Cooper was only 8 weeks old, a very small, sick puppy when he was surrendered to AGR. The owner, who had just purchased him for $1,100 from a Craig’s List ad, realized the next day that the puppy was ill and contacted the breeder but she would not take the puppy back. The puppy was diagnosed with Giardia and initially thought to have megaesophagus (he doesn’t). The owner could not afford the vet bills, so he surrendered the puppy to AGR. Liz, who has dealt with megaesophagus before, offered to foster Cooper. After just a couple weeks at her house, she reported:

Cooper is a healthy little boy. He has been eating from his own bowl on the floor of his crate since July 20th and he eats 4 times a day. No regurgitation. He does spit up some liquid, but puppies normally can do that and it’s not often. He has a bottle in his cage which he used immediately but also, when out of his crate, drinks from a small water dish in the kitchen that allows small amounts of water at a time. Almost finished with his meds for Giardia; poop is formed but soft, which is normal for a puppy. He will need the rest of his vaccination series and eventual neuter. Loves to play, very smart. I take him outside to pee/poop every two hours or when I let him out of his crate. Overnight he can go the entire night with one trip outside around 1-2 AM and early morning around 5 AM. He has only peed once in his crate although he does like to rip up the newspaper occasionally. Taught himself to use my two-flap dog door by watching the other dogs. When he was figuring it out he would get right underneath a big dog and just go on through when they did. Now he does it himself. Loves to play with Guinness and would with the other dogs but they ignore him unless they're sniffing him every now and then. Puppy naps around the house and does try to chew on wooden furniture, but he has lots of toys so he can be re-directed. Typical very young puppy! He weighs about 6.5 lbs right now, so small for his age.

Our transporter transported him to his new home with an adoptive family in Phoenix – they have renamed the puppy Marshall. The transporter said, As soon as we got there, Cooper and Dudley, his new big brother, got acquainted and played a bit. I think Cooper was a little overwhelmed with his big new yard and would frequently come back to the safety of my lap. He slowly gained confidence and before I left was quite at home. I think he will be very happy there, as Fletcher works from home and will be able to spend a lot of time with him. I did emphasize that he needed to stay in the backyard and be carried into any vet appointments until his vaccinations were complete. This looks like a terrific placement, a super home, and I hope we see him later at events. 

The family has completed Marshall’s vaccine series and has an addendum for his neutering when he is about a year old. They followed up with this comment:

Marshall is doing great. He’s fit right in with his brother Dudley. He is a big fan of playing catch and frisbee and loves long walks. He’s a very cuddly dog and enjoys a nap on the couch after a long day. He’s the perfect addition to our family.