Life So Far Raising my Mountain Mutt

Here is my first, of many, blog posts about my mountain mutt, Copal. But we are going to rewind slightly to a time before I had my physical Copal and to before he was even an idea..

I had grew up in a dog-loving family. You know the type, typical "dog people" who think cats are dumb and unaffectionate and dogs are the only thing to fulfill our broken souls. My first dog, Lady, was a rescue with a wild attitude. I was very young at the time, however remember spending a lot of time climbing on top of her dog house while she spazzed about everything and anything. Her loss was confusing for me. I remember my dad taking her to the vet however not returning with her. I was young, when my dad came home empty handed I remember feeling sad and confused as they gently explained her age and poor hips and the pain she was in. However in the haze of the moment I had a hard time just getting past the notion you could go to the vet with your dog and then choose to not come home with him or her. Did she stay at the vet till she died? If they killed her, how and why when she still had life in her?

My second dog, a pure bred Jack Russell Terrier named Ripley, was given to my sister and I around Christmas, sleeping quietly in a gift bag. I remember looking at my mom and saying "You want us to share a stuff animal?" disappointed in, what I thought was a lifeless, stuffed item. Lifeless would be the very last way to describe this pup. Ripley became the most beautiful bright light in my life for 16 years. He was small but mighty, he was unbelievably quick, and could jump right up to your face to give you a kiss. I could go on and on about how much Ripley meant to me, all the things he taught me, *sigh*. Long story short he was the dog that was there for everything, adjustment in my personal life, relationships, nights I would come home in tears, selling my childhood home, I lost my Dad, and all along I had this dog. Ripley developed a really horrible skin condition as he aged. He was very itchy, uncomfortable, he was losing hair, began urinating in the house again, he went almost completely blind, and begin to slow down. It broke my heart. I dedicated so much time to properly bathing him twice a day with special soaps, I even moved out of my house to live in an environment I could care for him better. My mom started helping me understand that I would have to make that call my Dad did for Lady years ago. I pushed it back many times. We would make an appointment, I would come home and Ripley would be wagging his tail happy to see me and I would call my mom and say, "No he is still happy, cancel it." When the time did come I held him in my arms, and asked the vet to do the procedure while I was holding him. I physically felt the life leave him. And I said I would never get another dog again.

Hope you're not too depressed yet cause it gets BETTER. (just like life people, ups and downs)

After a year of not owning a dog my mindset started to change. Not only did I miss this type of companionship so much, but I realized I would rather give as many dogs as I can a happy, adventurous life then spend all my energy angry that we, inevitably, in time lose the things we love. I was still in college at the time and was struggling with some physical depression stemming from stress, planning for the future, money troubles, alcohol, and relationships. I remember what it felt like when things were hard in my life but I had my dog. I felt purposeful, like someone other then myself relied on me solely, and I never felt alone. I needed that again in my unstable state. I started actively searching for a dog, my dog. I only had narrowed down 3 specifics; I wanted some sort of cattle dog breed because I wanted an active, working dog to support and participate in my outdoorsy lifestyle, I wanted a male, and I wanted to rescue.

** ALWAYS do extensive research on a breed before committing, you want a dog that will fit your lifestyle ( i.e. you're probably not going to change your whole lifestyle just because you got a dog ) and will fit with your skill set. If you are new to owning a dog, do not get a breed that needs extensive training. If you are not super active or do not have the space, do not get an active breed. Neither you or the dog will be fully happy. Be honest with yourself with what your willing to commit **

** Also ALWAYS rescue, personal preference, but they tend to be healthier, they're more in need of a home, it is less expensive to rescue, and we really got to quick it with this puppy mill bullshit. Also it's really fun to say you have a mutt, they are just so perfectly unique! **

Back to the story, so here blossomed the idea of Copal. I did pick out Copal's name before I owned him. I would always say to people "I am just looking for my Copal, I haven't found him yet but I know I will". Being the geology, mineral loving, STEM nerd I not-so secretly am, I named Copal from the naturally occurring substance copal. This mineral develops from hardened tree resin that becomes fossilized and preserved found typically in East Africa. A neat fact about this mineral, due to its occurrence as a sap-like material on a tree, it has historically been infamous for its inclusions once preserved. However until amber, these inclusions are of modern-living life forms, typically our insects of today, that get stuck and then fossilized in these deposits. Therefore Copal came to be!

I had graduated college in May of 2018. The weekend after I moved out of my college house, I called my mom and asked if she wanted to drive around to a bunch of shelters I had routed out. She happily joined me. For warning, this trip DID NOT last long. At our first stop I walked in to instantly make eye contact with a young puppy. This little guy had spotting on his legs (common cattle dog markings), male parts, and was a rescue, of course, who was saved from a kill shelter in another state. I quickly flagged down the nearest employee for information on how I could leave with this small nugget instantly. And I was correct in my assumptions; He was a male, cattle dog mix, almost 2 months old, born February 13th, 2018. And he was Copal. I left with him that day * tears *.

I now have the most special companion I could have ever asked for and I will tell you what, it has not been a walk in the park. I did the research, I knew how to begin training, I had the right intentions, and I still got my ass handed to me. He is, almost, all the difficulties people try to avoid when purchasing a dog; overly hyperactive, consistently barking, a poop eater, he suffers with really bad anxiety, he is overly attached stemming from his anxiety, he is a chewer, he externally self-sooths, he is a jumping bean; I learned very quickly, every technique in the book to work through all these issues. At first it was hard, I would confide in my mom always, who had raised and trained two dogs very well in her lifetime. Was it ever going to get easier? At times I even got scared I was not a good enough home for him, he needed more space, patience, and time. During his young-aged, crucial training I did quickly learn he was smart, he learned words, hand signals, positioning, and commands well. He knew exactly what I was asking but his hyperactivity made him impatient with me and very reactive. If there was another dog, he was done, if there was a squirrel, he was done, if a leaf moved on the ground even slightly, no joke, he was done. I did not want to use a leash on him other then for walks, however he beginning chasing or running off at the sound of things. I was scared and frustrated.

After a few difficult months of questioning myself and his ability, it hit me. I kept saying he needed more time and attention, and he did, but not in the aspect of within a day to day basis, but instead he needed time to grow and develop naturally in his new environment. I would get frustrated with him, he would get frustrated right back. I would come home in a cruddy mood, he would act out too. I would be anxious, he would be anxious. He actually mirrored me in every way. I started to cut back on sit, stay, down, training because he knew it, it got annoying to him. And instead I just learned his patterns and reactions. His anxiety peaked and he began physically showing sides of attachment and stress, and that when I realized he needed me to be his therapy human like I needed him to be my therapy dog. I started to work on the important lessons, like trust. Copal had to go on the crate and trust that I will come home, just like I had to learn that Copal could play and chase squirrels and come back to me once finished. I had to show Copal my calm side in order for him to find a way to self-sooth. When I started reacting differently so did he. The energy between us did better training then sit, stay, come. We are on such a positive path together even though he is still young and still has much to learn.

Copal: February 9th, 2019.

Long story short, I LOVE having my problem child, wouldn't want him any other way, I love learning how to help with his issues as he learns how to help with mine. He is the best boy and I can't wait to share all our adventures with you. If you have questions, want to know how I did or am working with some of my dogs issues feel free to comment! And as always, from me and my mountain mutt, thanks for reading!