A new home for Cooper

 

A NEW HOME FOR COOPER

A year ago, my husband and I drove to meet a lovely young man and his five and a half month old puppy, miles away, in a muddy field. The previous week, I had been thoroughly vetted both over the phone and online by the man's wife and had agreed that if all went well between our golden retriever Betty and their puppy Cooper, we would be able to offer their boisterous puppy a new home.

The young family, despite loving their boy dearly, recognised early on they were unable to fully meet the needs of such a lively young pup and felt he deserved a home better suited to his needs. They had adopted the puppy of their dreams with the best of intentions, in the hope that they would be able to train their new puppy as a therapy dog for their children... but sadly, the reality of puppy ownership when combined with parenthood, had proved much tougher than they realised.

We were smitten with Cooper at first sight and he was clearly excited to walk with us that first day, so we walked a circuit of the field together, letting the dogs find their way with one another. Halfway round, his owner invited my husband to take Cooper's lead and it was at that point I knew Cooper would definitely be coming home with us. We chatted and walked some more, then finalised details, put all his worldly belongings in the boot of our car and said a reluctant goodbye to his heartbroken owner, with both dogs safely fastened in the back seat of my car. Legal documents exchanged, we were now Cooper's legal owners... and as he walked away fighting back tears, it was clear to me his owner knew he had done the right thing by his young dog, despite it breaking his heart to let him go.

We headed home in the car, with our new lad and Betty sharing my lap on the back seat. The plan was to introduce Polly before dinnertime and begin what has since proved, a full on year of hard work, fun, laughter, obedience training and puppy chaos. Integrating Cooper has of course, been a challenge at times, but he was such a sweet boy from the start and always so eager to learn, I never doubted he would grow into a super dog. He settled in that first night without a whimper, happily bedding down with Polly and Betty before falling fast asleep in our bedroom.

Cooper has come such a long way during the past twelve months. He has worked hard with me to master walking on the lead and to recall when called, we also worked hard to help him learn to share toys and keep his feet firmly on the floor while I prepared food. There was and still is, much to teach... training simply becomes a way of life for dedicated owners, it never really ends. We are currently working on walking smartly to heel both on and off lead, cementing his recall in ever more distracting environments and learning to settle when asked so that we can eat our tea on trays if we chose to, without a nosey doggy nose in the mix! Cooper learns fast and is doing really well. As a bouncy lad he still occasionally jumps up when excited but is much improved and despite being a big boisterous boy, he is great with my grandchildren and they adore him. I mustn't take all the credit for his training though! Cooper's manners became far more polished he watched the girls and our clever lad has learned much from his new sisters. Polly and Betty love their cheeky little brother and after close supervision and continued training, our two cats accepted our new addition and now clearly feel safe around him. Cooper, now eighteen months of age, has become an important and very much loved member of our family.

If by some chance, Cooper's first owners ever read this post, I pray they see they chose his new owners well. We promised to do our best by Cooper when we adopted him and we promise to continue to do so forever. We are so grateful they trusted us with their beautiful puppy and hope they will be happy to hear about the progress he made with us over the past year. We understand how hard the decision was to rehome their puppy and would love them to know, they did the right thing in letting him join our family. Cooper is content, safe and above all, loved.

Yes, we love you Coops, mischief making, sock stealing and all!

Happy first gotcha day to you our sweet boy! ❤

Life's a beach

 

I set aside my teddy bear maker's stuffing stick yesterday and instead, headed to the coast with my husband and our dogs. It was a special treat for young Cooper in particular as he had never visited a beach before. After an hour in the car, he was super excited to play, so after a very pully walk from the carpark to the beach, we took the plunge, unclipped his lead and let Polly and Betty show their little brother the ropes!

They did a great job; Cooper was soon chasing happily with his big sisters, through gentle foamy waves along the shoreline, pulling out lengths of seaweed to sniff and generally having a whale of a time! By the time we left the beach our little mermaid Betty, had taught Cooper how to swim properly and they were both swimming side by side, with Betty shielding Cooper, clearly encouraging him back towards the safety of the shore whenever she felt he was drifting a little towards deeper waters.

