Cooper aka Thor, STAR # 1589

He lives life in the fast lane and loves to keep you guessing (what he’s doing). But by 6pm, he usually wears himself out and by 8pm, he’s ready for bed. He LOVES playing with other dogs and he plays very well (he’s doesn’t try to dominate them). He also loves playing with his toys and will often play with them and entertain himself.

When he’s not being mischievous, Cooper wants to be right by you or ON you. He loves belly rubs and just being spoken sweetly to.

His mischief is predominately food related. If given the opportunity, he will “counter-surf” and he will also help himself to any food left within reach (or slightly out of reach). With that said, it is suggested that you use his food motivation to teach him rules of discipline.

When given a bone, be aware that he immediately wants to go and hide it. If he’s outdoors, he will try to dig a hole to bury it. If he’s indoors, he will try to find a creative space to “dig” and “bury”. Some supervision is suggested when he is enjoying a savory chew bone.

Cooper is vocal. He uses his voice to alert you! He apparently thinks he’s a guard dog and will alert you to ANYTHING he thinks needs attention. It could be a person outside or it could also be a lizard. With that said, he can also be quiet and not bark once he feels secure. Today, he watched the package delivery person drop off packages at our front door while he was laying on the floor. I was shocked that he just watched her and never barked!

He has a high prey-drive and enjoys hunting animals in the yard (bugs, lizards, rats, raccoons and squirrels). He has never actually catches anything but enjoys the hunt. He will bark to let you know he has found “something” and he wants you to be as excited as he is.

Cooper LOVES his crate. He will often go nap in it. We were told he didn’t like being crated away from people (in another room) but we tried to keep his crate separate from us at night anyway. That didn’t work well for any of us. He whined and cried the entire time. It may be possible for you to establish that his crate be placed in a certain room away from you, but it’s likely you will have to place it closer to where he can see/know you’re not far.

He sleeps all night in his crate and will patiently wait for you to release him in the morning. Once he’s out though… let the fun begin! He’s a morning dog!!! He will also be happy to wake everyone in the family for you.

Cooper needs lots of training on a leash. He pulls and sways left/ right and he stays in a very alert mode (looking for things to bark at or someone to give him attention). Using training treats helps shift his focus and will give you more leverage to teach him how to walk properly on a leash. He is very reactive when he sees other dogs but his behavior is NOT aggressive. He is simply excited and doesn’t know how to properly channel his energy.

CATS- Cooper’s previous owner mentioned “no cats” but no explanation was given. He has not had exposure to cats here. I would caution anyone to slowly introduce him to cats. He does love other animals but he also enjoys “hunting” as a hobby so I’m not sure what his view on cats would be.

Cooper may have a hard time adjusting to a new home. He was very re-active when he first came into our home. He barked at EVERYTHING and he especially barked at my husband. This behavior was out of character to his previous owner so we placed him in his crate until he calmed down. Within two days, he stopped barking at my husband and grew to adore him. He also stopped barking for no reason (although he still finds many reasons to bark).

Cooper is fed twice a day. Once in the mornings (around 6pm) and again in the afternoon (around 4pm). He drinks A LOT of water during the day.

Cooper hikes his leg to pee but doesn’t have an obsession with “marking”. He can mark a little outside but has never marked in the house.

Cooper LOVES to ride in the car!!! He’s not so fond of sitting in the backseat alone though. He will eventually try to sneak his way into the front seat with you. He will also rest his head on your shoulder if he can’t successfully gain access to the front seat. He is great in the car but not sure if he would do well being left in the car alone. He’s not fond of being alone in general.

Overall, Cooper is a FUN dog! He’s got a great personality and he’s full of energy for short periods of time. He has a few unpleasant habits (mentioned previously) that, with proper training and consistency, could be minimized or eliminated. Cooper is looking for his “ride or die” in an owner (unbreakable bond). “