I am a 'DOG DAD'

 Yeah, I have a dog. Actually Nancy and I have had several dogs. From five Dalmatians (Toby, Tasha, Calle, Dreyfus, Sasha, over a 3 decade period), to a small Miniature Schnauzer named Scooter, which bonded to me for 11 years. All had different personalities, but loved to be with us. Some would love to take hikes, a few were very protective of the kids, some wanted to be with you 24-7, and a couple would just come over, give you a lick and look then walk away. Our now grown kids loved having dogs, and so did we  Of course they can be a pain with shedding and grooming and being sick or watching them fade away in their latter years. It's heartbreaking. But I loved them all and always will. I can probably tell you all of their little quirks, but I don't want to bore you.

Now, after several years without a dog, Nancy wanted a dog to go hiking with. She had a couple requirements. It must be a medium size, fuzzy, non-shedding and very smart. At the time we found just about all those requirements in a puppy. A client brought me a car he wanted to restore which just so happened to own a K-9 dog training company for VERY well trained personal security dogs. I told him, "Here's my deal. I will work on your car if you train my dog and us, hour for hour." He said, "OK." Things went well for the year it took me to finish the car.  Today Cooper is  2 1/2 years old, fuzzy, medium size, non-shedding so he needs to be groomed and some times a pain in the ass.  He listens to me, especially when I rise me voice, and some times to Nancy, but she is Mom and he knows her buttons. The thing I love about Cooper is he is gentle with us and visitors. He is not a biter, but a licker. EVERYTHING needs to be licked. I tell people, "He can't keep his licker under control." Of course he is a Golden Doodle. A mix between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle, and they both LOVE to play, ALL DAY LONG.

If Cooper wants to play on a windy, cold or rainy day, he'll sat in front of the back French Door and stare out while occasionally turning to look at you. When ANYONE comes in the door, he meets them with one of his more than a dozen soft, dirty old toys and a wagging cable like tail. "Let's play!"  On those seldom nasty days, we love to watch him slip and slide around our tile floors cutting corners as he chases after a toy we have thrown for him to retrieve. But that is not his best characteristic, he senses our moods and feelings so well. 

Cooper bonded with Nancy from the day we got him. If she is not around he comes to me for reinsurance and be his scratch friend.

Eventho I have not had any major side affects from the Chemo yet, last night I had a bit of something stomach related. I had to sleep in my "healing chair' (my Lazy Boy recliner) . With night of restless sleep, I awake to this.

Cooper was sitting there patiently and quietly watching me sleep. Our dog knows something is just not right. Sometimes when I sit on the floor with him, he'll come over, sit SO close, stare at me with head turned and with his extremely long tongue give me a giant slow juicy lick, as if he is saying, "I am here for you Dad." 

As I come home from my second round of Chemo treatment on Wednesday, other than Nancy, Cooper will greet me at the door with a toy in his mouth squeezing the annoying squeezer inside the toy, sniff me and give me his signature lick saying, "I am glad you are home Dad."

Yep, I am a DOG DAD and happy to be one. Take care and stay safe out there.