Cooper is Learning

I remember when we first brought Cooper home, he was a tiny little thing, and I could hold him in my arms… now if he is strong enough that I wouldn’t trust my kids to walk him and not loose the leash (they’ve never walked him).

I don’t regret taking on more training classes, I just think he’d benefit more from us, and the trainer we hope to get him with in the future (they take him 24/7 for two weeks and he’ll be returned to us completely trained). I’m not seeing where he’ll progress in his current training classes, and nothing we’ve not been already doing with him. A huge part of me wants to drop out and reclaim my Friday nights, but I’ll at the least see it through to the end. I’m not as happy this time around with “Cooper’s Class”. Thankfully there aren’t too many left.

I’ve been looking into more dog parks, much like I do with the human kids, to keep things fresh. Different dogs to socialize with, different owners to chat with and new experiences for Cooper. I keep a list of children’s parks in the car for the kids, lists of spraygrounds (with addresses), and yes even stores to spoil our furry child!

Surprisingly the biggest learning moments with Cooper have come from other owners. And it frustrates me that other people don’t need a class to have well behaved dogs! The most I can do is smile, take mental notes, and joke that I hope their well behaved dogs rub off on my dog (much like how allowing a human kid to play with the right kids can help reinforce our ethics/teachings). I think even after this set of classes is done, I won’t do any more, but I will make it a point to keep working with him on his “manners”, and do research on how to get him to stop jumping on people. The biggest issue he has is his over excitement with people he likes, jumping up on them (we’ve been using the commend “OFF” since down means to lay down), and his paws (which he doesn’t realize are not the size of a Chihuahua). He doesn’t bite, growl, or even bark. He thinks everyone is his friend, everyone loves him, and they all want to play with him. He also thinks he is smaller than he actually is, and will still try to sit in my lap (I’ve gotten bruises on my thighs from him jumping up into my lap on the couch).

But I can’t stay mad at my furry-faced child!!! The few flaws that he might have are not as bad as other dogs. Much like the minor complaints that I have with my human kids, when I compare them to their peers, I find that I am grateful in the end for the blessings that I do have. Much like how I can watch the relationships others have, and come home feeling blessed that I am not living their lives. At the end of the day when I drift off into that vast imagination we call dreams, I am married to my best friend, my children are all I envisioned (healthy, intelligent, thriving, and good people)… and my dog is as I remind myself only six months and doing well (he’s intelligent and learns fast, and in some cases my children take up all my time and he comes through as if I’d actually worked with him to do as he is supposed to).