Cooper

My story

Cooper was brought to me as a last ditch effort to figure out what his behavioral triggers are and hopefully to help him find a much deserved well-fit forever home. Cooper is a BIG, handsome American Yellow lab. He is well behaved at the vet and during grooming (nail trims, baths, etc.). He is extremely smart and perceptive–unlike any other dog I’ve seen in the last 24 years, you cannot fake your way out of your emotions and energy with Coop. He will know exactly what you’re meaning & feeling regardless of what you’re trying to portray to him. As a lover of dogs and a trainer for over 24 years, I find him fascinating to work with because he keeps you honest. Although this is not confirmed, Cooper shows reactivity in and around his crate that strongly indicates that he was abused as a young dog. Cooper also has some serious resource guarding issues with food and high value treats. We are thinking that these two issues are somehow connected and related to the abuse. Working with a professional trainer for the last 7 months, he has made strides in improving both his crate and food reactivity. Coop has the potential to become a great companion for THE RIGHT ADOPTER. He will need the proper structure to thrive. I could see him being: -A fantastic hunting dog– his nose is amazing and he loves to use it! -A great companion to any dog behaviorist, or trainer in training, looking to fine-tune their skills on a truly dog-brained dog. -A great physical fitness buddy for someone who is active and outdoorsy Coop, outside of his predictable crate and food issues, is a near perfect working dog or companion. He will pretty much do anything for food. He certainly is an opportunist and is so food driven–he knows if you’re not paying attention, and he will be eating every crumb and surfing every counter he can find. He learns quickly and will execute his new skills with style. Despite the resource guarding of his food, he will take any treat happily out of your hands without even a hint of aggression. Coop LOVES other dogs. He loves to play and plays hard. He is submissive to strong, confident energy and has been around hundreds of dogs over the last 7 months and has had no trouble with any of them during play. He’s a big fan of hikes and walks, and is sweet as pie outside of his issues with his crate and food. Once Coop establishes trust, he dulls down on his reactivity, but by no means would I ever say it will completely be overcome. This is a dog that has likely endured some serious hands-on abuse and needs a confident, strong, calm, and understanding owner to help him continue to succeed on his journey to improved behavior. After these months of extensive rehabilitation, structure, and training, I can now put him in his crate, hand him his meals, tell him to leave it and have him go back to it without issue. He trusts me and understands I’m not here to hurt him or take his food, but it took a lot of hard work. As such, we are looking for an adopter who understands his needs. Cooper absolutely should not have a novice owner who hasn’t had experience working with reactive dogs. He needs an owner who likes to establish structure and who will set him up for success in his problem areas. He needs a STRONG, calm and confident owner to help him thrive. He needs somebody who will create hard boundaries for him. If Cooper sounds like he might be a good fit for you, you will need to meet with him multiple times and learn what it will take to set him up for success. He is a gem of a dog that can make the best companion to the right owner; you will learn and grow so much together. If you do not fit this adoptive description, please do not apply for Coop. This is a delicate situation that could lead to Coop losing his life if anyone tries to take him on without being TRULY qualified. Please inquire if you are interested in applying (serious inquiries only)

If you have any questions or would like to adopt Cooper, please reach out to the adoption group directly. PetSmart Charities does not facilitate the adoption process. Thank you.