mr. coco
April 12, 2013 : It was three months ago today that I first met a little, male shih-tzu cross named Coco at the Victoria SPCA.
I received a text about a dog who had just come into their care - he was having his left eye removed (an enucliation in technical terms) after being "attacked by another dog". I say attacked in quotes because I'm not totally sold on this story, but it doesn't matter. All that matters is that he's now safe and healthy and living a pretty sweet life if I do say so myself... because after taking him on as foster, he showed us that although he's only three, he's an old soul and had no plans to stress our Suzy-dog out. He fit right in with our lifestyle, and after getting used to the car, he LOVES going on adventures and exploring this big, wide world around him.
I received a text about a dog who had just come into their care - he was having his left eye removed (an enucliation in technical terms) after being "attacked by another dog". I say attacked in quotes because I'm not totally sold on this story, but it doesn't matter. All that matters is that he's now safe and healthy and living a pretty sweet life if I do say so myself... because after taking him on as foster, he showed us that although he's only three, he's an old soul and had no plans to stress our Suzy-dog out. He fit right in with our lifestyle, and after getting used to the car, he LOVES going on adventures and exploring this big, wide world around him.
Here's his story (so far)... please click on photos for more details....
PART ONE
PART TWO
I wanted to bring him home to foster as we'd done with other shelter dogs in the past who had been recovering from surgery, but there was already someone else lined up to take him. Later that week when I heard that foster had fallen through, Rob and I knew we had to bring him home. This was the first in a series of events which led me to think he was meant to live with us...
It was Friday, January 18th at about 8pm when we brought him home. He stunk. His coat was a MESS - covered in mats throughout, stinky, yeasty and just dirty. The surgery hadn't helped either and he had a bunch of hair covering his remaining right eye. That night we couldn't help but trim out some of the mats - I'm not sure what he was thinking, but he was very patient with it all. The next morning we gave him a bath. We had to. He had been itching and scratching a lot. It had been a week since his surgery, but we were still very careful and didn't wash his head.
During this weekend it was a bit rough for the little man. First up was vomiting - he threw up after every meal. We tried every kind of dog food we could - some he'd try and some he'd just turn his nose at. Whatever he managed to eat, came back though. So by Monday morning, it was back to the vet. I could tell the vet thought I was crazy - offering up so many choices, but this guy had to eat because he was on medication. The vet visit was inconclusive. The next day Coco was out for a potty break and yelped when he peed. He did this a couple times and the next morning he was very hesitant to pee and he avoided the area he had peed and yelped like I'd never heard. So... Wednesday morning it was off to the vet again. The little guy just snuggled me while waiting at the vet and finally it was his turn. After dropping off a pee sample and him getting x-rays, there was no sign of bladder stones... inconclusive again. He had been such a little trooper - meeting his doggie cousins and being taken to all sorts of new places. As long as I was in his sight, he was ok.
Finally Friday came around and it was time to get his stitches taken out, so for the third time this week it was off to the vet. His eye was healing up and the stitches came out... it was such a relief. I had been fighting the flu most of the week, but the adrenaline needed to care for this little one had been keeping me going... once we got back from getting his stitches out, I was down for the count. A whole week of the flu - sleeping on the couch, going out for potty breaks in my pjs, gumboots and parka. And although Rob and I had talked about the fact that this guy was just staying with us temporarily, it was this week I would look back on that solidified our relationship. There were no pictures taken during this time... I could barely stand up, let alone hold my camera and the week was a blur of sleep, potty breaks, sleep, potty breaks.... for both of us!
Once I started to feel better I knew we had to start sharing his story to help find him a home - the PERFECT home. In fact, there was a couple interested. They seemed like a great match and had another dog. I took Coco down to the shelter for a meet n' greet with them and although he wasn't too happy being back at the shelter - acting shy and was glued to my leg - they took him for a little walk. I waited at the shelter. They liked him, but needed to think about it. I offered to drop him off at their house later that evening for an hour or so, so they could see what he was like away from me and the shelter. When I picked him up, they seemed to like him, but I could sense the hesitation. It was weekend of the superbowl so they wanted to think and let us know on Monday. I left the ball in their court.
