August 18, 2022 eblast:
One week
ago, Cooper (formerly known as Adagio) bid us farewell. Normally, I write the Tributes for our BOB beagles and honour their
forever foster parents or adoptive parents or both as in this case. But I'm not going to do that this time. Cooper's Foster
turned Perma Mom wrote this below for her own sake, to remember the story of her Cooper. To tuck it away somewhere safe and
read it again in her old age.
It is just too beautiful not to share…
There was something about you the first time I saw your picture in Marna’s email.
And the story
about how you were left behind in an abandoned apartment in Windsor.
I was hooked when I looked into your eyes…
I emailed Marna to express my interest in fostering you, had an interview with her, and
was told that another lady was also interested in fostering you. Your transfer from Windsor to Beaches Animal Hospital was
delayed by a week due to a kennel cough that you had developed.
When you finally arrived and had initial vetting,
I brought your two brothers to meet you.
I had offered you kibble when they brought
you out and you barely sniffed it. You didn’t even look at me.
The walk with the three of you, along with
Marna, Steffie and Dad was uneventful.
BUT…at the end, you had wanted to go into our car even though
Luke barked in protest at you.
The vet thought you had kidney disease, and
you needed to be observed a while longer, and neutered prior to being sent to your foster home.
In the meantime, Marna had chosen us to be your foster family!
We had planned to have one or two more walks
with you and the boys; then Covid happened!
Marna called to say that your neuter was postponed
indefinitely as all vet clinics were on reduced hours and non-essential procedures were on hold. She asked whether I would
mind taking you home before you had your surgery.
So we scheduled one more walk with Steffie
and your sister Melissa.
Long story short, at the end of the walk, we brought you HOME along with a bag of kidney
diet which you detested!
Right from the start, you had attitude!
You demanded
dinner around 5:30 every night!
But that very first night, you had difficulty breathing. Marna and
I discussed your situation by phone, and I brought you to Oakville Emergency Hospital.
Over the next three weeks, we spent a lot of time at vet clinics - well actually, I had to wait outside the vet offices.
Finally, towards the end of April, you were diagnosed with laryngeal paralysis at the VEC, and underwent
corrective surgery the same day.
Marna had called to warn me about the possibility
of a bad outcome, but you pulled through!
I had to go home and pick you up the next day.
From
then on, you couldn't wear a collar, couldn't go swimming, and could never go on long walks when it was too hot.
But you didn't mind! You were a totally different boy with the surgery and on the road to gain some much needed weight
(not to mention, grow some hair).
After your surgery, your voice became deep
and dinosaur-like, and you fooled many coyotes keeping them at bay.
Of course, you became quite well known in
the neighbourhood.
Although you couldn't hear, you responded well to hand signals - you were such a smart
boy.
Somehow, you were able to "hear" your brothers. Often during
walks, I would tell Mitch in advance to tell you to be quiet when meeting other dogs, and that was what you would do. Otherwise,
you would bark like a little fool at them, especially those who were bigger than you; except Andy the Golden Retriever - you
had taken to Andy like he was your long lost brother.
Then there was a short but sweet crush that
you had on Tulip the Jack Russell!
It was recommended that your food have the
consistency of a meatball, so you continued to have kibbles mixed with thickened congee and chicken. Speaking of chicken,
you loved the smell of Costco chicken and would have jumped onto the counter to steal it if your legs were strong enough.
Your love for Costco chicken diminished over time when you were introduced to beef and salmon though. I
think salmon was the final winner.
You and Mitch formed a strong bond. It was
Mitch who you preferred to sleep next to and spend time with. When we lost Mitch, you and Luke sat side by side for days out
in the backyard, waiting for his return. It both broke and warmed my heart to see you and Luke together, comforting each other.
I'll never forget your first Christmas with us. The three of you each got a new bed and
blanket.
Yours had dinosaur prints on it, naturally.
You just curled up in
the middle of it and didn't budge while all the other presents were being opened.
You always joined in to defend the homestead.
Funny to remember it now, but this is what
usually happened when someone was at the front door…Mitch or Luke would bark at the front door, but you would always
go to the back patio door (as there might be coyotes at the back!) and HOWL; the other two would suddenly think there was
action at the back and would race to join you, howling all the way. It would take up to 5 minutes to restore peace in the
house.
When I would pet you, you would always move your head to cover my arm
in order to keep me right there; it was so nice to lie next to you and whisper your name close to your ear so you could perhaps
“feel” your name - GOOD Boy COOP GOOD Boy!
Although we only
had 880 days together, you really made an impact in such a short time.
No one can ever replace you.
You will forever be fondly remembered as walking proud, with your tail held high, twirling it like a helicopter whenever
you got excited.
Take care my Darling Coop, aka Remington Adagio Cooper Young-Wong.
Our song will always be “Love Me Tender”
Lucky to have been your Mom,
Lorita
