, I fell sound asleep in the lazy boy.  Being the loving man that he is, my husband covered me up with a blanket, and decided not to disturb me on his way to bed.  A few hours later, I felt a cool breeze.  When I came to, I realized it was February and became completely startled that I was feeling wind on my face.  When I looked around, I realized the back door was wide open, and all three of our dogs were no where to be found!  Bolting up in a shear panic, I yelled for my husband.  Just as startled and unnerved as I was, he ran outside to search for them.  I could hear him calling and calling their names, and the longer I sat there, the harder it was to remain calm.  About ten minutes later, I heard the door open and all three of our dogs came charging in.  Relieved and ready to tackle them with hugs, I stopped dead in my tracks when the stench of wet dog overfilled my nostrils.  My husband came inside our apartment shaking his head which is when I put two and two together.  The dogs had sneaked out in the middle of the night to go screw around in the pond in the back of our complex!  I don't have children yet, but this must be how a mother feels when she catches her child coming home in the middle of the night after staying up half the night worrying because it was two hours past their curfew.  Lesson learned; my husband and I always double check the dead bolt on the back door to avoid the wind from allowing our silly animals dogie freedom in the middle of the night!

Making a Difference

Everyone has their favorite dog breed.  However, most dog lovers never want to see a dog hurt, abused, or killed due to lack of a loving home regardless of their origins.  Below are some links to some of my favorite charities and stories of people making a difference in the canine world!  Please keep in mind, this page would be too huge to include every person who has made a difference.

"Every dog must have his day."
- Jonathan Swift



Detroit Dog Rescue
http://www.detroitdogrescue.com/

Northeastern Boxer Rescue
http://www.boxerrescue.com/

Adopt a Boxer
http://www.adoptaboxerrescue.com/

Fighting Animal Cruelty
http://www.aspca.org/fight-animal-cruelty/

PetSmart Charities
http://www.petsmartcharities.org/



Charities to help support Service Dogs
http://www.dogsforthedeaf.org/
http://www.guidedogsofamerica.org/1/
http://www.petsfortheelderly.org/

10 THINGS 2 LUV BOUT HOOMANS

(Rocky's perspective in response to the previous post)

1.)  GIVINGS US TREATS

2.)  KEEPIN US ON ROUTINUE!  SRSLY, STARIN AT TEH DOOR KNOB WAITIN 2 GO OUT GETS OLD PEEPS!

3.)  BELLY RUBS PULAY TIEM!

4.)  PRETENDIN DAT THEY R FOOLIN US BY USIN "W" 2 REPLACE TEH WERD WALK AN USIN "T" 2 REPLACE TEH WERD TREAT....  SRSLY, CMON!

5.)  SURPRISIN US WIF WET FUD IN R BOWLS

6.)  ASKIN US IF WE "WANTS 2 GO...?"  DOESNT MATTR WER WE R GOIN, BUT WE WANTS 2 GO!!!

7.)  MAKIN BARKIN SOUNDZ AT US....HAHAHAHA....SRSLY U DO IT ALL WRONG!

8.)  GIVIN ME BITE OV UR DINNR....

9.)  NOT JUDGIN ME 4 SOUNDIN LIEK IM HAVIN SEIZURE WHEN I SLEEP!

10.)  ASKIN US QUESHUNS...LIEK WE R SUPPOSD 2 RESPOND BAK IN PERFIK ENGLISH OR SOMETHIN...SURE, WE WILL JUS SIT HER AN LOOK CUTE WHEN U DO DAT :)

10 Funny things about a Boxer

1.)  When they get excited, they hop around like bunnies...then they get distracted, look behind themselves...then two seconds later, they resume hopping!

2.)  Their definition of snuggling involves spinning once to get the right butt planting position, and then laying on top of you...

3.)  Go into a comatose state after scratching their ears for 30 seconds, which involves dropping their head so low it knocks them off their feet...

4.)  Get distracted when they pass a mirror, and appear to be checking out the really good looking dog in the reflection....

5.)  When they pass gas they act just as shocked by it as you!

6.)  They firmly plant a paw on your leg (or shoulder) to prove ownership...or just to say "c'mon, I need to peeee"

7.)  The adorable confused head tilt...especially when popcorn is popping in the microwave, or a siren is going off...

