My Constant Companion

I’ve had several dogs in my life, but none like the one I have now. 

Cooper is literally my constant companion. He truly lives to be with me. 

When he was just a pup this was a real problem because he struggled with separation anxiety. Even me leaving the living room to go to the kitchen was stressful to him because he could no longer see me. 

When I would leave to run an errand he did not react well to being left in his kennel. Desperate, I called his breeder, and she gave me some great advice. 

She told me to stop looking at him. She said when I left him to be matter of fact about it, and reassure him that I’d be back. Then when I arrived home she said to ignore him initially and put my purse up first. Then she said to let him out, but not to make a big deal about it. 

Miraculously this solved the problem, and Cooper was less anxious about me leaving. Unfortunately, according to Chuck, even if I leave today while Chuck is there Cooper spends most of his time waiting patiently for me to return. 

That’s why I still kennel him when we both are gone. Cooper understands this routine, and knows that I’ll be back eventually. He doesn’t have to fret about why I left him out. 

As I’m writing this Cooper is curled up beside me comfortably on the bed. As soon as I get up to move to another room he will be there right beside me. Each week when I travel down to Comanche he sits beside me safely in his doggie seatbelt. 

When my youngest grandson talks about Mimi and Papa he always includes Cooper in the mix. One time when he was riding his horse he gleefully exclaimed that he wished Mimi, and Papa, and Cooper could see him. 

Cooper just turned seven so realistically for a poodle he has lived about half his life. Hopefully, I may be one of the lucky ones to be blessed with a few more years than that.

I can’t imagine having another dog like him. He’s my sweet little boy, Chuck’s namesake , and the smartest dog I’ve ever known. 

I feel extremely blessed to have him in my life, and know God looked down favorably on me the day I brought him home.