At Center Court With Tony Stockman – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/22/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Doc Holiday, a 6-month-old German Shepherd, is a laid back kind of guy. He enjoys running in parks, going on road trips, napping and spending time with his sister.
In early August, Doc’s fate was uncertain. He and his sister, Daisy, were only 8-weeks old and in need of a home. Meanwhile, Ohio State junior guard Tony Stockman was eager to adopt a canine companion. He knew his dog-less days would soon be over after he saw an advertisement for available puppies in the newspaper. Fortunately, Doc and Daisy’s sensitive ears had not heard that Stockman was in pursuit of a Husky.
“The woman selling the dogs said that Huskies were wild and bad-tempered. So I went with my second choice and picked out a German Shepherd,” Stockman said.
Although Stockman had originally planned on getting one male dog, he was offered a second female as well. Stockman bought both. Each of the puppies was aesthetically appealing but Stockman was particularly enamored with Doc’s coat.
“Doc was all fluffy,” he said. “I like fluffy.”
The Stockman trio happily traveled home to the Buckeye basketball player’s residence, which he shares with his sister, Alicia. Stockman had made his home in dog-prohibited areas before and was excited to finally have a place where Doc and Daisy would be welcome.
With a new home and a Buckeye basketball player for an owner, it seemed Doc and Daisy lived in dog heaven. However, they were without one important thing – names.
“I named Doc from the character “Doc Holiday” in the movie “Tombstone,” Stockman said. “He has a first and a last name. On all of his files at the vet, it says ‘Doc Holiday.’ I thought Daisy and Doc sounded nice together.”
Now identified, Doc and Daisy needed a few lessons in behavior. Their accidents in the house and the chewing on Stockman’s favorite shoes were unacceptable to the frustrated new owner. Daisy, who is “super hyper” and Doc, who is “laid back” were in for strenuous training at a nearby park. “After doing some research on the Internet, I hired a family friend to help train Doc and Daisy. I took them to the park every day in the summer and trained them there,” he said. “With basketball, I don’t have as much time now, but I play with them before class and when I get home from practice. Playing with them at the end of the day is my unwind time.”
The hard work paid off. Doc and Daisy can roll over, lie down, do the army crawl and fetch a ball. They also sit patiently in the corner when guests come over and never bother Stockman at dinnertime.
At night, Doc normally sleeps at the foot of Stockman’s bed while Daisy opts for the floor in Alicia’s room. The two German Shepherds have different personalities and bedtime preferences, but they share one thing in common.
The adopted siblings anxiously await the morning when Stockman starts the day with a trip to the park.