On Sunday, Rob left for Vancouver for a few days. He didn't know if Coco would still be with us when he got back so he said his good-byes. I took both dogs to work for the first time that day and was impressed with how well Coco did. When I got home, the texts began...
It was Friday, January 18th at about 8pm when we brought him home. He stunk. His coat was a MESS - covered in mats throughout, stinky, yeasty and just dirty. The surgery hadn't helped either and he had a bunch of hair covering his remaining right eye. That night we couldn't help but trim out some of the mats - I'm not sure what he was thinking, but he was very patient with it all. The next morning we gave him a bath. We had to. He had been itching and scratching a lot. It had been a week since his surgery, but we were still very careful and didn't wash his head.
During this weekend it was a bit rough for the little man. First up was vomiting - he threw up after every meal. We tried every kind of dog food we could - some he'd try and some he'd just turn his nose at. Whatever he managed to eat, came back though. So by Monday morning, it was back to the vet. I could tell the vet thought I was crazy - offering up so many choices, but this guy had to eat because he was on medication. The vet visit was inconclusive. The next day Coco was out for a potty break and yelped when he peed. He did this a couple times and the next morning he was very hesitant to pee and he avoided the area he had peed and yelped like I'd never heard. So... Wednesday morning it was off to the vet again. The little guy just snuggled me while waiting at the vet and finally it was his turn. After dropping off a pee sample and him getting x-rays, there was no sign of bladder stones... inconclusive again. He had been such a little trooper - meeting his doggie cousins and being taken to all sorts of new places. As long as I was in his sight, he was ok.
Finally Friday came around and it was time to get his stitches taken out, so for the third time this week it was off to the vet. His eye was healing up and the stitches came out... it was such a relief. I had been fighting the flu most of the week, but the adrenaline needed to care for this little one had been keeping me going... once we got back from getting his stitches out, I was down for the count. A whole week of the flu - sleeping on the couch, going out for potty breaks in my pjs, gumboots and parka. And although Rob and I had talked about the fact that this guy was just staying with us temporarily, it was this week I would look back on that solidified our relationship. There were no pictures taken during this time... I could barely stand up, let alone hold my camera and the week was a blur of sleep, potty breaks, sleep, potty breaks.... for both of us!
Once I started to feel better I knew we had to start sharing his story to help find him a home - the PERFECT home. In fact, there was a couple interested. They seemed like a great match and had another dog. I took Coco down to the shelter for a meet n' greet with them and although he wasn't too happy being back at the shelter - acting shy and was glued to my leg - they took him for a little walk. I waited at the shelter. They liked him, but needed to think about it. I offered to drop him off at their house later that evening for an hour or so, so they could see what he was like away from me and the shelter. When I picked him up, they seemed to like him, but I could sense the hesitation. It was weekend of the superbowl so they wanted to think and let us know on Monday. I left the ball in their court.
On Sunday, Rob left for Vancouver for a few days. He didn't know if Coco would still be with us when he got back so he said his good-byes. I took both dogs to work for the first time that day and was impressed with how well Coco did. When I got home, the texts began...
PART THREE
It's a boy!
Seeing how well this little guy was fitting in with our lifestyle, I was thinking more and more about keeping him. Watching him while he slept on our couch when we were hunkered down for a movie, hearing him dream at night, witnessing his excited dance when it was breakfast time, seeing him smile and getting hugs from him... I knew I couldn't bear to let him live anywhere else. It wasn't fair. Plus all the problems with vomiting and fussy eating had stopped which I took to mean he was settled in and not stressing out. But we were still waiting to hear if "the couple" wanted him. The thing is, I wanted him - we wanted him. I had met a lot of dogs over the years and I just knew he was 'the one'. I took him for some playtime with my friend Melissa and her dogs and let him off leash - he ran like the wind and was happy. While we were out, a message was left on my cell. It was "the couple". They had decided not to adopt Coco. They thought he was great, but they didn't think he was quite the right fit for their other dog. And there was the third and final reason why I KNEW this little guy was meant to live with us.