It was such a joy watching all three dogs playing on the beach together and when it was time to head back, a quick peep on my whistle soon had three very soggy golden retrievers racing my way for a good shake (!) a piece of sausage and their leads back on. It was quite a warm day for a walk, about 25 degrees C, but regular dips in the sea along the trail ensured all dogs kept cool as we ambled along, enjoying a lovely sea breeze and the beautiful open scenery of Reculver Country Park.

Happy 1st Birthday Cooper!

 

We adopted Cooper six months ago, when a young family made the extremely tough decision that they wouldn't be able to give him the best start to life. With two young children, both of whom had learning challenges, they had underestimated the time and attention a new puppy requires and soon realised the timing to introduce an 8 week old puppy to their family, was not as ideal as they had first hoped.

I was thoroughly interviewed over a period of a week to be Cooper's potential new mum, then my husband and I met the owner face-to-face for final consideration. We took Betty with us to smooth the doggy introductions and went for a walk with Cooper and his owner... and of course, the rest is history! After an emotional handover, Coops was bundled in our car and travelled home on the back seat, cuddling me and Betty.

It wasn't all plain sailing at first; Cooper was a handful for the first couple of months while he settled in ... he was a very strong, large five and a half month old puppy and pulled like a steam train on the lead, was greedy with toys, chewed everything, jumped all over the furniture and to be frank, was also a bit of a bully with Betty and Polly. It was a natural response to what had been a huge upheaval for him, for the second time in his very young life.

We took a few deep breaths, stayed calm and consistent, focussing on the areas of training we felt would help Cooper best. Gradually, our lad calmed and learned to understand us... and in just six months, has completely settled, now transformed into a beautiful, gentle, affectionate, fun lad, who adores his big sisters and they him. We are so happy we were chosen to be Cooper's forever family.

Happy 1st Birthday to you dear Doops (not a typo, my nickname for him).

We love you dearly and can't imagine life without you now!

Our Golden Family

 

With three golden retrievers who soak up mud like sponges, I don't mind admitting that I am delighted we have at last exited the wettest of Winters and entered Spring... Winter was such hard work.

Little Cooper (right) is no longer little, in fact he grew like a mushroom through the Winter months and is now easily as tall as Betty (left)... I don't think it will be long before he overtakes both my girls. Since adopting him last November, he has settled happily into life with his two older sisters, teaching them both how to play like puppies again, even ten year old Polly! He is a cheeky lad, full of fun and mischief, but very loving and typical of most goldens, very eager to please. He is learning his manners and verbal cues well... although some of his puppy eagerness occasionally causes him to forget reign in his puppy excitement... but all in all, our lad is maturing beautifully and we have completely fallen in love with him.

Adopting a new pup created a few challenges along the way...mastering the three-dog-lead-walk took a while to establish but all now walk very politely together for me, which makes life so much easier. Teaching Cooper to recall safely was very important for his safety off-lead so I worked hard on achieving a solid response from him. However, it didn't occur to me that my previously well trained Betty might decide to push a few recall boundaries of her own as a reaction to having a new brother... dog training never ceases to throw up fresh challenges, no matter how much time and effort is put into it over the years!

Although Cooper and I joined a 'real life' training class, I soon came to the conclusion that it wasn't suitable for Cooper because it over stimulated him to the point of him being completely unable to calm himself enough to focus, so after several sessions, we withdrew from the group in favour of continuuing his training independently, which has proved to be the best decision for Cooper. He is now settled, working hard and enjoying his walks again.

Coops has also become firm friends with Stan, our cat... it took a while for them to sort themselves out because cats and dogs speak very different languages, but with time and close supervision, they worked out their differences and can now even be found curled up together on my bed from time to time... (despite my 'no dogs on beds' rule!)

I am sure many folk think I must be mad to own three dogs and two cats and they may have a point (!) ... but we love them all dearly and are very grateful for all the fun and love they so unconditionally share with us.  

Happy 8th Birthday Betty!

 

Betty, aged 8.

I remember introducing Betty on this blog as a brand new puppy back in 2015 and here we are, eight years on, wishing her a very Happy 8th Birthday... Time flies!

