Rocket returns to the limelight after a hiatus. We learned just after Christmas that Rocket’s “brother”, Frank, had developed a heart condition and that he would not be with us much longer. Sadly, we had to say goodbye to Frank in February. Our hearts were broken. Rocket appeared to be lost without Frank, the house was much quieter and much, much lonelier, especially when the humans left the house for work and errands.
Although there were times that Rocket tried to bully Frank, the majority of the time he was content to be by his side. Frank taught Rocket many things. One day, I come home from work to the familiar sound of Frank howling to greet me. What astounded me, was that Rocket began to howl like Frank! Frank was part hound, so howling would be a natural sound from him, but Rocket is a barker, not a howler. After that first day, I would often return home to find Rocket looking at Frank and howling to greet me. Without Frank there to demonstrate the howl, Rocket no longer can mimic that sound.
Hiking has always been a treasured activity for us. The boys (Frank and Rocket) would lead the way. In the beginning, Frank would allow Rocket to lead, but eventually, Rocket settled down and began to take cues from Frank and would trade off the lead and he began to notice things more, like the scents or the presence of chipmunks alongside the trail. Rocket even learned to watch his humans more closely for signs of direction changes or slowing down the pace. It became obvious to us that Rocket learned many of these things from Frank.
Running and playing on the beach brought a burst of energy to Frank who would always outrun Rocket. Surprisingly, as fast as Rocket runs and as young and energetic as he was, he lacked the wisdom and experience that Frank had in evasion. Watching them run so freely and seeing them look so happy was an uplifting experience.
Frank left us so suddenly that we had no clue during our last hike together that it would be the last one. We just recently returned to the trail after a very cold and snowy winter and are certainly feeling the loss of Frank. I believe that he is still leading the way in spirit and that the loneliness that we are experiencing without him will eventually hurt less.
Rocket is beginning to find his way as an “only dog”. He has become much calmer and much less aggressively reactive to spotting deer through the window or hearing the delivery driver dropping off packages. Whether this is due to a perceived loss of “competition” from Frank or because he is getting older is unclear, but it is a welcomed change. He also spends more time sleeping and is very attached to his humans, staying by our side throughout the day and sleeping on our laps in the evenings. He alone leads the way on our hikes now, but he is very cautious to ensure that we are within a few feet from him at all times.
As the sun and warmth of spring begin to creep back into our lives in Northeastern Ohio, we all look forward to better and brighter days ahead. And while we will continue to miss Frank every day, and on every hike, we will also continue to enjoy every day for the gift that it is.