On Tuesday I finalized the adoption with the shelter, got his dog license and celebrated with a nice big walkie. We also re-named him Mr. Coco, to help avoid any confusion with the other Coco dog in our lives. I took a deep breath and felt like I could relax - the stress of trying to find him a home was gone and after a couple days of settling in Rob came home. But on Friday he noticed something wrong with his eye socket. Mr C had bumped his head on our bedroom door a few days earlier so we were concerned he'd re-injured his eye somehow. So Saturday, after taking our other dog Suzy to a dental pre-op appointment, we took him to the emergency vet. Rob took Suzy home as we didn't know how long it would take. Mr C and I waited and waited and waited... for three hours. When it was finally our turn, the vet checked him out and smelled the red spot. He eased my fears and said it couldn't have been from the door bump - it smelled too infected. Turns out a small piece of infected tissue had been left behind and had been festering for the last few weeks... he prescribed a round of antibiotics and with the help of warm compresses 3x a day, the infection went away... finally.
So here were are three months later. His personality is like that of a little clown - we think he's pug/shih-tzu. He takes cues from Suzy and watches how she reacts to people - she's even trying to teach him to play. He's not a fan of being left alone (with Suzy of course), but he's getting better. He's learned to sit and wait and he's pretty good at it if there's food involved. He and Suzy even snuggle relatively close - which is unheard of for Suzy in the past. Sure there's still a few things to work on - things to keep him safe and engaged - but when I look into his one big, beautiful eye, I can't picture our family without him.
My thanks will always be with Penny Stone for saving his life... by taking this guy under her wing and ensuring he got the surgery necessary, it meant he was able to be a part of our lives.
Seeing how well this little guy was fitting in with our lifestyle, I was thinking more and more about keeping him. Watching him while he slept on our couch when we were hunkered down for a movie, hearing him dream at night, witnessing his excited dance when it was breakfast time, seeing him smile and getting hugs from him... I knew I couldn't bear to let him live anywhere else. It wasn't fair. Plus all the problems with vomiting and fussy eating had stopped which I took to mean he was settled in and not stressing out. But we were still waiting to hear if "the couple" wanted him. The thing is, I wanted him - we wanted him. I had met a lot of dogs over the years and I just knew he was 'the one'. I took him for some playtime with my friend Melissa and her dogs and let him off leash - he ran like the wind and was happy. While we were out, a message was left on my cell. It was "the couple". They had decided not to adopt Coco. They thought he was great, but they didn't think he was quite the right fit for their other dog. And there was the third and final reason why I KNEW this little guy was meant to live with us.
On Tuesday I finalized the adoption with the shelter, got his dog license and celebrated with a nice big walkie. We also re-named him Mr. Coco, to help avoid any confusion with the other Coco dog in our lives. I took a deep breath and felt like I could relax - the stress of trying to find him a home was gone and after a couple days of settling in Rob came home. But on Friday he noticed something wrong with his eye socket. Mr C had bumped his head on our bedroom door a few days earlier so we were concerned he'd re-injured his eye somehow. So Saturday, after taking our other dog Suzy to a dental pre-op appointment, we took him to the emergency vet. Rob took Suzy home as we didn't know how long it would take. Mr C and I waited and waited and waited... for three hours. When it was finally our turn, the vet checked him out and smelled the red spot. He eased my fears and said it couldn't have been from the door bump - it smelled too infected. Turns out a small piece of infected tissue had been left behind and had been festering for the last few weeks... he prescribed a round of antibiotics and with the help of warm compresses 3x a day, the infection went away... finally.
