Cooper, Man's Best Friend

Some familes when their children are small agree to having a pet at home. When our girls were young, we agreed to bring Kalico, the cat, into our group. She was low maintenance to keep, and the girls took turns taking care of her food and other needs, for a short period of time!

Our next animal at our house was Cooper, the dog. Amy found Cooper, or Moose, as he was called at the Abilene Humane Society's facility. She changed his name to reflect one of the area high schools Abilene COOPER High School. She kept him in her one bedroom apartment the fall of her senior year in college.

The following spring, Cooper had to move to our home. We didn't want a dog smell in our house. The only time Cooper came in the house was to go into the back to play and smell the air, trees, bushes and bark with other dogs in the neighborhood.

He first resided in the garage in a cage large enough to give him room to move around. As he matured, we kept him on a lanyard to give him more room in the garage and partially into our driveway.

Once Amy completed college, she moved back into our home. Now routines included walks around the neighborhood, which I called the cling and jerk routine and visits to the local vet for annual checkups. Amy also leaned that if you asked Cooper a question he would cock his head. Two of the images with this blog give you that "look".

As time moved forward, Cooper and I had other routines that were fun and enjoyable to watch. We first began playing in the breakfast area. I'd separate my legs and he would stick his head between them. He would look side to side to see which hand would get within range. At first, Cooper didn't understand that his teeth and toenails could and would cut my arms, hands and legs. As he matured, he knew to "pretend" to be biting my hands, and let out with his attacking growl. Just a routine for him to burn off some energy and have fun.

There were the trips to recycle our newspapers, plastic items and aluminum cans. Both back windows were down for Cooper to smell the air with his head outside the window. (A normal position for all dogs while in a car, SUV, or truck.) Afterwards, we would walk the paved trail thru many trees, plants and places for him to sniff and leave "his mark".

We then added trips to the bank drive-thru to deposit checks. It didn't take Cooper long to realize that this "building" would provide him with a treat each time. Sometimes the treat came before the deposit was completed, and sometimes at the end of the transaction. But, that didn't stop Cooper from smelling my hands to see if the treat needed to be passed on to his mouth.

Cooper liked coming into my office to look around, sniff papers and files, and take a nap. This was where Cooper wanted to be during thunderstorms and lightning. However, when I got up from finishing my work, he jumped up ready to leave this refuge.

Each time I drove into our driveway, Cooper could tell it was me, he would make one complete counterclockwise circle, and would stretch his lanyard as far as possible. I would roll down my window and stop to stroke the bridge of his nose and head. He would wait for me to say "OK', to come into the garage.

On Monday, October 18, 2010, Amy commented that Cooper wasn't acting normal. We went thru our normal day's routine. Tuesday morning, Amy noticed, then I noticed he didn't want to get up for anything. Totally not normal.

After my morning workout I took Cooper to the vet for an exam. On the exam table Cooper stood still for all of the "tests" a vet takes. Cooper and I were face to face during that time. No problem with Cooper even though the vet's assistance was concerned Cooper might bite me.

The vet put Cooper on an IV with liquids. Amy saw Cooper on Wednesday and he was his normal self, bouncing around with tons of energy. However, on Thursday afternoon, Amy and I went to the vet's office and Cooper was very slow in his walking, but wagged his tail when he saw Amy.

Amy and I sat on the floor to make it easier to pet and talk to Cooper. You could tell he had lost several pounds on his frame. When we came home I told Dianne, "Cooper's in trouble".

Friday morning, the 22nd, Dianne received a call from the vet that Cooper died that morning. For some unexplained reaaon, the white blood cells considered the red blood cells as anti-bodies and began killing them this week. Cooper's oxogen levels were dropping as a result. His last breath he sighed and died.

Such an unexpected and sad event to experience. Cooper, who would bark when anyone was walking in front of our house, or driving up in our driveway. The dog that when a light went on in the washroom, would signal to him to sit and look inside the door glass to wait and see if he would be invited into the house. The animal that shed hair during the spring and summer months in our garage and house. (There were times I could have knitted an afgan for our family to use during the winter months!) The dog that enjoyed being rubbed on a daily basis, was now gone forever.

Man's best friend had been a part of our lives for several years, and now the garage was quiet, and our usual routines with Cooper stopped. I thought about walking the trail the next time I took the recycle material to the large, green bins. But, I knew it wouldn't be the same without Cooper. The tug and jerk routine would be missing.

I catch myself moving my left index finger toward the controls to roll down my window driving into the driveway, then realize there isn't a dog named Cooper to greet me. I look out the door glass to the garage and Cooper isn't looking at me. I make bank deposits by myself, not getting a treat for Cooper or the response from the bank teller, "He's a good looking dog."

Even a friend who came to our house and garage to pick up his pressure washer made the comment, "It sure is quiet in your garage." Yes, he right about that for sure.

Our daughter made the decision to have Cooper cremated. She hasn't decided yet whether to bury the white box with the blue ribbon in the back yard, or to spread his ashes in the back yard that Cooper enjoyed or something else.

For now, the white box with the blue ribbon sits on my desk in the office. His lanyard, collar, walking leash, and sleeping bed are in my office. There are times when I smell the collar to remind me of Cooper.

How ironic. Cooper always smelled us when we were home and liked being in my office. Cooper is in my office, for the time being, and I smell his collar often. Before I finished this paragraph, I smelled his collar and yes, the scent of Cooper still remains.

Man's best friend, Cooper in this case, still remains, but in totally different material, shape and size. Goodbye my friend. You have been a joy to be with.