"Meet Me Monday": Cook's Story

 

Cook (@CookTheDog) is my twitter pal from Holland. Cook is a 19-pound, male, mixed breed, believed to be primarily a Lhasa terrier mix, and approximately six years old. Cook’s mom and Cook himself were nice enough to share their amazing story on how they became a family. I am pretty sure you will love it as much as I do!

 

In 2011 Cook’s future mom and dad decided to settle in one place and adopt a dog. Mom read in a local newspaper about an animal shelter in La Linea, Spain called “Animal in Need” that is owned by a Dutchman. Hundreds of dogs were transported from the shelter via land and air from Spain to Holland to be fostered until adoption.

 

Mom found on the Internet that a woman was fostering an underweight, beige and white dog from the Spanish shelter in Holland. When his future mom and dad went to visit, mom says, “It was love at first sight” when she saw the dog, later named, Cook. Within ten minutes of riding in the car, Cook was fast asleep with his head on dad’s knee, while mom drove their new family home.

 

 

Cook’s mom says, “He was very timid but he obviously had had a home at some time since he knew a couple of tricks.” Cook needed to be housebroken, which took about a week, and he loved walking outside. In the beginning, he would howl when left alone, and it took a little bit of time for him to realize mom and dad would always return. Cook also had allergies and was itching all the time. It turns out he is allergic to wheat, so he eats a “Barf” (bone and raw food) diet, no dry food. Mom says within two weeks of the new diet, the allergies had cleared up.

 

Today, mom says Cook is “a cocky little thing full of self-confidence.” He also walks with a pack (other dog pals) three times a week, and he is now completely socialized. One of his friends from the pack, Boy, taught Cook not to be afraid to go in the water. Mom continues, “He definitely is a very happy little dog, very affectionate, good with the cats (also from a shelter getting a second chance) and good with children.”

 

 

Cook loves to steal clothes and slippers and hide them in his basket, so mom and dad cannot leave any clothes hanging around or they will become Cook’s. He also loves car rides and goes most places with mom when he is allowed to actually go with her. Mom does not like to leave Cook in the car or tied outside of a store. Cook likes bones more than anything else, and he buries them everywhere, preferably in dad’s bed.

 

According to the vet Cook never learned to play. Cook says, “I have a ball, but I have no clue what to do with it.” Cook has toys that he sleeps with in his basket. Cook says, “Pulling on a towel is fun. When I am wet mom dries me off and we pull on the towel.” Cook also says he used to hide undies and eat poop, just like me! And, like many of us doggies, Cook is afraid of fireworks and the vacuum cleaner.

 

So, as you can see, it’s pretty amazing that Cook travelled all the way from Spain to Holland to find his forever home. Cook is a great dog that is “loved to bits” by his mom and dad, and in turn, Cook “loves mommy and daddy to bits.”

 

 

Many thanks to Cook and his mom, Hansje Kalff, for being a feature “Meet Me Monday” on my blog. Please leave a comment for Cook and his mom and dad below. If you would like to share your story, please email me at abbydawgblog@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you.