So here were are three months later. His personality is like that of a little clown - we think he's pug/shih-tzu. He takes cues from Suzy and watches how she reacts to people - she's even trying to teach him to play. He's not a fan of being left alone (with Suzy of course), but he's getting better. He's learned to sit and wait and he's pretty good at it if there's food involved. He and Suzy even snuggle relatively close - which is unheard of for Suzy in the past. Sure there's still a few things to work on - things to keep him safe and engaged - but when I look into his one big, beautiful eye, I can't picture our family without him.
My thanks will always be with Penny Stone for saving his life... by taking this guy under her wing and ensuring he got the surgery necessary, it meant he was able to be a part of our lives.
UPDATE: 2015
So we've now shared our lives with Mr. Coco for just over two years and he still makes us laugh. He's such a clown sometimes.
Our sweet Suzy passed away December 20, 2013 and it was a point in our lives that I can both not remember and remember with clarity - if that makes sense. Going through the motions of life and having to participate in Christmas was utterly exhausting. The Mister (one of his many nicknames) was so respectful of Suzy and her space, but on the final day with us, he snuggled up next to her on the couch. I don't know how they know, or what they really know, but it reminded me of how these dogs find us. The night Suzy died, the vet came to our house and she went to sleep one final time in my husband's arms as I had one hand on her and one hand on Mr. C. After that we had some time with her, let Mr C sniff her and then we swaddled her in her favourite blanket and buried her in our backyard. We didn't know what to do - it was bout 8 o'clock, so we went to look at Christmas lights. I carried Mr C through the uber-decorated yard and I can only imagine what he was thinking... or was he. He just clung to me and I held him for dear life. He was the ultimate distraction from Suzy's death. He still needed walks and love and cuddles. He made us laugh. He had a bit of a tough time being left alone in the house and when we came home it looked like he's tried to claw his way out our front door, but he came around.
And now he goes to work two days a week with Rob and people come in to the store just to see him. He's learned to relax again and loves my parents' little Coco dog. He plays with squeaky toys, plays fetch (kind of), dances when it's time for breakfast or eightsies and is an amazing road trip partner. He's got small, medium and large dog friends (and a couple cat buddies too) and his "out of sight, out of mind" plan of action when meeting new dogs seems to be serving him well.
With all the things he doesn't care about anymore, there are new cares that crop up, but he's a champ. A superstar. And will hug me. Literally hug me so I can hug him back.
Love you little dude.
Our sweet Suzy passed away December 20, 2013 and it was a point in our lives that I can both not remember and remember with clarity - if that makes sense. Going through the motions of life and having to participate in Christmas was utterly exhausting. The Mister (one of his many nicknames) was so respectful of Suzy and her space, but on the final day with us, he snuggled up next to her on the couch. I don't know how they know, or what they really know, but it reminded me of how these dogs find us. The night Suzy died, the vet came to our house and she went to sleep one final time in my husband's arms as I had one hand on her and one hand on Mr. C. After that we had some time with her, let Mr C sniff her and then we swaddled her in her favourite blanket and buried her in our backyard. We didn't know what to do - it was bout 8 o'clock, so we went to look at Christmas lights. I carried Mr C through the uber-decorated yard and I can only imagine what he was thinking... or was he. He just clung to me and I held him for dear life. He was the ultimate distraction from Suzy's death. He still needed walks and love and cuddles. He made us laugh. He had a bit of a tough time being left alone in the house and when we came home it looked like he's tried to claw his way out our front door, but he came around.
And now he goes to work two days a week with Rob and people come in to the store just to see him. He's learned to relax again and loves my parents' little Coco dog. He plays with squeaky toys, plays fetch (kind of), dances when it's time for breakfast or eightsies and is an amazing road trip partner. He's got small, medium and large dog friends (and a couple cat buddies too) and his "out of sight, out of mind" plan of action when meeting new dogs seems to be serving him well.
With all the things he doesn't care about anymore, there are new cares that crop up, but he's a champ. A superstar. And will hug me. Literally hug me so I can hug him back.
Love you little dude.
