Roscoe Rescues: Cooper

We are now accepting applications on Cooper! Yay!

A few weeks ago we got a request for an owner surrender of a beautiful Aussie. Cooper the Australian Shepherd was a mere 3 years old and his family was really struggling with him. Now to many people, they may be wondering why. Aussies are smaller dogs, they're known for being playful and friendly... What's not to love?

If you go back a few months, or head to our breed gallery, you'll learn a lot of Australian Shepherds. These dogs are not always what they seem. Yes, they're generally playful and friendly! They're a good size, they're fluffy and adorable.... but owning an Aussie is no small feat. These dogs are high energy, incredibly smart, always looking to outsmart you, and always looking for the next thing they can get into. Have you ever Googled an Aussie herding sheep? It's amazing. These medium sized dogs are so committed, so agile, so capable. They can keep up for days, they can pivot left and right, they know when to nip to change an animals direction. They even regularly jump on TOP of sheep. A true working dog, these guys make great companions- for the right home.

Many people who get involved with these dogs don't have the resources to fulfill their needs and unfortunately, many of them end up homeless.

A few days after this request we were able to put Cooper into foster very close by! This was an incredibly easy rescue and we look forward to placing him in a forever home! Thank you to Coopers family for rehoming him responsibly, and doing what is best for his future, and theirs.

So what about Cooper then? Cooper is an AWESOME dog! He is by all means a happy, friendly, energizer bunny. He will make a great pet to someone who has the time, energy and commitment for his well being and growth.

He's been doing great in his foster home. His foster mom work from home, so he is always around to hang with him.

Here's what you will need to know to see if he is the right dog for you!

Cooper:

Australian Shepherd

Three Years Old

Male

Red & White

Is he good with kids? Unknown at this time, he hasn't interacted with any since I've had him.

If he good with other dogs? Cooper is NOT comfortable around other dogs. He will need to be an only dog

Is he good with cats? Yes. He needed a day or two to get used to her being around, but now they sit in the same room/snuggle on the bed with me without any problems at all.

Does he have a fear of any kind of people? Not that I know of. He's seen plenty of strangers the two times we were at the vet, met my mailman, and a female friend of mine without issue.

How does he ride in the car? He does really well. Jumps up into and out of the car easily, and only gets whiny if we're parked and he can't get out, or it's a 30+ minute trip. Even then, after a few minutes, he grumbles and lays down quietly :)

How barky is he? He has only barked when there was a knock at the door (not when someone just opened it, like a friend I'd left the door unlocked for) or other dogs outside (most specifically outside the car while we were at the vet). He doesn't bark in the crate or when he's left alone at all.

Does he freak out over anything? Yes. Knocks on the door, a dog barking outside, the garbage truck emptying the dumpsters, anything that breaks silence pretty much. If it's a knock or a dog, he will bark and sprint back and forth from you to the door. But he's fine with the vacuum, garbage disposal, coffee bean grinder, washer/dryer, all that.

Is he a big eater? What kind of eating schedule is he on? Coop's a big beggar. He wants whatever it is you're eating and he will not leave you alone. He is eating 1 cup of Fromm's adult dry food twice per day (usually 8-10am and 5-7pm), as well as treats here and there throughout the day and with medicine. He doesn't scarf his food, so he doesn't need a puzzle bowl or portioned feeding or anything.

Have they gotten a bath? Yes! He did great!

How about thunderstorms? It was storming terribly the night Coop was dropped off, and he was a little anxious in the car, but in the house he was perfectly fine.

Do they have any naughty habits? Coop responds really well to "No" and "Down" or a sharp, loud noise to distract him from what he's doing UNLESS he's eating the cat's food. That is the one situation where I have to physically pull him away from her bowls. He also tries to eat from the litter box, but responds to distraction and stops. He will jump up on you if he is excited, but immediately gets down with correction. He whines a lot, but I'm pretty sure it's only when he needs to poop, so I don't think I'd count that as a bad behavior.

Is the crate a safe space? Absolutely. He sleeps in his crate every night without issue, I feed him all of his meals either inside the crate or just outside of the door. I leave the door open all day, but he chooses to lay on the floor next to my desk during the day. But, he goes in at night and when I need to go out without a problem.

Consistent potty schedule? I'd say so, yes. I take him out first thing in the morning, usually around 9am. He lets me know when he needs to go out, and it's been 2-3 times after that until the last time we go out before bed. I would say it's every 4 hours or so, but he never has accidents overnight or if I'm gone for longer than that and he's in his crate. He's never pooped in the morning, pretty much only after 5pm.

Have they been to a vet yet? Yes, and they say he was very well-behaved.

Have you seen any aggressive behavior? I have not.

What frightens them? I haven't seen anything actually scare Coop, but he is hypersensitive to outside noises, I think. If it's quiet, or there are typical noises like my typing on the keyboard or chatting on the phone, and something disrupts that, he will get a little agitated. He doesn't like bang bang shoot 'em up video games, so play those with your headphones on :)

How well are they responding to training and commands? Coop knew sit, lay down, and wait when he came to me, and responds very well to "No" and "down/off/out". He has been consistently responding to those, and we have been working on "paw" with slow but sure progress.

How much daily exercise seems to appease them? Coop has short bursts of energy, usually right in the morning and whenever he comes out of his crate any other time. We go for at least two 20 minute walks around the complex every day, and whenever I take him out to go potty, I let him sniff around to his heart's content for 10 minutes or so. He's always tired at the end of the day, so I haven't gotten the impression that he needs a significant amount more exercise.

How well do they walk on the leash? So well. He hardly pulls, and when he does, he responds to a quick correction. He sits to put the leash on, waits at the top of the stairs while I'm closing the door behind us, and isn't one to take off running when we get outside.

What kind of family do you think is a perfect fit for him? I think he might be best as an only dog, but that's just based on my experience seeing him react to other dogs the past few weeks. - We will get his a doggy date and find out more soon enough.

He is very snuggly and loves butt scratches and affection, so I think he would fit in well with a family with older kids, maybe.

What is their favorite game to play? Weirdly enough, he doesn't really like to play games. Unless you count the kind of hide and seek we play in the house where I go to the bathroom and he runs around until he finds me and then he licks my face and lays down. :)

What is their favorite toy? Again, Coop hasn't really taken an interest in any of the toys I've offered to him (kong, tug of war/rope, ball, chew toy, benebone). He doesn't chew on things. He likes to lick frozen peanut butter out of the jar and off of a spoon, but that's the most I've seen him take an interest in something that wasn't food. He looooves being brushed with my cat's brush.

Have they been to a crowd? He has not.

How are they most like their breed? What about them is different from the breed standard? Like a typical Aussie, Coop is incredibly smart and very affectionate. He is an excellent companion. I think I expected a higher energy level from an Aussie that was turning 4, but he really seems to like lazing around the house all day.

If Cooper may be the dog for you, please fill out an adoption application and specify his name! We will post on our social media, as well as update THIS post when we've better determined how he does with other dogs.

Cooper, we're so glad to have you as part of the Roscoe Rescues family. And even more glad to be searching for your forever home already! Good boy Cooper. Your future is just around the corner!