Copper (a.k.a. "Chicken")

When we arrived at Bean's horse riding lesson today, we were greeted by Copper. Miss Jenn's sidekick. He met us at the car and then proceeded to do quiet circles around us all the way over to the barn, herding us along. Immediately he grabbed a stick and parked himself at our feet. (Actually he protectively parked right by Bean, the littlest of us all.) Once the riding lesson began I walked him over to the far end of the pasture and played fetch. Miss Jenn warned me that he would not quit--he loved his stick. I grabbed my camera thinking I would snap a few pictures of him in the afternoon sun, running with his stick. But every time I stooped to aim the camera in his direction he grew shy. Seriously, he was a chicken. This is him in all his shyness...

(Imagine me softly saying, "It's okay Cooper, come here Cooper, you're alright Cooper.") 

This is a typical shot I caught of him fetching the stick. I am shooting from the hip here, praying I will at least get him in the frame. A split second after this shot he spotted my camera, cut right, flew down the hill, around the tree, and came at me from my backside and then dropped the stick behind me. Not kidding. This happened every time. That chicken.

But I loved him. :) He's the kind of dog every kid wants for a best friend. Quietly by your side, always ready with a stick, eager to be with you, but oozing with sweetness and loyalty. At the end of our fun we were walking along, my camera swung over my shoulder. I nonchalantly snapped a picture of him as he looked up at me. Look at him...he's wearing a little smile on his face, just happy to be with me.

You may be a big chicken Copper, but I was happy to be with you too. :)