My name is Cooper!

Cooper is a Courtesy Listing and is not housed at the Animal Shelter. Please note that the City of Bloomington Animal Care & Control accepts no responsibility for this pet. Potential adopters are responsible for communicating directly with the pet's guardian. Cooper is a 3-year-old, 65 pound, goofy and energetic boy. He lives in Bloomington, Indiana currently. Cooper is very smart and very responsive to training (we are in the process of working with a trainer). He is certainly a working dog but loves to play. Cooper is housebroken and crate trained. He’s very healthy and active. He tested positive for Lyme Disease when he was first adopted but he was treated and received a Lyme vaccination. He has never displayed any symptoms of Lyme Disease. He did have an accidental laceration last year from a tree root that required sedation and suturing, but he did well and is fully healed. We frequently go on 2-mile walks, and he loves to play in the fenced in backyard. He’s never been around children in his current home, but I don’t think he would do well around kids. Cooper needs an experienced owner, ideally one that knows cattle dogs and is a diligent trainer. Cooper is very loyal and loving towards me as his owner. He loves to snuggle and will spoon with me. He will sleep in bed with me, or he will sleep in his crate. He loves to play fetch or tug of war. He has a Jolly ball that is his favorite toy and is pretty good at entertaining himself. He does have a best dog friend that he was very gentle playing with but that best friend moved recently. He is basket muzzle trained. When going to new places, around new people, or new dogs, he needs to have his muzzle on. He is more docile when wearing his muzzle. He has a ton of energy and needs to play, or he will be aggressive (nipping at my other dog to try to play). He loves to roll around on his back and will sleep that way sometimes. Because of his high energy, he is on Trazadone twice a day that was started when he was in the shelter. However, I just met with a trainer, and she recommended talking with our vet about an anti-anxiety medicine instead of the sedative so I will be talking to the vet about that shortly. He reportedly always does well at the groomer and at the vet (when he is taken to the back when I’m not with him). The vet team says he is very sweet and calm with them. He is usually sweet with the boarding team, too, but do try to nip at their feet when they’re in his boarding area. I’ve never seen Cooper around cats, but I don’t think he would do well around cats as he loves to chase squirrels. I’ve made the difficult decision to rehome him because I don’t think he is thriving in this environment. He isn’t “working” and active in the way he needs. He needs a lot of physical and intellectual stimulation that I can’t give him in my small house and while I work full time. I love to have large groups of people and dogs over to my house and he doesn’t do well with large crowds, and I hate having to keep him in a room. I also must board him when I go on trips because I don’t have anyone that would be willing to stay with both of my dogs nor am I able to have both dogs stay at someone’s house that already has dogs. He would thrive in an environment where he has a ton of space (like a farm or large plot of land), where he can work (e.g., herding livestock), where there are fewer adults (maybe only two adult owners), and no kids. He can be so sweet and goofy with me, but we are no longer thriving well together. I love Cooper and I want him to have his best life and be happy. Please help me find him his best, forever home! I would love to meet virtually so I can evaluate his potential new home. I want to make sure his new owner is set up for success and both will be happy. I am willing to transport him wherever he needs to go if it means he will be happy. I don’t want an adoption or donation fee. If you are interested in Cooper Email or call and leave voicemail lblaurenblack@gmail.com, 812-360-2355. ***Please ignore the Apply to Adopt button for this pet & contact the owner directly***