We first met Copper shortly after his new Mum, Elizabeth, rescued him from some pretty questionable circumstances. Copper and Elizabeth had a few private lessons with Lee and then Copper came to stay with Lee for boarded training. Every dog is special and each one finds his/her own place in Lee’s heart. Copper’s place was earned by his wonderful, indefatigable spirit which he demonstrated, whenever he greeted you, by a move his Mum calls the “Jack in the Box.” Copper doesn’t jump up on people, but when he sees people he bounces – up and down, on all four legs, in his absolute joy at seeing them. Even if you disappear for only a few minutes, when you return he starts the “Jack in the Box”. A few months after coming for boarded training, Copper and his Mum completed Lee’s Novice class and Copper earned his Canine Good Citizen title.
Last fall something happened to, (temporarily), take away Copper’s “Jack in the box” move. Copper suffered a herniated disk while he was being groomed, (we’ll never know what happened at Petsmart that day), and he required immediate, and very costly surgery. Copper was rushed to the Veterinary Specialty Hospital at the Helen Woodward Center, where he had three separate surgeries. Additionally, he contracted a terrible infection in his surgical incision, so he was a very sick puppy. What should have been a 3 or 4 days stay at the hospital, turned into a 4 weeks drama.
Neurologically, Copper is making a slow, but steady, recovery. He is being tended to by Dr. Robin Levitski, who just loves Copper. As you can see in the photos, his back is very arched, but after being paralyzed for several weeks, this is normal. No, he is not a camel!
Copper’s Mum is convinced that his recovery is largely due to the pool therapy he is doing with Trish Pennick (www.cuttingedgeK9.com ). Copper looks like a cute little sea turtle in the water, and after every pool session, he is able to do a a new “trick”. After the first session, he wagged his tail after 4 weeks of paralysis. Now this pup can walk!
