Rosco's Story

Text Box: I'm a retired teacher. After having double knee replacement surgery, I wanted some company while my husband was at work. (He works nights.) Rosco has proven to be more than that. He was my therapy dog first. We think he's special! He is a full blooded Bullmastiff. He's two years old and weighs 125 lbs. We had seen a Bullmastiff on one of the televised dog shows. The announcer referred to the dog as a gentle giant. We did some research. The Bullmastiffs were supposed to do well with a moderate amount of exercise, something that was an important consideration since I have arthritis. They were also supposed to love people and to be laid back and easy going if properly socialized. This was a very appealing trait since we have seven children, five grandchildren and several "grand dogs". Rosco has proven to be true to breed standard on that score. After my surgery I had quite a bit of pain and was reluctant to "get moving". Rosco forced me to get going and gave me something else to think about besides my aches and pains. We got him as a puppy, so there was potty training to do, walks to take and then obedience classes. The latter is very important when you have a big, strong dog. Rosco did well in obedience class. He was so friendly and good natured that our instructor suggested he would be a good candidate for the AKC Canine Good Citizen program. Our veterinarian also suggested the Delta Society Pet Partners Program. So we looked online and found Jan Nowicki and Jack's Dogs. Going through the training with Rosco was a great experience. We both had fun and it brought us closer together and gave me a sense of accomplishment. The real reward was when we were able to go out and meet people at nursing homes, work with kids at the Indiana School for the Deaf and participate in the library reading program. Rosco loves to meet people. I love to share my dog with folks. -Georgia Gates
Rosco’s owner and Jack’s DOGs Volunteer