Goodbye Sweet Boy

Look at my sweet, beautiful boy.

My decision to find him a new home was a total heartbreak.

I cried & cried just writing this post tonight.

But he is such an energetic & social dog that it became obvious that a single mom of 4 busy girls really couldn't give him what he needs.

He wasn't happy & deserved so much more, so I started looking.

What I wanted most for him was a home with another dog since playing with another dog is pretty much his favorite thing in the whole world.

We both got so incredibly lucky to meet Jim, Joanie & their 2-year-old Golden, Walter - who ended up adopting Cooper and giving him everything he's ever wanted - not only another dog but also a mom & dad who love him and have time for him.

Not only have they been wonderful to Cooper, but they've been wonderful to me as well, which has made this so, so much easier.

I am even invited to stop by and see Cooper & Walter sometimes... :)

I miss him but I know he is so much better off and that helps a lot.

Other than watching him with Bayli,

my favorite times with him were all out on the trail by our house.

Watching him running out there was the most fun thing ever.

As soon as I let him off the leash, he would take off like a rocket

- sheer joy, happiness, freedom & exploration.

He was such a good boy on the trail - he would always run ahead but never go too far & was always checking back to make sure I was coming.

He was a great running partner.

I tried twice to beat him.
I wasn't even close. :)

If we were lucky,

we would run into another dog for him to play with,

like his favorite black lab Angus.

Knowing that he would soon be moving on, I took these pictures on one of our last runs together... They still make me laugh because he's moving in almost all of them. :)

He really loved the water and always made me laugh the way he tore into it with reckless abandon. :) He was pretty stinky afterwards too and as hard as I tried to get out of the way, he would always shake it off all over me & Bay...

I love the way his fur got all ropey when he was wet.

The last picture of us together - he was so excited that he tried to bite my entire thigh...

Jim & Joanie - Cooper's new family.
He's such a lucky boy.

These pictures broke my heart most of all...

(click to enlarge)
Cooper was always so, so sweet with Bayli, no matter how she loved on him.
But she knows how much he loves to play and is so happy for him that he gets to live with Walter now.



Some favorites of my sweet, ginormous, loving, crazy, happy, energetic, social, long-legged boy:

I had to leave him alone in the backyard almost all day the day before he left. :( That just helped clarify that I was making the right decision.

He left me a big hole in the yard. :)

And also one in my heart...

I Love You Forever My Sweet Ginormous Boy...

Thanks for sharing your Happiness with me for a little while...

I'll never ever forget you.

And I'll come see you in your new place soon...