Rocky & Adrian (2 for 1)
Breed: Cane Corso
Gender: Male & Female
Ages: 2-4 years (estimated)
Weights: Freaking giant (109lbs)
Crate Trained: Yes
Potty Trained: Almost
Kids: No
Dogs: Yes. No other females. 
Cats: Unknown
Vaccinated: Yes
Neutered/Spayed: Yes
Microchipped: Yes
Heartworm: Negative

Location: Rocky & Adrian are being fostered in LaGrange, IL. No out of state applicants, please. 

            Today’s Q&A with Adrian:

Q: Adrian, why do you have two collars on?

A: So my foster dad knows which one I am. 

That wouldn’t even be funny if it weren’t 100% true. 

          Show and tell with foster mom:

Foster mom: Come over here and look at what Adrian convinced Rocky to do.

         *moves around gates/barriers*
            *points to infiltration areas*

During the pointing and physical moving of gates, I learned of a very in-depth plot, where Adrian had not only convinced, but instructed Rocky, how to move the barriers, so she could escape. To steal treats. For herself. 

Me: *blank stare*

Me: Did you, in all seriousness, not only tell me about a plot, but show me exactly what Adrian had instructed Rocky to do, so she could rid herself of barriers…that were keeping her, and treats apart?

Foster mom: Yeah. That’s what happened. 

After absorbing this riveting and jaw dropping audio book I never paid for, I also learned that foster dad calls expandable baby gates…spandex gates. “Babe, can you bring me a spandex gate?” Direct quote. 

Dear lord. This is real life. 

Rocky & Adrian are up for adoption now. So I don’t have to have these conversations anymore, or unlearn things I didn’t want to learn. 

Rocky: Chill. Sweet. Gentle. Lazy. Derp. Selectively deaf. Ignores potty prompts when tired. Ride or die. Protector. Plan executer. 

Adrian: Busy. Mischievous. Unsure. Stand-offish. Warms up. Happy. Goofy. Protector. Plan mastermind. Treat thief. 

We aren’t sure whether Rocky & Adrian are brother/sister, or father/daughter, but they’re related enough that one of them requires two collars. 

They’re mini horses that gallop, body slam, and whip around your backyard at a million miles an hour. Super fun when the ground isn’t frozen. They aren’t graceful or eloquent. They dash, they dive, and they leap. And when they land…their faces are suspended mid-air, for seconds…after they’ve stopped moving. Zero gravity faces. 

Eventually gravity will take hold. And almost as if in slow motion, you witness a nine inch long, mucus consistency, slobber string…take on a life of its own. There’s no telling where it may land. In their own open eyeballs? In each other’s? Just the thought incites dry heaving. At least…for those who aren’t drool lovers. For people like their foster parents, all that drool is welcome. Foster dad thinks it’s hysterical, and will take pictures of drool hanging off of furniture (which he texts to people). And foster mom somehow believes, that her bare hands have the same absorbing qualities of paper towel. 

They don’t. 

Me: *throws up in mouth*

These two are absolutely fantastic dogs, but they definitely need some work. They take a minute to warm up, and people need to understand this. Respect this. Rocky is the easier of the two, to make fast friends, but if you’ve got treats, you’ll win over both pretty quickly. Once you’re in their circle, you’re good. 

They have been solid with their foster mom and dad from day one. Only issue reported, was when foster dad went out of town for a couple days and returned. When he went to greet them, they barked at him like they didn’t recognize him. Sounds weird, right? But then foster mom told the rest of the story. Apparently foster dad had gone to greet them, without a shirt on. This would be quite a surprise…to any living being. Rocky and Adrian were so taken aback by his appearance, they reacted as if he were a terrifying stranger. 

I like that story. I plan to tell it a lot. 

Their current setup appears very new to them. We are almost positive they’ve never lived in a home previously. It’s a lot of change, a lot of confusion, and a lot to take in. Even with all of that, they couldn’t be any sweeter with their foster mom and dad. We are saying no children because they do need people to respect their space and allow them to warm up. Same standards we have for all dogs, but we’re going to remove the opportunity for children and take the guess work out of it. No kids. 

Rocky & Adrian will need breed experienced adopters that will be patient, while allowing them the opportunity to figure out how to “dog” in a home. With a family. To ensure we keep moving forward in the right direction, we have consulted with a force free trainer in the LaGrange area, and they have some sessions setup. We’d like to see adopters utilize this as well. 

If you’re interested in meeting Rocky and Adrian, please fill out an application at darkhorsedogs.org. Wear a shirt at the meet and greet. Please only inquire if you’re interested in adopting both.