Cooper and Teddy, the Dynamic Duo

Cooper, you will recall, is a American Bulldog, and Teddy is the shy, autistic little beagle mix.  They lived together here for a while and they were both adopted by the same saintly woman.  She wrote the other day about two new accomplishments. 

Cooper got his Good Canine Citizenship award.  None of my dogs have that, or probably ever will.  It is a certification given based on some basic obedience tests that demonstrate that a dog has the basic skills to exist and live safely in a community.  It comes as no surprise that Cooper passed the test and got the certificate.  Cooper and his mom battle breed discrimination but they persevere and continue to change hearts and minds about bully breeds among those that they meet.  Cooper reminds me of St. Jack (our first rottie) in that regard. 

Teddy's great accomplishment occurred at home, and involved a human being other than his owner.  Because of the heat she had left Teddy and the senior girl, Honey, indoors when she and Cooper were away.  A friend came over to let them out. Teddy barked at the visitor, a first, indicating a level of confidence and home ownership he had not previously demonstrated.  Better yet, he stuck to his routine and went out when the visitor opened the door and came back in when opened it again.  That is a major milestone for Teddy with a strange human. 

Two very different dogs although they are best friends.  Two very different accomplishments but a major milestone for each of them.