Cooper is Adopted!

Normally, when a handsome, athletic and sweet 2 year old GSP comes into the rescue, it's almost assured he will be adopted very quickly! Cooper, however, didn't seem to get along well with other dogs when he came into the rescue. As luck would have it, those interested in him all had other dogs in the home. So, the volunteers at GSP Rescue continued to work with Cooper on socializing with the other dogs. They made sure he got plenty of exercise before introducing him to other dogs, and made sure that his interactions with them remained positive. All the while, we looked for an adopter that didn't have another dog in the home and would be able to continue teaching him good manners with other dogs.Then, Cory applied to adopt. Although he preferred a dog under a year old, he was open to meeting Cooper when we explained how energetic he was, and how eager he was to learn. Cory was impressed with Cooper's energy and his willingness to please - as well as how much he already knew! We talked about continuing to get him used to being around other dogs and found out Cory had a friend with two very well trained German Shepherds that could help him do that. Cooper had found his perfect match! And, even better, Cooper would have some doting grandparents who were eager to babysit whenever Cory was working or traveling.We were very pleased to receive an update from Cory recently, "Cooper is doing really well! I have slowly socialized him with other dogs, and he seems to be coming around.  He was pretty standoffish at first with one of the German Shepherds I told you about, but now they mostly just ignore each other.  They have eaten in the same place, shared toys, and Cooper even gave him a kiss one day.  I am getting some one on one training to help him with his leash work.  He is great running with a bike and learning how to heel next to me while on walks, but like most GSP's that need some guidance when he sees something that interests him, he pretty much disregards my commands.  He still wants to kill every cat and rodent he sees, but we're working on it."  Cory also tells us that Cooper is a big lover and the whole family has "fallen hard" for him! They are working on some other typical young GSP issues, like door dashing, but most importantly, he tells us, "We're truly having a good time together.  With some more training, he will really shape up to be the most obedient, loving dog."Thank you Cory, for realizing that a good dog is made by dedicated people providing training and guidance, and is truly a joy to have!