by Joe Snyder
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It was December 1966 when our beloved companion of over 13 years, our dachshund, Copper, passed to his reward. On Dec. 22 that year I wrote my Post Scripts about him and I’d like to share it with you again this Christmas week.
Copper was widely known in our neighborhood. Almost everybody loved him. He had a regular route for his daily visits, at least as long as he was able, going from house to house seeking handouts. He had only to bark a time or two at each place until a friendly door was opened and he received a tidbit of food or goodie. That’s how he got so plump in his old age.
Copper pranced down the middle of the street like he owned it. Drivers either waited for him to get out of the way, or trailed in low gear with a lot of patience at one mile an hour. Frankly, we are surprised he survived the traffic, but this week, death came to this old friend from the infirmities of the years. He developed a series of tumors, had fluid on his lungs and an enlarged heart. That he had a big heart we had always known because he shared it with all of us.
Dr. David Mackintosh did all he could for Copper during his life which we appreciate so much. Bobby Mackintosh even had his finger nipped, but we hasten to say that Copper didn’t bite from malice or anger, but from an impulse arising from strange surroundings, pain and frustration.
A family pet like Copper can become depressed just as humans do, only more so. You see in the first place he didn’t feel good as a result of his ailment and, second he felt even worse because he was aware that you knew he’s not up to his usual bag of tricks. He was always quite a clown anyway.
You might say Copper was my status symbol – the only one I ever honestly sought. When I was a boy I always wanted a "wienie" dog but when I was young, poor people just didn’t pay good money for a mere dog. So I had to settle for – and dearly loved – the Heinz 57 varieties of the canine world. Copper was the first "quality" pet I owned and his German pedigree reached from here to Altamont.
Some people think it is crazy to spend money for a dog, but let me tell you that my family got more for that $60 than any other investment we ever made. Copper was no fair weather friend. There have been days when I really needed the warm friendly and understanding nudge of his nose, and that gleam in his eye that came from deep affection between a man and his dog.
Our family learned much from Copper, too. Kathy Ann and Cindy came to know about sharing, assuming responsibility, love for the so-called "dumb" animals and respect for all living things. About the only vice Copper had was an inbred dislike for swift-moving, furry animals which, in our neighborhood, turned out to be yellow kittens. His untimely disposal of a few of these caused us considerable heartache and embarrassment, but we could not condemn him without taking into consideration centuries of breeding as small game hunters.
After my parents moved to Gallatin, Copper spent much time with them and was a source of pleasure to us all. Losing him, although we witnessed the deterioration, has been hard to accept. He endured surgery twice this year and was in the clinic for another session when his condition worsened, his breathing became difficult and finally, that big and loveable heart just gave out.
We laid him to rest in the yard where he romped and played and greeted his friends. I hope those fleecy clouds aren’t too spongy – Copper always did high-center pretty easy. God bless him, too.
Remember this was written 46 years ago, and we now have a wienie dog to play with when we go to our daughter, Kathy Ann’s home here in San Marcos, She has Jo-Jo, who is 13 years old. He, too, has always liked to attack small, fast moving animals, but now they have a calico cat, Ginger, who sleeps with Jo-Jo and they get along very well.
So it will be a happy Christmas Day when we see JoJo again and he jumps up on my lap the minute I sit down. We want to wish all our faithful readers a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.