[Dailydrool] My Super Cooper Tribute

Mon Sep 3 14:46:21 PDT 2012

Here is a little about my time with Cooper. 

It was a nice summer day in July just before the annual Oregon Basset hound games called me and said that they had a Basset named Cooper that the wanted me to pick up due to an owner relinquish. Their problem was they had no foster homes available until after the games were over and I should see if the current owner would wait one week in order to get him to a new temporary home. Well the “lady” said that that was absolutely not possible and that if he was not out of her house that day he was going to the pound. I thought about it for at least one half of a nanosecond and said I will come get him. I figured I could watch him for two days.

I drove the two hours to the small central Washington coastal town where he was and found the residence. I went in and did the request paperwork and asked all the appropriate questions. And they brought Cooper out to me. He was a handsome tricolor Basset boy of seven years and he was very friendly. We pu a leash on him and he walked out of that house with me as if it were a daily occurrence and upon reaching my car he did as best he could with his short little legs to jump in. He sniffed my two Bassets Bubba and Penny and found himself a comfortable place and laid down for a nap and off we went for home. We reached my home and went inside. I took off the leach  from him and my kids and all went out the doggie door to do their business. I went to lay down from the long drive. A few minutes later Cooper found me and jumped up on my bed and crawled up next to me and gave me the biggest and wettest kiss I got in a long time. He then curled up in my arm, laid his head on my shoulder and sighed the biggest sigh I have heard that said “thank you, I am now home”. I didn’t have the heart to tell him he wasn’t staying and decided he found his forever home right then and there. From them on he was no longer just Cooper but Super Cooper , the tops in seven year old tricolor Bassets and my buddy.
The next two years were nothing real spectacular just me and my three best buds living the life in Oregon. We attended the Basset games. We went for walks. We took trips to the dog park. We took trips to Home Depot where he became an instant favorite with the staff. AH things were good until…

Until Saturday evening when I came home from work. I found Super Cooper would not move from where he was. He did not come to greet me like he always did. He did not insist that I give him a cookie, In fact he would not take a cookie at all but just stood there breathing hard and drooling profusely.. I scooped him right up and rushed to the emergency vet. They took him right in as I filled out the paperwork and waited , by this time crying like a baby and not feeling very manly. The vet came in and told me she suspected that my Super Cooper was suffering with congestive heart failure. They started treatment but that the prognosis did not look good. She said that I should consider putting him to sleep. 
I hemmed and hawed for a long time. I mean how could I tell them to kill my best friend.. I finally asked if I could see him and maybe hold him for a bit. They agreed and brought him into a consult room for me. We laid on the floor for a bit Super gasping for breath and me hugging him and kissing him and crying my eyes out. I couldn’t OK his death I couldn’t . I asked if vet couldn’t take him in the back and say he died on the way. I would have accepted that. But they said no. 
Cooper then made the decision for me. He got up from my arms and struggled to his feet. He walked up to the door and looked at it then weakly came back and laid down next to me again. I knew what he was trying to tell me. He was telling me it was OK. He was ready. It was his time to go to the bridge. I signed the papers the doctor came in and Super Cooper died in my arms one day shy of his tenth birthday.

Good bye my sweet boy. You came into my heart two years ago and left me Saturday with a hole that will never be filled. Wait for me at the bridge Cooper I shall miss you always.

Oh I hope that they had a big cake ready fo him at the bridge.We didn't get to celebrate his birthday here before he had to go.

Thanks to all of have sent condolences to me. I am trying to answer each one but it will take time. Each one is meaningful and greatly appreaciated. I always knew this was an outstanding group.

Anthony R. Kenczewicz 		 	   		  
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