Question #1 - Julie

What was your favorite pet you had growing up and why?

My favorite pet is actually two. But there really wasn't one without the other. So much so that when the one died, the other died not long after.

So if you haven't already guessed, my favorite pets were my dogs Rocky and Jake. We got them when they were just puppies. They were a valentines present for us kids (and my dad). We got them because the year before for Father's Day my mom had finally told my dad that he could get dogs again. They were the greatest dogs. Rocky would play and play with you, and Jake would just sit and let you pet him. He was such a good listener.

I remember that it wasn't until they were like 3 or so years old that I could take them for a walk by myself. they were too strong for me. Though Stephanie and I would take them on walks together. By me saying we would walk them, really I mean they would run us. They loved to go to the river and play. Well, Rocky loved to play in the water, Jake wouldn't go in until my dad was in the water.

They were so much a part of our family, that when Rocky needed surgery on his leg, we had it done. that summer we had to sleep down stairs with the dogs to take them outside when they needed to. While Rocky was at the vet, Jake wouldn't eat or anything. He didn't like to be without his brother.

When we moved, we took them with us. At first they would get out of the back yard and run away, they were trying to find home. But they finally got used to the new place.

There were so many times when I was sad that I would go and talk to them. It was always nice to talk to them. It really felt like they were listening and understanding what I was saying. When I was younger, I would climb in the dog house with them.

Then when I went to College, one of the first things I would do when I got home, was go out and see them. I always missed them so much when I was at school. When Rocky died, I was still at school, It was my third year of College. He died at the end of the semester, just before finals. My parents were so worried about how I would react, that they didn't tell me until I got home. It is sad how they died. Rocky we think had a heart attack. They found him just laying in the back yard. I spent a lot of time with Jake that summer. But he was never the same as he had been before. He didn't eat very well, he wouldn't really play or anything. It was durning the next semester that my parents decided it just wasn't fair to him to keep him alive anymore. So they took him to the vet and had him put asleep.

It still seems weird that they aren't at my parents house. We had them for such a long time. They were trully a part of our family. It sometimes makes me nervous to think about getting another dog because I don't know that they could ever match up to my memory of Rocky and Jake. But once I get into a house we are going to get a dog. I just love them so much. Plus I think it would be good for Josh and Lilly.