Cooper’s Cone (of shame)

Cooper is officially fixed, as of yesterday, and he’s taking pain pills today. He’s been “super whiner”, trying to keep him from running around the house or jumping on beds, and thanks to the soft food (to get pain pills down)… he smells like cat food!!! ~*Eeewww*~

I plan to have him try the doggie day care, as a reward, and take the time to be able to check it out for our own future trips. The only true positive about being fixed is the fact he can do most doggie daycares. Which will come in handy, when we hit the Monterey Bay Aquarium, people beaches, and various other activities with our human kids. I just hope this doggie daycare is really good!!!

Doggie Park

Today I made it a point to get Cooper to a dog park! I figure this coming Thursday he’ll be getting fixed, so he might want to get in some time to play. I watched as he ran, jumped, played, and enjoyed being a dog with other dogs.

While at the dog park, he lifted his leg to pee for a second, third, and fourth time. I fully understand that is a dog’s way of “marking” but he’s never done anything of the sort at home much less inside our home. And that is something that I read happens in a dog of any size isn’t fixed. I just can’t see how it’ll have an impact towards the positive, having him fixed, other than not being able to make puppies.

On a positive note, when I took him out, he actually sat like a gentleman when Gypsie (the cat) approached. And that cat was trying to gain his attention, walking in front of him, flicking of the tail at him, and he even impressed a neighbor with his “good manners”. He is a lab, only seven months old, but he’s a really good dog!!!

Maybe it is best that my biggest aspirations for him become “volunteer work” in the future… and forgive me if it “feels” like settling or possibly having regrets in the future.

Found the BUNNY TWIN

When we first brought Cooper home, he invaded my closet, and stole an Easter Bunny. The thing is, there were two, and they were twins, one for each boy (youngest kids). No one ever thought to take Cooper’s brand new love. He took it everywhere with him, even broke his tooth on it, but we for some reason we just couldn’t find the twin to the bunny.

Today we found it in the bottom of the kids’ toy box, while looking for toys to donate!!!

WELL LOVED... frankin-bunny, stitched, and broken, and wouldn't trade the experience for the world.

Still needs mending, but hid him in bottom of Cooper's toy box!

Made Appointment to Get Fixed

I hope that I am making the right decision to get my dog fixed. I guess my fantasy of getting him a wife in the future (black Lab), and having little AKC puppies, was my biggest hurdle to jump. The fact is, even though I am meticulous about certain aspects, the reality is, I have no business thinking I can some day breed him. My biggest aspirations are for him to be trained well enough to do volunteer work in the future. And at the very least be well behaved enough to remain a family dog, loyal to his family, and behaved enough for strangers to pet him (he still jumps up when he’s excited).

I went online today, to research why it is better to not have him fixed, and all I could find were the benefits of him doing the procedure. I heard from a few sources that it was best to wait until a larger breed is at least two years old when they are neutered. How the added testosterone from not being fixed helps with preventing hip dysplasia in larger breeds and greater bone density.

I started to look it up

Cal Vet http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/projects/saortho/chapter_83/83mast.htm

Working Dog http://www.workingdogs.com/vchipdysplasia.htm

Pet Education http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2084&aid=444

Pet Informed http://www.pet-informed-veterinary-advice-online.com/male-dog-neutering.html

Why Not to Fix

Ehow http://www.ehow.com/list_6142410_negative-health-effects-neutering-dogs.html

1800PetMed http://www.1800petmeds.com/education/neutering-dog-cat-19.htm

DCN http://www2.dcn.org/orgs/ddtc/sfiles/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf

Go Pets America http://www.gopetsamerica.com/dog-health/spay_neuter_risks_benefits.aspx

If it is best to fix a male dog, after becoming sexually mature, than depending on the site dictates which age? I saw on one site that a male dog can be, and actually father puppies, at the age of five months (but best to never breed until 2 years old). The AKC site simply states no breeding until they are two years old, and nothing about best age to fix him with least negative health risks. So are my fears unfounded? I read on one side how fixing him with lead to weight gain, and result in hip/joint issues. And although science does acknowledge the risks, they are so slight, and the positives out weigh the negatives. Am I trying to talk myself out of neutering him? Why did we bother getting him and AKC number?

