Most of Cooper's story is a mystery, but let us start here: Cooper was found as a stray, running around with another dog in the streets of Nebraska. When the shelter picked both dogs up, they noticed Cooper had a mass on his right hip and immediately went to remove it, since Golden Retrievers are at higher risk for cancer. However, the veterinarians quickly realized that it was not, in fact, a mass but a bullet. Someone had shot this sweet old man.

Two weeks later, unbeknownst to us, Cooper had just been released from his medical hold and was officially up for adoption. We had decided to visit the local animal shelter "just to look." We were going to school in Nebraska at the time and were ready for our first dog. Needless to say, all it took was one look at his sweet old face and his never-stop tail wag, and we were sold. Cooper had a new home with us, where he would never have a reason to stop wagging his tail.

These days, Cooper enjoys sunbathing at his home in Austin, swimming at Barking Springs and getting pets from everyone he meets. He is the best big brother to his two furry siblings, Apollo and Brooklyn. We could not have asked for a better first dog!