Rocky

Rocky is love. Pure and simple. Love, and those hilarious ears and puffy tail—you can’t miss him in the team.

Rocky was, interestingly enough, one of two dogs offered to me by Brenda Mackey in 2016. One of them was going to end up in the hands of Laura Neese and be brought to Can Am. The dog that ended up being sent to me was non other than the famous Inferno. Rocky was sold to another musher, making his way to MN, and then in 2018 he became available when that musher downsized their kennel. It was s circuitous route, but Rocky eventually found his way here.

Rocky settled right into the team, and within two months was quickly one of my favorite dogs for his positive attitude, ridiculous need for rubbing his face on the gang line, and how he curls into a donut when you try to take his harness off. Like all of the dogs I’ve gotten from Brenda, he is unbelievably happy and is just an all-round good sled dog: he eats, he pulls hard, and he’s durable and resilient in build. Any challenge Rocky in encounters is entirely mental and of his own making, but he’s pretty easy to work through it. His first year in the team, Rocky learned a lot: how to ride in (and get into) a dog box, how to rest at a checkpoint, and how to haul uphill. By the end of that first winter, Rocky had solidly earned a spot in the team. Rocky seems happiest when running with his relatives, and has spent most of his career here running with his cousin Inferno and then his half-sister Hippo.

After a summer of hikes, Rocky’s second year in the team he was always on the A team, and he was so happy to unleash his speed for the first time. A larger dog, as a thicker dog, it was always amazing to me to try to figure out how he did it, how he could drive and keep up and maintain that positive attitude but the short answer is it is all genetics. Rocky raced in the Grantham 30 mile 1st place team and in the Can Am 100 1st place team, with his unique brand of grand and goofy. It takes time to learn who a dog is and what they bring, and after two years of training for two different kinds of races, I’m really glad that Rocky is here with his versatility and positive attitude.

Rocky’s sheer love for the world is contagious, and I must admit I find myself drawn to him and giving him more attention than others. Rocky loves hiking and rolling in moss, and prefers one on one time with me when we hike.

Born: 2015
Flash (Mackey) x Minty (Mackey)

Race Record:

2020
Blue Mtn Race 1st place
Can Am 100 1st place

2019
Beargrease Marathon
Can Am 250