Betty has always been the sweetest natured of dogs, she is a gentle, loyal dog, whose biggest pleasure in life is to run like the wind. She is happiest in a huge field, bouncing through long grass like Tigger, so when her cruciate ligament first failed her back in 2020 and she became so lame she couldn't walk, I feared for her future. There was no option other than major surgery for Betty, so we placed our trust in her vet and as mentioned in earlier posts, agreed to TPLO surgery ... a surgery which involves sawing through the bone in her leg, then reconnecting it with some very clever metalwork. The recovery process is extremely painful and a careful programme of rehabilitation has to be implemented for months after surgery. Betty went through the entire process without complaint, patiently trusting us to help her regain use of her leg... it was a challenging process because she also developed an infection and had to be admitted back to doggy hospital for an extra few days as an emergency patient, but thankfully with great care from her vet and his team, she was soon back on the road to recovery. 

We were warned that the potential for second hind leg failure is high and sadly, found ourselves back at the specialist vet just three months after being successfully signed off from Betty's first surgery. All in all, Betty's full recovery from both surgeries, aged six, took about a year of careful rehabilitation, while we helped her to rebuild the strength and muscle wastage in both back legs. However, I am happy to say, that since then, there has been no looking back for our sweet girl and she is now back to running through fields of long grass, at full bounce!

I think it is fair to say that Betty's biggest challenge last year, was Cooper. She accepted him happily when we first adopted him, but soon found his youthful exhuberance, strength and puppy greed, completely overwhelming. Betty always loved to play with toys but Cooper decided that to establish his place in our family, he would claim all toys, bones and beds from poor Betty, bullying her like a naughty brother. Betty is such a gentle girl that she withdrew and unlike Polly, who is a far more determined, no-nonsense type of personality, Betty wouldn't stand her ground with him. There was no aggression in either dog fortunately, so I could see that with careful and consistent training we would be able to teach Cooper not to dominate Betty and happily, six months on, Betty and Cooper are now firm friends who love to bounce through the grass together. Cooper is learning to wait patiently for Betty to finish with bones and toys before taking them and Betty will now invite Cooper to play with her and share toys. It has been a challenge, but definitely one worth committing too. They love to run together and play together now ... I have even caught them sharing gentle kisses together on occasion!

Betty may be eight, but she still plays like a big daft puppy. Her surgeries gave her back her freedom to enjoy being a dog and also her future, as I am sure they helped save her life. 

Betty is a very special girl who truly deserves her Happy 8th Birthday.

We love you so much Bets, keep on running! xxx

Settling in

Cooper (left) Betty and Polly

In just four months since his arrival, Cooper, now aged 10 months, has made a huge amount progress. Our three dogs now accept one another fully, take turns, respect food bowls, sleep and play nicely together. They also walk pretty well on leads as a group and Cooper has just about mastered a loose lead.. (unless he is very excited, in which case he pulls like a tram but those times are becoming fewer thankfully.) I use head harnesses on our group walks, which when used properly, are a tremendous help.  In fact, we can't be doing too badly because one of my neighbours stopped us a couple of weeks ago and asked to take the photo below as she said the dogs looked fabulous! 

Lead walks

We also started 'Real Life' dog training classes recently, so hopefully, they will help me continue to refine Cooper's lead manners and he will enjoy meeting a range of other dogs, in interesting environments.

Real Life training

When we first rehomed Coops, I don't mind admitting it was impossible to walk all three dogs together because Cooper's pulling on the lead was so extreme but after battling on (using head harness and starting with tiny group lead walks, then building up time and distance gradually), we are now able to enjoy daily local walks as a family. Walking three dogs together has been a steep learning curve for me too! Coop's recall is progressing well, although like most goldens, he is super sociable so off lead recall from dog distraction can be a challenge but the best thing is, he now enjoys off lead fun every day and knows to come back to me when I whistle. 

Free running

At home Coops is a big character and loves his cuddles. He understands much of what I say and learns fast. He responds very well to positive redirection and as he still likes to steal stuff (lingerie, slippers, knitting!) and to chance his luck sometimes with counter surfing etc, plenty of redirection is still necessary! After a shaky start, Cooper and Stan (cat) have recently become friends and seem to enjoy hanging out together. Cooper is learning to restrain his exhuberance with Stan and Stan is very grateful for that! Naturally, I still keep them under close supervision.

Making friends with Stan

Introducing a lively young golden has been far from easy... but four months of hard work, patience and determination have paid off. Our lad Coops is a fab fun dog and has settled in with us beautifully. We feel as though he has always been part of our family and despite the chaos, we love him to bits!

Happy 10th Birthday Polly!

 

Polly, aged 10

It hardly seems possible that I have been writing this blog for ten years now! 

