Shelter Dogs, (4) Cooley

September 2009 - I rather cautiously took Cooley out of his cage. There was a chain leash hanging on the fence door to be used when walking him. Cooley was a sleek, Black Lab/Pit mix. He had a white patch on his chest and a four inch scar on his head. I had learned that several of the handlers had stopped taking him out because once outside the cage he immediately grabbed the leash with his great jaws and happily tried to tear it away or drag you down the aisle. To Cooley this was a wonderful game but to the handler a struggle. Cheering the action every other dog on the row would begin barking. The first time I took him out there was a battle and a Homeric test of wills, but we would finally make it outside. There we hit it off very well and I made him a member of my gang of six. The next evening I had to decide upon a dog to take to manners/obedience class. Somewhat hesitantly I decided to take Cooley. As I took him into the training room the instructor Christine met me at the door. Cooley is a very reactive she warned. Should I take him back and get another? No she said "but beware, keep him focused on you". So I spent the hour totally focused on Cooley and shoving Ballpark snacks into those black jaws. In response Cooley was focused on me - he became my dog that evening. He did everything I requested, he was not reactive. In fact Cooley and I enjoying snacks, watched with bemused amazement as other dogs and handlers had issues of action and reaction. We won two obedience competition drills. It was a very fine evening. I took Cooley to class once a week over the next six weeks. During this time the chain leash was no longer necessary. In fact I worried that the chain hanging on his cage made Cooley seem an outlaw and less adoptable. So one day I simply removed it. Two days later, on a Monday - I went to his cage and it was empty. Cooley had been adopted. I should have been pleased but I badly missed him - and as I write this piece well over year later I still think of him and hope he is being treated well.