by Lee Juslin

Kopper is a special needs Dachshund who, despite his challenges, is a happy, loving boy.

Susie, a regional representative for Dachshund Rescue of North America, says Kopper is adoptable, but would need a special home. After some kind of accident in his original home, the owners turned him in to rescue because they could not deal with his medical problems and needs. “We don’t know what actually happened,” said Susie. “The owners claim he woke them up during the night yowling in pain. Somehow, he had hurt his back and, while back injuries are common with Dachshunds, it may have been a severe scolding from the owners because I notice he slinks away and hides if he has an accident in the house.”

Kopper

Because of his injury, Kopper needs his bladder expressed in order to pee and sometimes must be encouraged to have a bowel movement. His back legs are still weak so he occasionally uses a cart. However, Susie feels that with additional laser treatments and perhaps some acupuncture, Kopper will continue to improve. “If we can lessen his cart time, that would be a good thing, because he is a terrible driver. He runs over tails and often has wrecks, so he is not allowed to drive unsupervised.”

Kopper in his cart looking for a squirrel

Kopper used to live with children, and as a result, is very gentle. He likes to hold his person’s hand in his mouth, but he never bites down. However, a good home for Kopper would be one without young children because of the risk of too rough play, stepping on him or tripping over him. A home with older children who know how to treat a dog, especially one with special needs, would be considered. Kopper gets along well with other dogs, though perhaps not large breed ones, so a home with other canines, especially Dachshunds, would work well for him.

Recently, Susie and Kopper attended the NC Weiner Roast, a gathering of Dachshunds, Doxie lovers, and Doxie wannabes. Kopper competed in the dog cart race and came in second. More importantly, he was very patient and loving with everyone, and Susie said she couldn’t have been prouder of him.

Kopper at the Wiener Roast

Joy-Ci and Kopper

If you would like to learn more about Joy-Ci or the other rescued Dachshunds ready for their forever homes, visit the organization’s website: Dachshund Rescue of North America.

You can find more animal rescue, therapy animal, and other pet related articles in our pet section.

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Lee Juslin is a free lance copywriter living in North Carolina with her husband, Scott, and her band of misfits: Tarquin, a Wheaten Scottish Terrier, and three handicapped cats. They can be seen on their website: Hampshire Hooligans. She owns I B Dog Gone, a small embroidery business and is the author of the Nurse Frosty books for children and Frosty’s Story: Tales of a Therapy Dog. She supports a number of national and regional terrier rescue organizations.