He ran full throttle down the alley into the side of a passing van.
He lay motionless as Joe ran and scooped him into his arms.
As Joe held Rocky his eyes locked with the driver's eyes via the rearview mirror.
The van drove away.
Did the driver realize Rocky ran into her van? Joe had no time to give it a second thought.
His full attention was in caring for Rocky.
Seconds seemed like hours before he moved again.
Rocky was rushed to Kiel Veterinary Center.
Melonie, the kind and caring receptionist, took Rocky into a room for observation.
Dr.
Schuette took the utmost care in putting Rocky back together again.
The accident left him with a torn ligament in his back leg and a crushed elbow in his front leg.
He also had a bruised liver which meant no pain pills for two weeks.
Rocky did not let that deter him and continued to be full of spunk.
Rocky is a survivor.
Life for Rocky started off, well, rather rocky.
He was chained outside to a fence all year long.
He ran away often.
The Humane Society was notified and he was rescued from the abuse.
Ilene Ribbons Rhode, president of the Humane Society asked Joe and Bob if they would be willing to foster Rocky until she found him a home.
They opened their hearts and welcomed Rocky in as a permanent member of their growing Pomeranian family.
Rocky was not used to the inside of a home and ran into walls and doors.
He also barked or tried to bite anything unfamiliar like chairs or the TV.
For the first week he was only comfortable sleeping on the back porch.
The first three weeks he got sick from eating dog food because he was only fed greasy sausages prior to living with them.
Within a short period of time, he felt right at home with his two new siblings Ollie and Tinker.
Each of the little guys has a distinct personality.
Ollie's mission in life is to stare at Joe all day long.
It's like watching a tennis match as Ollie's head bobs from side to side watching Joe's every move.
Joe says, "Ollie likes to feel safe and protected so you will often find him under a table.
"Ollie can be jealous and does not play well with others.
Tinker is the bossy one and is self-sufficient.
Joe says, "He is the supreme alpha male!He walks straight over to Ollie or Rocky and head butts them to move them out of the way.
"Joe thinks Rocky might be part bird.
He grins and says, "He cackles like a chicken or like a cat watching birds.
"If you hurry him along, he will adamantly cackle back.
Rocky has picked Bob as his supreme being and is fond of him.
Rocky's favorite spot to hang out is next to Bob every chance he gets.
Feeding time is all about Tinker.
As the kibble dish is set on the floor, Tinker is first in line, while Ollie and Rocky wait patiently behind him.
One by one Tinker picks out the kibbles he wants.
Once this tedious task is complete he moves to the side of the dish and lets his hungry eagerly awaiting brothers in for the remaining feast.
A favorite "treat" of Ollie and Tinker's are tulip stems.
How appropriate considering they hang out in a floral shop all day long.
Joe says, "They hold the stems between their paws and shred them.
They don't do this with any other flowers other than tulips.
" I asked Joe what he loves best about having dogs.
He said, "It gives me someone to talk to.
I can pretend they talk back and then I can hear only what I want to hear.
"The dogs always agree with him and they think Joe is always right about everything.
I whole heartedly agree.
Dogs are always there for you, always willing to open their ears and listen.
When your day is too much to bear they offer their hearts with the wag of their tails.
Petting their soft fur lulls you into a state of bliss and the world outside floats away and the harsh reality of life no longer matters.
A perfect example of this was displayed in a beautiful form of expression as Joe lovingly held Ollie in his arms upside down.
Joe says, "He only likes to be held upside down.
"As I watched, I noticed a sassy grin peek from beneath Ollie's bushy fur.
If I could read the minds of dogs I think Ollie would have said, "See, I get exactly what I want.
I am spoiled and I know it and I love it.
"Tinker is busy prancing below and his prance is begging Joe as if saying, "Pick me, pick me!"And where is Rocky in all this commotion of affection?He is sleeping peacefully as he recovers from his injuries.
Dreaming, no doubt, of how lucky he is to have Joe and Bob in his life.