Dogs’ personalities and talents can vary dramatically as they mature. They may slow down and prefer a good snooze than a game of fetch, which is perfectly OK! But just because a dog is old doesn’t mean they don’t want to go on adventures.
Cocoa, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, was once full of vitality, but at the age of 16, she had difficulty walking. Nonetheless, she enjoyed going on adventures in Virginia Beach. So her family devised a means to continue the practice. Before their next vacation to Virginia Beach, they built a mobile dog bed so Cocoa wouldn’t miss out on all the excitement. It was the ideal way to terminate the pup’s life!
Tom Antonio and his wife live in Georgia, but they make frequent trips to Virginia Beach. It was one of Cocoa’s favorite locations to go outside and explore. She enjoyed going to the dog park, walking by the ocean, and watching the sunset. But as the dog became older, her daily activities became increasingly difficult. Long walks became impossible for the 16-year-old dog.
So the family devised a novel solution to assist Cocoa in continuing to enjoy life. They put a large dog bed on wheels and dragged it about while Cocoa slept.
“My wife and I devised a method to take her for walks using a mechanical creeper and other such devices.” “We’d bring her out with rope and a bed,” Antonino explained.
Cocoa could still explore the world while lying on her movable bed. Her family took her to destinations near their house, but they also continued to visit Virginia Beach. Cocoa was ecstatic!
Cocoa Lives Life to the Fullest
Cocoa’s rolling bed drew a lot of attention in Virginia Beach. One woman approached Antonio to inquire about the apparatus, and he allowed her to photograph Cocoa. He had no idea the photo would quickly go viral on Facebook. Antonio had no idea because he didn’t have a Facebook account.
“I learned about it via my brother-in-law.” He questioned, ‘Is this you?’ and others inquired, ‘Is this you?’ ‘Yeah, that’s Cocoa,’ I say. “That’s Cocoa and I on a walk,” Antonio explained.
Cocoa, however, did not live forever. The sweet dog died not long after her social media popularity. Before she went, though, her narrative made an indelible impression on many dog lovers. Antonio is pleased that Cocoa was able to demonstrate to the world the unshakable link that exists between a people and their dog. It is one of the most powerful things on the world.
Cocoa, rest in peace. May your eternity be blessed with unending seaside walks.