8.)  Their ability to act like humans with facial expressions and dramatic sighs...

9.)  The pompous, full of themselves look male boxers get when they see another dog, or a bird on a walk!

10.)  Jumping up and biting the spray off the garden hose!

Rocky has no idea he is a dog!

A DUCK 4 ME

WAN TIEM DADDY SHOT DUCK, AN DEN HE BROUGHT IT HOME 4 MEEE!  OMG!  IT WUZ AMAZIN!  DEN HE CHASD ME AN TOOK IT BAK AN PUT IT IN DA FREEZR.  SIGH....  I GUES IT WUZ NOT 4 ME.  I JUS STOLE IT FRUM TEH BAK OV HIS TRUCK, BAHAHAHA

Puppy-hood Memory #2

One day after coming home from work, I found my dog sitting at the door.  He was gazing up at me with his ears tucked back.  His whole body was vibrating because his nub was wagging so hard!  I looked around my apartment, and realized he had behaved outside of his pen all day!  Well, so I thought anyways.  Keep in mind, my dog in the previous weeks had destroyed an entire couch (and that is a story all by itself).  I was overjoyed!  I couldn't believe that finally my dog was growing out of his puppy-hood madness.  I kept looking around my apartment for evidence of bad behavior, and could not find anything.  Then, I remembered!  I went down to rub my dog's belly to reward him for his good behavior, and soon discovered a sticky red and white mess on his neck.  I had thrown away a dessert that morning that had gone bad.  My dog had decided to help himself to the trash can without knocking it over, and flipped the lid all on his own.  Now the question is, if I would of thrown away that dessert earlier, could it have saved my couch?  Who am I kidding?  I highly doubt it!

Puppy-hood Memory #1

About two months after I brought Rocky home, his silly personality was coming out in full force.  After a long day at work, I came home and pretty much went straight to bed.  A few hours later as I was resting comfortably in bed, I awoke with a strange feeling.  I leaned over to turn on the lamp in my room, and discovered Rocky had pulled every single flip-flop I owned out of my closet.  At the time, I owned about five different pairs.  Not only did he help himself to a fine selection of shoes, but he decided to put every single pair in bed with me.  I guess I should be thankful he didn't decide to get angry with the shoes and chew them up.  However, it still leaves me to wonder what exactly was he thinking?  Maybe he has a little human in him, and was just trying to help his mom get ready in the morning.  If I could plug headphones into his little doggie brain at that moment, I am pretty sure it would sound something like this; "MUST HALP MOM GIT DRESD IN DA MORNIN...SHE ALWAYS WAKEZ UP LAST MINIT!  I KNOE, I HALP WIF SHOE SELECSHUN.  HER IZ PAIR!  I PUT THEM IN BED 4 HER....NO WAIT...SHOOT, MAYBE SHE WANTS THEES, I BRIN THEES 2!  WELL, NO, MAYBE SHE WANTS THEES 2...HECK, ILL JUS GRAB THEM ALL!"

SUM THINGS 2 KNOE BOUT ME

NUMBR WAN:  I HAS GREAT NUB 4 WAGGIN

NUMBR 2:  I HAS AN OLDR SISTR NAMD KARA BEARS AN LIL BRO OREO.  I LUV THEM!

NUMBR 3:  MAH FAVORITE TREATS R HOOMAN FUD, DUH

NUMBR 4:  SOMETIMEZ KARA OPENS TEH LAUNDRY DOOR 4 ME AN DEN I USE MAH SUPR SEEKRET SKILLS 2 KNOCK TEH TREATS DOWN DAT MOMMY AN DADDY HAS STASHD, BAHAHAHA

NUMBR 5:  I WUZ BORN ON APRIL 19TH, 2008

NUMBR 6:  MAH FAVORITE HOLIDAI IZ THANKSGIVIN

NUMBR 7:  MAH FAVORITE TOY IZ MOMMYS SHOEZ (SHHHH, DOAN TELL HER)

NUMBR 8:  MAH FAVORITE COLORS R GREY AN DARK GREY

NUMBR 9:  IM HUGE RED WINGS FAN (SHHHH, DOAN TELL DADDY)

NUMBR 10:  I LIEK 2 GIV HUGS :)