I first met Cody when I was filling in for a friend of mine who worked at a pet store called Animal Antics. I was friendly with the owner and she would call me when my friend couldn't make it in or she just needed extra help. I would be the one who fed and cleaned the pens of the puppies. I would pick a different one each day to be my 'helper', and they would get to run around the store with me while I worked, before the store opened for business.

I came in one day, and there he was. He was alone in a pen and seemed very timid and scared, hovering in the back. I squatted down so that we were eye level and talked calmly and soothingly to him. I must admit, he looked kind of awkward, like he hadn't grown into his nose yet! I checked his card and saw that he was all of 4 months of age. I fell in love with him on the spot! I knew I had to have him. There was one problem though. I had just moved back in with my father after separating from my husband. The house already had two dogs and a cat in residence (as well as five human occupants). I had lost another furbaby (a 13 year old cocker spaniel to liver cancer) a few months prior and his playmate that he left behind was heartbroken and miserable without him. So, I talked to the owner of the pet store and put a deposit on him to hold him till I could figure something out. I ended up talking with my husband and brought him to meet this little guy, and he agreed to keep him at our house.

Well, when it became obvious that my marriage wasn't going to work out, my then husband dropped Cody off on my doorstep at 6 in the morning. My father was out of town, so I couldn't keep Cody there until I talked with him about this new addition. I ended up boarding him for a few days at the vet's office until my father came home. When my father came home I let him know what had happened. He really didn't want three dogs in the house again, but told me that I could bring him home on the condition that I try to find him a new home quickly, and that I not get attached to him. I agreed. I mean, what else could I do?

As soon as I brought him home, he bounded right into the door and was greeted with mixed reactions. My dog jumped all over him, crying and wanting to play. My father's dog barked at him and when he went over to 'introduce' himself to her, she ran away. My father's girlfriend's cat hissed at Cody and went and hid. I was the only human home at the time, but it brought tears to my eyes to see my dog so happy to have a playmate again. From that moment on, they were inseparable.

My father and his girlfriend came home and my father thought Cody looked cute, clumsy, but cute. His girlfriend thought he looked 'evil' (she didn't care for dogs). My father again reminded me not to get attached to him. I went to work the next day and put up a flyer in the lounge trying to find a home for Cody. I found the problem was trying to place a large breed dog was very difficult. During this time when I would come home, I would find my father looking at Cody and his little brown eyes, but still trying to keep his distance. I had to keep reminding myself that I could not fall in love with him anymore than I already was, because I had made a promise to my father.

I think that Cody knew he had to work on my father if he wanted to stay. He was so well behaved and did not bark or get into any trouble. He learned how to sit and give paw in like five minutes. I am not kidding. He was so smart! I also never had to train him to stay in the yard and not run off. We have a half an acre, but it is not fenced in. A few weeks went by and I still had no luck with finding Cody another home. I was sitting in the living room with the 'gang' watching TV, when my father came home. They all left me to go greet my father at the door. I couldn't believe what I heard as he came through the door. He was petting Cody and said, "How's my big guy?" I knew then that my father had been won over and that Cody wasn't going anywhere. We never again discussed Cody leaving.