Cooper is a sweetheart who craves touch, attention, and loves to be loved!  His favorite is having his head rubbed and scratched - he will literally melt before your eyes if you continue to rub his head.  Eventually he will slide down and fall asleep with his head on your feet.  Cooper is happy and loves to play with his puppy foster brother. He enjoys playing fetch with tennis balls or his Catchit ball and playing with rope toys.  Everyone who has met him falls in love with him.  

Cooper is a rescue from North Central LA City shelter.  He was anxious (panting heavily), exhausted (red eyes) and friendly at the shelter.  The first two days Cooper was with his new foster family, he would barely sit or lay down inside and he heavily panted from anxiety. Cooper has likely never been inside a house  before - he didn’t know how to walk up or down stairs, didn’t know what to do with furniture and relaxed outside more easily than inside. Cooper did not know what to do with  chew toys or dog toys other than fetch a tennis ball, and didn’t know what to do with a dog bed. He has since been crate trained and runs upstairs into his crate for his nighttime treat of frozen organic peanut butter, applesauce and mashed banana.  He sleeps soundly in his crate at night and sometimes is more calm with a sheet over it. He can still get anxious with new situations and new people as he's decompressing from the shelter. The best way to tell is if he starts panting heavily and touching his head will calm him down.  As time goes on, he becomes calmer and calmer.  

Cooper needs love, patience, structure and some minor training.  He has not been destructive in the house or backyard and doesn’t jump on the furniture.  Cooper is adjusting to the resident cat and vice versa. He enjoys being active and outdoors, and is learning to enjoy being indoors and learning how to cuddle - he will become a great "lap dog" someday soon. His trainer continues to teach him privately, so he may not need additional training by the time he finds his forever home. 

The best home for Cooper would be one without small kids, and where people are home a lot and actively play with him.  Cooper would be an ideal fit for someone who has had a dog from a shelter before and understands the anxiety and need to decompress.

Please contact Michelle at Dogzinneed@yahoo.com or 760-390-8973 if you are interested in Cooper.