Rocco's Gotcha Day

Rocco came to live with us just a year ago today. He's the best dog ever, and we know we're very lucky to have him with us. Thank you to NEARR, his great adoption agency.

Week 15; Rocco at Amherst College

Last Friday I spent the afternoon in Amherst with my family while one of us (not me) tended to some alumni business. We enjoyed a picnic on the common, walked around town, browsed in store-front windows, and met a few of the locals. In the evening, we celebrated Adam's birthday in Northampton at a nice Indian restaurant. An excellent day away.

Week 15: Companion dog graduation

I passed! This week I graduated from a companion dog training class at The Right Paw Obedience School in Princeton. Here I am with my proud parents. We had such a good time that we've signed up to take the AKC Canine Good Citizen test as a follow-up. Stay tuned. 

Week 14: Rocco goes to work

Our trainer suggested that I should try as many experiences as possible, so this week I went to work with my mom. Well, I really walked the perimeter of this Hopkinton work place, then posed for my picture in front of the sign ... all this for a cookie. Nice work if you can get it.

Week 13

Here I am with my Companion Dog Class teacher, Jen. She's teaching us commands such as Don't Pull, Look at Me, and Heal. We've learned that I already know hand signals for Down and Sit, and we're having a good time practicing. Jen tells me that I'm a good student, and that we might  consider taking the AKC Canine Good Citizen Test. This is fun!

Week 11

How do you like my Irish outfit? No, Rocco's isn't in today's St. Patrick's Day parade in Worcester, just modeling uncomfortably for the camera. Such a good sport.

Companion Dog training was delayed a week because I fell and hit my head (a big lump that time is healing) just before we planned to leave for class. Our teacher rescheduled us for the following week (tomorrow) in a four-week 1x1 class, a good deal for all of us. Rocco reports that he does not plan to wear the Irish outfit to class.

Week 7 and Year 10

Today is Rocco's 10th birthday. We'll sing to him at suppertime. His original owners bought him from a Manchester NH pet store, which provided papers including this real birth date. We celebrated with a short walk around the neighborhood to nurse his sore right front paw that'd he'd hurt on the ice in our back yard. Rocco had a hard time getting comfortable for sleep last night, but is much better today.

Tomorrow evening our 7-week companion dog classes begin. Stay tuned for star student reportage. We're hoping to learn how to keep him off the couch, as well as some standard training and bonding fare. This pic shows the bags and baskets that we use as couch distractions, which he just gently nudges aside to get comfy. Our dear 10-year old lad.