Cleveland, OHADOPTED! August 29, 2014
Look at this handsome boy! Cooper is a 4 year old beagle mix who came to Gateway Animal Clinic sick, later diagnosed with Addison’s disease and signed over to the clinic when the owner could not care for him. Cooper is extremely loving, has lots of good energy, and absolutely loves going for walks. He is completely potty trained, knows basic commands, and friendly with other dogs. He absolutely loves walks. He is wonderful with kids as well. No restriction there.
What does Cooper need for his Addison s diagnosis?
Cooper needs monthly injections for his disease, but other than that will live out a normal life. Our vet recommend a low calorie diet for cooper. Being on prednisone every day (forever) will make him hungry. Hes at an ideal weight right now so restricting his diet would be the only thing suggested. The medicine he takes costs $60/month for your budget.
FOSTER HOME REPORT
Cooper has been my foster dog for about a week. He is super sweet and LOVES people. I think he’d be perfect in for a family with kids or other dogs. He loves as much attention as he can get. Although he is 4, he looks like a puppy (permanent puppy). Great news! He does not shed! I wore black, picked him up and did not have a single hair on me.
I have let him roam free when I leave for work and he has not chewed anything nor had any accidents. He is just really excited to see you when he gets home (but not overly excited). He does a happy dance and wants to get petted.
He loves food but is not food aggressive. You can pet him while he eats and he does not beg for food when you eat. He sits there, quietly, looking at you with his sweet little puppy eyes. That being said, puppy eyes are my kryptonite, and I discovered he loves cherry tomatoes. I give him a ½ at a time since he is so little.
He is not afraid of thunderstorms but doesn’t like to walk in the rain. He doesn’t bark at the other dogs barking in the neighborhood or when you leave the house. He does bark if you leave him outside on a run because he would rather sit with you.
He doesn’t seem to go to the bathroom that often. Only about 60% of the times I let him out. However, I may have odd expectations since my last dog was 17.
Cooper Adventures:
- I took him to Petco which seemed to be both exciting and scary for him. It may have been his first time there. He was fine once he realized he now has a bunch of toys and got to go on a car ride.
- Walking in the metro parks- loved it! Also he is really good on a leash. Only pulls moderately on occasions. I think a 7 year old could handle his pull. He is dainty.
Likes: bones (got him a reindeer horn), squeak toys, playing fetch, tug, etc. car rides, hugs, belly rubs, sleeping by your side, walks x 10000 (I think this guy could run a marathon).
Dislikes: Not too keen on stranger guy’s voices, however, he is fine with my boyfriend. There has been a few times when a friend came over who was a guy and he barked/seemed afraid at first but he quickly warmed up and was sitting on his lap.
He is not a fan of me watching TV or paying too much attention to my phone. That is why I think a multi-person home/ other dog would be best. I wasn’t feeling good and was more of a couch potato than normal, which made him chirp at me unless I maintained eye contact. He does not do that to my housemate though (a man).
As for his Addison’s, there are currently no symptoms. He seems happy and healthy. He takes his pills well, both with a treat and the old fashion way. His food servings are so small since he is so tiny. Food costs should be super cheap. My last dog was a beagle that got 2 cups of food a day and I spend $60 a month just on fancy food. Cooper gets only ¼ twice a day (1/2 cup total). His health costs are manageable. I also researched Addison’s, and I found many posts by owners who had dogs with Addison’s, many of them said they have managed it for 9+ years (dog was 4 when he was diagnosed) so It seems as long as it is monitored, they can live full, happy lives. I hope the disease doesn’t prevent him from getting adopted because he is one of the sweetest dogs I have met. He deserves a loving home.
As for his breed, he may be a beagle but I would guess he has some Chihuahua in him.
We are not a traditional shelter, we are a cage-free facility. All dogs are temperament tested and must get along with other dogs to stay here. Appointments must be made in advance to meet our Secondhand Mutts. Please call 216-664-9660 or email rescue@secondhandmutts.org to set up a time. We prefer to adopt to local families but will consider long distance adoptions.
Dog Adoption Fee $200
