Rocco is 10 years old

It's Rocco's 10 years birthday today!!!

Link to birthday photos

In most of postings here Lucky is main character, so this will be Rocco's. There's a lot of sweet memories considering our long history together, so it's going to be long one :o).

I start with a sweet habbit he has, that goes back to his second day with us. It was Friday, so we went to our country home after work. Weather was cold and so was the house so when it was time to go to sleep, I didn't dare to leave him on the floor, but took to the bed with us and under the blanket.

He slept all night as my teddy bear. Next weekends we repeated the same procedure and since

that time it has been his tradition every night. No matter what time I go to sleep, he comes with

me and cuddles under the blanket beeing the most calming teddy bear in the world. He can't stay long

because of his long coat, but he hasn't skipped a day.

Next thing that definately needs to be told is his kind help raising Kelli :o). When Kelli was born, I had 0 experience with children before, so often even his heart-warming presence was a big support for me. Kelli was wonderful baby from her first day and slept all night long. But few nights we stayed awake because gas pain and it was scary then to think that everybody else in the house are sleeping but my baby doesn't feel good and nothing I can do can help her. It was much easier then, if little furry friend stayed with us, curled on my toes and helped me watch her. And boy was he worried when Kelli started to cry. Kelli was always in good mood and only reason she cried as a baby was when she got hungry .It always happened very suddenly and then she had to complain loud. Then it was always a big fuss, baby to my arms and again it was peace in our world :o) But not that Rocco could ignore the crying. He too had to act very quickly and usually ended up somewhere next to us, as close to me as possible. So I think he newer knew that baby was saying she is hungry by crying, he tought the reason was him beeing in wrong place :o). And what ever he was doing or where he was, until Kelli told she's hungry by crying, came Rocco as fast as he could and setteled as close to me as possible, beeing happy for solving his little friends problems so skillfully :o) Later they two became good playmates (poor neighbours :o) ) who were always ready to stand up for each other. Like when "no's" of a 2 years old got beyond my patience level and I tried to fix the situation by nagging on Kelli, Rocco was immidiately there, so very worried and quilty, trying to climb in my arms and apologize, so that I had to make a pause in nagging to comfort Rocco's tender soul, after what it was hard to get in nagging mood again :o) and when I tried to spray a very unpopular medicine under Rocco's paw and Rocco of course struggled to save his paw from me, his little friend helped him by starting to cry, so I had to release Rocco and comfort my little girl :o)

One thing that's unusual for a dog is Rocco's playing.

He did play with toys a little as a puppy but later had almost no interest in them. He got (still gets) happy, no, crazy and thrilled when somebody takes water from well:o). And when car  wipers are working. Later he learned to enjoy retrieving game with his friend Jossu - Jossu retrieved the toy and Rocco herded him  by bouncing on his way and barking. With clicker I teached him to like toys too, you should hear his crowl when tugging, very impressive :o). One toy he has always liked, it's Kong stuff-a-ball. This game started years ago, when, wanting to know what Rocco does at home, when we are at work, I hided some dog bisquites for him. Obviously he wondered around the appartement - he found them all. So we continued hiding food for him and he just loved it. It was hard to catch him for his daily "I go to work, be a good boy" lecture :o), he was so focused on going to search his "candies". Later we started to hide food with Kong ball, so he should work more to get it. And from that he created new tradition. Told him to find the ball and bring it to me for filling in the mornings. Now I don't even have to tell him any more, he goes himself after he has eaten his breakfest. When Lucky came, second Kong ball came too and he found and brought them both. In the beginning Lucky only watched him doing it, but soon he got the point and now it's competition who get's first. And as they get revard for bringing the ball, they try to cheat a little too :o) Rocco some days comes a toy or hair donuts or what ever he can find in his mouth. Some days I get quite big collection of thing he has found :o). But little about Lucky too - he has different strategy to earn candies - he brings the ball and put's it on the floor. I give him candy and he quicky grabs ball and escapes with it :o), to come back with it soon again :o). And there's no sad dogs in our home if we go to work, on the contrary, daddy takes them out for 2 minutes last thing before we leave, (just in case they forgot to do something during our morning walk,) they rush back home and sit and wait for us to leave, so they could get their filled balls :o).

Then a topic very important for Rocco - eating ;o). He was very picky eater as a puppy. Dry food in his bowl was ignored all day long, only late in the evening he went and eate it. Well, at some moment, when Kelli made her first steps, it was so interesting for her to go to kitchen, take one kibble, take it to Rocco who was in other room with us and then go to next one. This kind of attention Rocco appreciated and eate all that Kelli brought to him :o). His attitude to try food (all food)
changed totally when Lucky came to us. Lucky had very good appetite, finished his bowl first and usually tried to help Rocco. At some point they changed their roles, now Rocco is like vacuum cleaner - just breathes in all that's in his bowl. He is just always hungry. He is over motivated for food in training and if I give him a tiny piece from my hand he usually takes 2 fingers too :o). With my mom and dad he has his own agreement. After breakfast he gets a piece of cheese from my dad.
He is so silent under the table and appears when he thinks it's cheese time :o). If dad tells him it's too early, he goes back and tries again after a little while :o). And when we are cleaning table he goes to my mom, saying "hi" to her so happily like he wouldn't have seen her for ages. And next to praising and petting usually gets something good too :o)

I think thanks to the genes he got from his father he was born a winners class obedience dog :o). Quoting to a colleaque of mine, he is smarter then some people :o). He has never really needed the leash to control him, he just understands everything I tell him. Something even without the words. This last one - whitout the words - has sometimes been disadvantage :o). He senced me beeing nervous on our first dogshows and obedience competitions and made his conclusions out of it. My last nerves died on our first agility

competition and after that, I think, I have behaved better and better :o), but Rocco hasn't changed his mind during the years :o)

Every dog has something that makes him unforgettable for his family. Those were the sweet and funny sides of Rocco I never forget. And of course his kindness and loyalty to me.

So happy birthday my dear little friend.

I wish strong health to you and many many happy years more with us.