Rocket the Wonder Dog

Our pup, Rocket, turned one yesterday. To look at him he appears to be a full-grown dog. He's almost as big as our other dog, Chaucer, who is 14 years old and weighs 24 pounds. He's lost most of his puppy look. He's even quieted down a lot since we got him late last January.

Rose and Rocket - January 29, 2010. Rocket's first day home. Rocket is nearly 12 weeks old and Rose is 10 1/2 years.

But even though he is physically looking like a grown up dog he still is acting very much like a puppy, or maybe I should say a teenager, as he is still very much an adolescent and full of mischief.

Yes, lots of dogs are into mischief. But Rocket is one of the most mischievous dogs I've met. Certainly the most mischievous dogs I've owned (he's my fifth).

What does he do? Well, here's a short list:

Rocket steals socks from the laundry and slobbers all over them.

He takes tissues out of the Kleenex box.

He digs in the trash cans.

He eats sticky notes.

He's been known to destroy entire rolls of toilet paper.

He eats poop.

And rolls in yucky stuff.

He eats magnets off the fridge.

He can jump onto the cupboards and table and sometimes does.

He hides under the furniture.

He digs under the furniture.

He eats the furniture.

Perhaps most surprising of all, he jumps up and pulls thumb tacks off our bulletin board, chews on the thumbtacks but never swallows them (we think).

Rocket, almost 7 months old. And Ryan, almost 8 years old. Picture taken May 30, 2010

Rocket The Wonder Dog, as we like to call him, has been a challenge, to say the least.

But he's been good for us and has been a lot of fun, too.

For instance:

I'm keeping up on my exercise because I take Rocket out for long walks.

The kids have learned that it's important that they walk him, too.

And they feed him.

And play with him.

And teach him tricks.

And sit still with him.

Rose and Ryan have figured out where Rocket's tickle spots are.

And figured out they can hug him when they are feeling sad.

And they have more compassion for our old dog who can't hear and acts senile sometimes.

Thus I'm hoping they'll have more compassion for me when I'm old and senile, too.

We all get frustrated with Rocket sometimes. Okay, I'll be honest, pretty much on a daily basis.

Rocket on his 1st Birthday - November 9, 2010

But, you know what? Every day when the kids come home from school Rocket wags his tail and pulls on his leash to run to meet the kids at the bus stop. And every day we all get a chance to scratch the little rascal and snuggle with him a bit. And even though he drives us crazy and has turned our lives upside down with his mischief we love him.

Because he's our dog.

Rocket the Wonder Dog.