I first put virtual pen to keyboard, when we brought Polly home from the breeder, at seven weeks of age, a chunky bundle of palest golden fur, a puppy girl eager to explore her new world... our home. I wanted to record her progress and order my thoughts relating to what was to become our training journey and to share that journey with other new owners. It had been many years since I last adopted a puppy, so it was important to me to learn how to give Polly the opportunity to become her best doggy self and for me to become a good dog handler. In truth, I knew very little about dog training when Polly first came to us, but I was determined to learn.  I joined a training class when she was about six months old, read a stack of books... and so began our lifelong partnership.

I have often written about my 'bossy big bird' and so she is, a big Golden, with a beautiful dense coat. She is a proud showgirl, a head turner, a sturdy girl, who always makes me feel protected on walks. Now that she is ten years old, Polly is content to plod gently through the fields with me, less compelled than she once was, to run at Ferrari speed, like her namesake Dad, Xanthos Ferrari. Polly is settled, solid, comfortable and confident. She is a fabulous girl and at ten, still young at heart, playing daily with young Cooper and enjoying her crazy zoomies, like a puppy herself. She loves having the inside of her ears gently stroked and cheese... she really loves cheese!

Over the years, Polly has often led me a merry dance on walks but has also taught me so much. She has been the best dog training teacher I could ever have hoped for, never failing to show me clearly what works for her and what doesn't. She is a clever, loyal, determined girl, the matriach of my doggy family. Those Polly accepts and respects, will be her best friends for life, she knows who she is and expects others to understand that too. I love her sense of self, her sturdy countenance and her heart of pure gold, I loved her puppy daftness and if possible, I love her golden maturity even more. Yes, she barks, yes, she occasionally dislikes other dogs, but Polly is quite simply, my pride and my joy. She really is the best friend a girl could ever have.

Ten is an age to celebrate, a decade shared together, each and every single day. A decade of learning about one another and a decade of enjoying time with one another. Ten is also a benchmark age, a transition between taking each day for granted and a growing awareness that old age may not be as far away as once it was... 

Polly and I plan to continue playing, eating cheese, enjoying our walks and sharing our friendship well into the future and if our walks gradually become a little shorter as the years pass, well that's okay. Life is for living and living in the here and now, whatever the pace.

Happy 10th Birthday to my Big Bossy Bird, 

I love you so very much Polls. xxx 

A little Cooper update... he is seven months old, has been with us for 7 weeks now and is growing like a mushroom!

He's a lovely clever boy, gentle and learns fast. He has recently started dog school, which is going well. He and Polly (aged almost 10) play all day long (when they aren't napping together) so Betty has become a little bit of a spare wheel (poor Bets!) but she is coming round to her baby brother slowly ... they were caught exchanging gentle kisses yesterday, so I know they will be fine in the long run.

Bets has definitely had her doggy nose put out of joint and as she has such a gentle, nature, she won't challenge Cooper for time with Polly, or her toys, so I have had to do lots of work to teach Cooper to share ... he is understanding more and getting much better and loves to run with Betty (Polly prefers to plod) so they are bonding, but it is a gradual process. Lead walking three dogs has been hard work but after seven weeks of graft, we now have it looking pretty tidy and thanks to a waist belt and a longer lead for Polly to walk on the outside, we can at last walk from A to B in a straight line!

In the seven weeks he has lived with us Cooper has made new friends, been on lots of walks, mastered a good solid recall and visited his new vet. He has learned not to frighten our cats and is learning to take turns with Polly and Betty for treats and play... and he is slowly learning not to jump up. He has learned to wait at the door until he is invited outside and is starting to walk without pulling on the lead - that will take a while to cement.. he waits beautifully at kerbs until invited to cross roads and has mastered how to walk up and down steps with me safely. We are working on eliminating counter surfing and that is coming along nicely now after a challenging start! He no longer jumps on me in bed.. and instead now politely puts himself back to bed after his early morning walk with my husband. (Horaay!)

There is plenty still to teach but Cooper has worked hard and made a really great start to life with us!

PS: Don't let anyone convince you having three goldens is no more difficult than two ... so not true! 

Think three times more mud, more chaos, more expense, more space on pavements required, less space in car... and definitely at least three times more owner energy needed! 

Three goldens are a significant commitment.