Cooper is a 45-pound Australian Shepherd located in Coarsegold, California, and he’s the definition of a good dog who was put in a bad situation. He was surrendered after not getting along with a male boxer in a crowded home full of people and dogs, but once he arrived at our ranch, it became clear the problem wasn’t Cooper—it was the chaos. Like most Aussies, he needs space, structure, and his own person, not a packed house where he’s just another dog in the mix. Here, with room to move and time to decompress, Cooper has shown us who he really is: a loyal, sensitive boy who wants nothing more than to be near his human. He’s mostly an indoor dog at heart—my bed and the couch are his favorite places in the world—and he’ll absolutely be someone’s Velcro companion. He’s potty trained, grew up in a harness and is learning better leash manners, and he’s adjusting to the idea of a crate or kennel, even though he clearly thinks he should be sleeping next to his person instead. He gets along with the dogs here, but he’s much more relaxed when there are fewer dogs around. He’d do best as an only dog or with just one calm, respectful dog in the home. Cooper has some understandable anxiety from all the changes in his life, and he doesn’t travel well in the car yet—we’re working on that—but inside a quiet home with no other dogs present, he finally lets his guard down and you see the dog he’s meant to be: calm, affectionate, funny, and deeply attached. He doesn’t want to fight, he doesn’t want drama, he just wants his person and a peaceful, steady life. If you’re looking for one incredibly loyal Aussie who will follow you from room to room and sleep at your side like it’s his job, Cooper is waiting for you. If you’re interested, go to diggs4dogs.com and fill out an application.