It's not everyday you find a friend so loyal, always happy to see you and sad to see you go. Typically when you find this kind of friend, they have a lot of fur and four legs.
Time passed. Rocky aged. He became more fragile. Thinner. Honestly, I could only hope I age in the same way. His love never faded, though his hearing did. He still knew us and loved us. 
I had only one "serious" boyfriend in high school, and he happened to be my best friends cousin. One evening during my junior year, as I was getting ready to head home for the night, his little brother showed us a litter of puppies he'd found, motherless, in the base of an old tree stump. What puppy isn't adorable? I fell in love. I left that night with a mission to save one of those pups. I might have just taken him home, hoping on a wing and a prayer I could keep him. I begged my parents, and they resisted. (Dad had to bury one too many dogs who fell victim to our busy road growing up!) You could say I'm persistent. Maybe I didn't stop begging. Maybe they finally gave in. Maybe his instant snuggles and love won them over. All I remember is that one of those pups joined our family that fall, 16 years ago.
We fell in love. We prayed he wouldn't find the road. We fed him, played with him, and cursed him from time to time.
We swore he was part coyote. We hated how he shed every summer, but lovingly brushed away that thick mane and watched hair balls float in the summer breeze. He kind of had a humping issue, and was a huge fan of 4-H season! Rick Sheets was his favorite "victim". He hated fireworks and thunderstorms. There weren't many table scraps we didn't share with him.
Like most dog best friends, he was always greeting is at the back door, watching as we drove away, listening when we would share life's struggles and loving us always. He even crashed a handful of family pictures!
This week, Mom and Dad took Rocky to the vet for the final time. We couldn't watch him suffer any longer. We said our goodbyes on Monday, and though I've not lived at home for nearly 13 years, Rocky will always be my dog. (Let's face it, he's the best thing to come out of that short lived high school romance.)
Rocky, you can't be replaced. You were the only dog we ever had who was smart enough to at least look both ways before crossing the road. We all 5 (technically, 12 of us, because you equally won over the hearts of our inlaws and grandkids), will miss you. We will always love you, and look back on the great memories we have of you on the porch with us. In the barn with us. Near the pool. Resting in the sunshine on the south side of the house.
Thanks for being such a great dog. Great friend. Goodbye old friend, we love you.
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