Almost exactly one year ago, my husband and I adopted an older male Cocker Spaniel. A family who got him in another estate had brought him into our local shelter. He obviously had been used as a stud, as he was nearly 10 years old and not neutered. We know nothing else about his background, except he supposedly needed to be “the only dog”. Well, that has turned out to be completely false. Cody blended right in with Sage, our blind Springer Spaniel, and he seemed to take on the role of protector. It’s as though he realizes she has a handicap. The first few months when they went out together to the backyard (which they do often!), he watched her, and if she ran too close to one of the trees, or to the stair railing of the deck, Cody would try to prevent her from getting hurt.
On our walks and in our house, he is ever vigil. If he thinks a dog or a person is going to hurt me, his mistress, he sets into a barking frenzy. Once, I walked past a yard with a large golden retriever, and that dog came charging to the fence, barking up a storm! Cody retaliated, pulling on his leash and barking loudly! He didn’t care if that dog was 3 times his size, he’d have taken him on to protect me. Thankfully, the golden stayed in its yard and simply barked. We don’t walk near that yard anymore.
Our house would surely be off-limits to intruders. Cody keeps watch on a chair near the front door, with an eye on the picture window as well. Whenever he hears a diesel motor or sees a person simply walking past the front of the house, his “protection mode” kicks into high gear, and we are alerted that "something is out there!" We always know when someone is at the door! In fact, we always know when someone is walking on the sidewalk, even if they are across the street! This 30-pound, elderly dog is totally loyal and loving. Cody – a little dog with a big heart!
