"I Believe I Can Fly", R Kelly

Rocket J. Squirrel-Chaser:

"Super Dox"



I was sitting on the deck, watching the antics of our current five furries and began to reminisce about my dear sweet Rocky, who had passed over the Rainbow Bridge (10/2009).  Rocky, aka "Rocket J. Squirrel-Chaser" was a runner.  We had no fenced area when we first rescued Rocky so he had a 100 ft. run on a trolley line attached to the deck and a very large tree.  We wished he could be a free-spirit as Max and Sparkles were allowed (they respected the command Come) but Rocky was a runner - it is inexplicably instilled in the genes of some dogs.  If left to run free, Rocky would be two states over in 20 minutes, chasing every leaf, every bird, everything that moved.... And, he had been abused, neglected and for most of his first 11 months, kept caged in a cat carrier.  Being born a happy, loving angel, he wore the fur off his tail begging for any tiny bit of attention by constantly wagging and wagging while imprisoned, which only resulted with his fur being bumped/rubbed against the sides of that cage. *sigh*  Fortunately, we were able to rescue him and shower him with love [and NEVER ever another cage] for 13 more years (until cancer took him from us) --- but as with some other abused/neglected angels, there were horrors Rocky was unable to forget.  Having been thrown by kids from a staircase during a game of "catch" and injuring his leg that went unattended (he never received his vaccinations, either), it took me seven YEARS of carrying him up/down the stairs every day to and from the bedroom until he finally stopped shivering and shaking.  Of course, I still cannot forgive them for what Rocky must have endured......
But, Rocky's story had a very happy ending in a loving home, with a brother and sister who adored him.


Max, Rocky & Sparkles

 As usual, I digress with background information from the story-line..... Anyway, Rocky despised squirrels!  Now most dogs and some cats are not overly fond of squirrels but Rocky viewed them as alien invaders and fuzzy-tailed terrorists.  He'd be chillin' on the deck and hear or spy a squirrel and off he would fly!  There was no stealth involved, no precise planning - just raw power and speed!  With the wind beneath his stubby doxie legs, his need for speed would propel him down the two deck stairs across the grass, up the slight incline of the grassy knoll and then he'd shift into warp speed for the straight shot to the large tree.  He would fly like Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the final winning lap every single chase!  The leash part of the trolley-run was just long enough for Rocky to get 3/4 of the way around the tree in time to see the squirrel scamper up, snickering all the way.  The squirrel would position himself on an over-looking branch and fast-flick his tail and loudly chitter his amusement at the futile but not entirely unimpressive battle of the yard warriors.  The decisive edge, however, always remained with the one able to climb that tree.

This battle ensued daily, dozens of times, with never a deviation, never a different tree.  It was choreographed like a Bob Fosse Broadway production and each had memorized their part perfectly.  Often, my husband and I would chuckle (never loud enough for Rocky to hear, of course == that would humiliate him, as any doxie owner knows) and we would remember the cartoon character Foghorn Leghorn and how that rooster would torment the yard-dog right to just that one foot beyond where the dog's leash could reach - and then stand there with his imperious attitude, laughing at the poor dog's expense.  However comical, the frustration of the dog was evident.

One day, though, as fate would have it, Rocky was just slightly faster than usual.  The cry-to-action of "Get the squirrel" (similar to "Gentlemen-start your engines!") had his heart racing and his doxie legs pumping for all he was worth.  And just as he reached that sharp corner to round the tree, EUREKA!  He unexpectedly had a mouthful of grey squirrel tail fur!!!!!  Rocky was in the state of shock - never before had he been successful!  The thrill of the pursuit had been exciting enough to sustain his desire for the daily chase (as with many species...lol).  To have been sooooooo close to actually taste squirrel fur was, well, Rocky would be relating that story over-and-over for years to his furry pals as all those human fisherman do who speak of the big one that got away.  The story undoubtedly developed with a much larger squirrel, a longer chase and perhaps the entire tail being snagged instead of just a fluffy bit of fur.  But, Rocky deserved his victory!!  Max and Sparkles had learned early on to never be in his path as Rocket J. Squirrel-Chaser attempted to set land speed records for four-legged competitors, and for this day, this chase, Rocky had won his Medal of Fur....... RIP, my sweet Rocky.  Your stories live on!