Copper

When you're as jaded and cynical as I am, you think you've heard every dog dumper's excuse, but this was a new one for me. Copper was given up to a shelter along with another dog after the owner got a cat and decided that cats were easier.

Copper was terrified in the shelter and would back into the corner and snarl and bark at anyone who approached. Dogs like that generally do not make it out of a shelter alive. But Erika and another volunteer went to the shelter, got the dog out, and discovered a new dog once he was outside of the scary place. I picked him up and brought him home in a crate in my van, but had the same problem getting him out of the crate once we got home. Erika came over, and I used a trick I had learned with Smokey and we got him out of the crate. Once again, he was a different dog once he was out, but he has some trust issues so he's dragging a leash for now so I can get a hold of him when I need to without reaching for his head.

Copper had absolutely zero problem with any of the dogs and we threw a lot of them at him in a pretty short period of time. Della barked at him and gave him the "my house, my rules" speech, but he didn't react badly at all.

At least he's out of the shelter and we have a chance to see what he kind of dog he really is. Copper is about four years old, male golden/chow mix, good with other dogs, that's about all I know at this point.

Here's Copper with Theo, Maya, Della, and R.W. He also met Serena,
Trooper, Kami, and Max. He will spend the night in my office
along with Hammer and Dobby tonight.