Nothing warms our hearts more than seeing our dogs become guardians to the children in our families. This continues to inspire parents to adopt dogs in shelters to officially be part of their family, and as we’ve seen from countless videos on our social media feeds, these dogs never failed to protect the children. This is probably what the four-year-old Doberman named Copper felt with Connor, the son of his owner. What Connor did in return will probably make you cry.
In the evening of 2016, Jennifer noticed that Copper rushed out of her son Connor’s bedroom and began barking at the door. Jennifer’s mother instinct sensed that something was wrong so she checked what Copper was barking at. It turns out that Connor is having a seizure in his bedroom and Copper was trying to call her attention.
Connor was rushed to the hospital, and they soon learned a number of health complications that surrounded him. The kid was suffering from nocturnal seizures, ADHD, PTSD, anxiety, and chronic headache disorder. Going out was a challenge for Connor since he’s prone to anxiety attacks.
It was then that Jennifer registered Copper to be a service and emotional support dog to his son, and from that day on, Copper became his full-time guardian. Copper will always press on to Connor like a security blanket to keep his anxiety at ease. It was just one of the many services that Copper provided him.
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Copper’s Health Declining
In 2017, Copper began to develop health complications of his own. He began limping his legs, which is why Jennifer brought him to the veterinarian to have it checked. After observing Copper, the veterinarian suspected that he might have Wobbler’s Disease. To confirm and proceed with the treatment, Copper would need MRIs, which would require him to undergo laser therapy to ease the pain that he’s been feeling in his spine.
The cost of the test and treatments was overwhelming for Jennifer, so she set up a GoFundMe page to share Copper’s story and by good graces, earn donations from dog lovers alike. After Connor learned of the situation, he did something to give back to his loyal guardian. He decided to sell most of his toys in a garage sale to help with the payments needed. He said that Copper was more important to him than keeping his toys.
Copper and Connor’s story touched many people, and soon enough, Jennifer was able to raise $14,000 on her GoFundMe page. She mentioned that the remaining money would go to other dogs in need of help, like Copper. To thank those who donated, Jennifer wrote a short message on her page, saying that the donations they received helped Copper’s therapy happen. She mentioned that the therapy was expensive, and without their help, they wouldn’t have the options that they had now.
Jennifer took Copper for his MRI, and they soon received good news. The veterinarian believed that there was a good chance that Copper didn’t have Wobbler’s Disease. The problem seems to be lying on his spine and muscles. The veterinarians decided that laser therapy and rehabilitation would heal Copper in no time at all.
Copper proceeded with his therapy sessions, and Jennifer shared a video on Copper’s Facebook page when he received his first treatment. Throughout the treatment, it was Connor who stayed by Copper’s side, just like what the dog had done for him for the past couple of years. The two of them are even wearing matching goggles, while the therapy session is ongoing.
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From The Club
As someone who grew up with a dog by my side, I relate to Connor and Copper’s relationship. My childhood dog Calix, who stayed by my side for 14 years, passed away just a week ago. I remember him as my playmate who would always chase me down until we both got tired. One funny thing that I remember is how he would bark and cover me when we were testing him in cases when someone would attack or hurt me. This is not even half of the memories that I shared with that gentle giant. Connor and Copper’s story made me miss him even more.
