my baby dog is one year old today! i can hardly believe how quickly that year went by. granted, we got him when he was almost two months old, but still. he has grown and changed and learned so much, and you better believe I'm pulling out all the stops to celebrate this little guy!
cooper is literally the greatest dog ever. he has the biggest personality and it shows so much! i wish people could see how cooper acts every day at home, when he's with just us, because he's always a little overstimulated when other people are around.
he is so SMART. cooper learned most of his tricks at just 8 weeks old, and was potty trained about 3 days after we brought him home. he knows the names of all of his toys, and he knows the names of different rooms in the house. he knows who is mama and dad are (that's us. we're crazy dog people), and you can never trick him twice! he officially knows all of my hiding spots. i just know that if he could talk, he'd be the most witty, clever thing there ever was. he's a genius. i thought that maybe people were exaggerating when they said that aussies and border collies were some of the smartest breeds in the world, but it's so true. cooper picks up on things so fast, and he pays so much attention. he catches on quickly and is so observant.
he is so SWEET. this is the dog who still to this day, becomes a snugly puddle whenever he's tired. he will go out of his way to cuddle with someone when he's sleepy, and when we wake up in the mornings, he's almost always spooning one of us. it's freaking adorable. cooper knows how and loves to give kisses, and he's always been very gentle. he's never been snappy about taking treats from your hand, and he's got a sixth sense about being around small children, and is always careful with them. cooper is such a mama's boy. i say that a lot, but seriously. this dog is attached to my side whenever I'm at home. if i go into a different room, he is following me. if i am doing dishes, he is under foot. if I'm baking something, he's peeking up onto the counter. he loves to be loved. he has the sweetest personality. whenever he sees me cry, his ears go back and he hunches down like he did something wrong, it's so sad and adorable. he is so attentive! he can tell when we are sad or stressed, and he can also tell when he's being funny. if we are laughing at something he's doing, he will keep doing it and exaggerate it because he knows he's being funny, and he loves it. he's just too much! i love it! my other favorite thing about cooper is that when you talk to him, he looks you in the eye. people talk a lot about how pets are really good listeners... it's true! it's actually very validating to notice him looking directly at me when i talk to him, even though he is a dog. he listens! i don't know many dogs that do that.
he loves to PLAY. cooper's mix of breeds are also known for their high energy, and we are no stranger to that! cooper could go all day long. he gets in the funniest moods if it's night and we're getting into bed, but he's restless and still wants to play. he will bring toy after toy onto the bed and egg us on and try and get us to play and he does the funniest high-pitched bark when he's in this mood, it's absolutely hilarious! he is really social and loves going to the dog park. he's always such a gentleman, and after he's sniffed all the dogs, he will go politely greet all the humans before playing. it's like he's introducing himself to everyone! he is so well liked with other dog owners and he loves the attention he gets from playing in big groups of dogs. i can't wait until we're able to get another dog, so he'll have a buddy around all the time! he loves to play tug-o-war, and even more, he loves to be chased. he hates playing hide and go seek, because he doesn't like not knowing where we are. he loves to swim and is absolutely fearless around water (which keeps me on my toes!) and it's so cute to watch him dive right in and paddle around with his little nose sticking out. he is so playful, and still such a puppy, the way he pounces and taunts you with a toy or stick in his mouth.
it's obvious that i love this dog. he will always be my first baby, and i can't believe he's grown up so fast! I'm anxious to watch cooper as our family grows and know that whether it's another puppy or a baby coming next, he'll be the best big brother! people probably think i go overboard talking about cooper, but it's something you can't understand unless you've experienced it. having a dog is the best. he is so loyal, and he truly is one of the best friends I've ever had. i can always count on my coop! i don't know what we even did before we got cooper! he has made our lives so exponentially better and we've loved every second of having him around. we feel pretty lucky to have such a good dog.
happy birthday, sweet boy!
first pictures of the one year old!
i just needed to do a birthday hat shoot, because your puppy only turns once, you know? cooper was not okay with this decision. it took a lot of coaxing, and even more mini marshmallows to get a good shot. what a good sport he was!
so then we decided to move locations of this little shoot, and things started going much better...
i love this dog so much more than words can say. my little buddy!
