Copper: The City Dog

Meeting Copper

The people that were "getting rid of " (oh, excuse me, "trying to find him a new home") Copper had placed an ad in the Roanoke paper that went something like this.  "Handsome 10 mos old Lab mix, neutered, obedience trained, micro-chipped-call XXX-XXXX".  My husband had seen the ad in the paper and when I got home from work, he suggested that I call that evening. 

  You see, it had been one year since I had put Kiera Von Pooh, my GSP, down.  That was in 2003.  It was the year I moved to the Hollow.  I had brought her ashes with me to Virginia...with me to the Hollow.  But, it was time for me to fill the "companionship" need.

Anyway, in speaking with the owner, he told me that, at the present time, Copper was being boarded.  Odd, I thought. He went on to say that if I was interested in seeing the dog, I could meet him at the kennel.  We agreed on a date and time.  Upon arriving, I introduced myself to one of the trainers and we chatted until the owner arrived.  He then went in to the kennel and after a few moments, he came out, dog pulling and tugging on the leash so hard that the owner could just barely keep his footing.  Trained? I thought. 

I waited toward the far end of the walkway so I could get a full view of the pooch.  I immediately saw both the Lab (and Pitt) in him and as he approached, his tail was wagging non-stop.  A friendly dog even to total strangers, I thought.  I stooped down and as I did, Copper immediately came back over to me, turned around, began backing up and sat or tried to sit right in my lap!

I began to massage him as I listened intently as to why they needed to find a home for him.  Now, comes the truth, I thought.  But, I knew he had promise if I worked with him.  I agreed to take him home...home to the Hollow.

What I didn't take into consideration was that Copper was a city dog.

(to be continued)