Labradors do not stop growing until they are around two years old! No wonder other owners of large breeds I’ve talk to choose to fix after their dog is at least 24 months. The trainer Cooper had with Petsmart (puppy and next class, same trainer) looked at me like I was crazy when I mentioned why we wanted to wait until he was two years old.

I would hate to think I am choosing to have him fixed now instead of later for selfish reasons. I not only want more choices of doggie daycares (many require him to be fixed, opposed to being stuck in a kennel while we do amusement parks)… personality to be less hyper and tense… he already cost us $75 to find out the neighbor’s son’s dog (female and not fixed) is in heat and my dog was aroused…

I am absolutely confused, feeling lightheaded, and even if we were to breed him later… the next dog wouldn’t even enter our lives for two years (wit our current set of goals), than 2 years for it to mature fully (making it four years before possible puppies), and than what? Breeding is a fantasy… better to focus on training, volunteer opportunities, and simply settling for being “just a family dog”. I even had a fantasy of studding him out for working dogs, that are trained for the disabled, but I am sure they don't need him...

Peed like a BOY…

I don’t even understand why this even matters to me, but today Cooper went pee like a boy (lifted his leg)!!! Normally he squats like a little girl, not that there is anything wrong with it. But, just once (and not since), he lifted his leg to a tree at the dog park. I was so excited I had to grab my phone to share with others.

~*Excited*~

Cooper Passed Intermediate Education

Last night my stomach was literally in knots, wondering if Cooper was going to actually pass his class. We push our human kids to do well academically, while trying to find that balance of being their own person, and I think we feel the same about our dog. We want Cooper to have his own personality, but to want to strive to do/be more, and the only reason we chose to start “training” him is because of our neighbor’s Boxer. I am hoping that he can be as well behaved and trained, and have manners.

I looked over the pamphlet, AKC Canine Good Citizen, and Cooper is not going to be able to achieve that with the path he is currently on. My neighbor, whose dog impressed me enough to go beyond a simple dog, was able to personally train her dog and simply test without any trainers. We’d done the puppy class and intermediate class through Petsmart, and even if we give another six weeks for advanced classes… I am highly doubtful he’ll get to where I’m hoping/praying he’ll get.

More information on Testing ... http://www.akc.org/events/cgc/training_testing.cfm 

Today I took Cooper to the dog park, to help celebrate, and give him a reward. His test last night had him “Heel”, which when I worked with him we did it with a loose leash, because I personally think him not having slack in the leash is like cheating (if the leash is tight do they truly gets heel or are you leading them to do it). He did a “sit/stay” and “down/stay”, which he mastered from the puppy class. I remember working with him on that thinking he’d be tested back than (he wasn’t). I have to say, that even though I don’t think he can go much further in the current settings, it did give us the basics and desire to do even more.

The neighbor’s dog planted the seed, to think Cooper could be capable of being more than a lazy house dog… and Petsmart classes gave us the basics, giving us a foundation towards his future. And after chatting with other dog owners, I can now dream that some day, Cooper just might do actual volunteer work. It is possible for this canine to make the elderly and sick feel better, that he has enough love to give to others, and embracing him has made a difference in my life.

I have always been a cat person, strays even love me, and I can relate to a cat’s personality better than a dog. Dogs will continue to come back even with the worst of owners… and a cat puts up with a lot less and will leave (cats require you to work on the relationship and not simply give food or come home at the end of the day)! When Cooper entered our lives, I immersed myself into his world, and took it on myself to learn as much as I can.

~*Thanks*~ Cooper!!!

My Honey Bunny

No matter how big my puppy gets, he’ll always be my “little man”. I love to spoil him, help train/teach him, and know that he offers something to our family that helps complete us.