Copper Campey Guzman

December 13, 2007 - April 2, 2022

A week after celebrating her 100th (dog years) birthday in the company of family and friends, Copper Campey Guzman passed peacefully at home at 11:00am on Saturday April 2, 2022.  She is survived by her Daddies, Jefferson Guzman and John Campey, her adopted brother Dusty, her cousins Boomer and Tico, her Grandparents Bryon and Blanca, her first Mom, Krista, as well as many aunts and uncles, with family both in Canada and Costa Rica.

Copper’s Story

Copper’s beginnings

Born in eastern Ontario, Teal (Copper’s original name) was intended to be a hunting dog for Krista’s husband, but destiny had other plans for this very special being.  Her fear of gunshots as a puppy could not be trained out of her, so instead of hunting, Teal became a beloved housedog to Krista, and she renamed her Copper.  In October of 2013, at age six, Copper moved to live with her grandparents, Krista’s father Bryon, and Jefferson’s mother Blanca, in Prince Edward County. 

In November 2013, Jefferson was asked to take care of Copper while Bryon and Blanca traveled for a family emergency. At the time John was mostly in Orillia helping care for his mother Betty following her surgery. During this time, Jefferson noticed Copper’s incredible empathy. One day after a hard day at work Jefferson returned home to find Copper jumping four feet straight up with excitement for his return. Jefferson knelt down to greet her. Copper could see he was distraught and placed a paw over his heart then nuzzled her head over his shoulder. She held him while he cried then licked the tears off his cheek, making him laugh. Just like that Copper magically changed his mood.  This moment created a bond between them that would change Copper’s life – and the lives around her.

Jefferson began a campaign to convince his parents to let him keep Copper. Bryon and Blanca were convinced Copper had found her forever home with Jefferson when they returned from their trip and saw how attached the two had become. They agreed Jefferson could keep Copper, but only if John agreed.  

Once John (an avowed cat person) returned to Toronto, Jefferson put his plan into action to convince him they should adopt Copper: Jefferson encouraged John to take Copper for a run. They had such a great time that soon their runs became routine, and in no time John saw what Jefferson saw – Copper was no ordinary dog. When Jefferson revealed to John that his parents agreed that Copper could stay with them John declared “I don’t want a dog”. But then John said: “But I do want Copper”.  And so Jefferson (CurlyHairDaddy) and John (BlondHairDaddy) adopted Copper and added the middle name Campey, and the last name Guzman.

Copper the cancer survivor

Shortly thereafter, Jefferson noticed a strange growth on Copper’s leg and took Copper to her first appointment at Cabbagetown Pet Clinic. Copper was diagnosed with a Mast Cell tumor, which was successfully removed, and from which she made a complete recovery. This resulted in a very close eye being kept on the potential of the cancer returning.

Copper the runner

Once Copper had recovered, she was back to being the fastest dog in the park (Vizsla’s are the second fasted breed). Soon John continued distance running with her, and her natural ability (far exceeding his!) and her sociable nature, made her, very shortly, a valued member of Coach Elaine’s Runners Shop gang, complete with matching custom running jacket.  She ran every Toronto race that did not specifically exclude canines (she considered that ‘dogscrimination’) and was soon winning medals in human races, as well as winning the “Fastest Dog” award in the Cabbagetown Mini-Marathon.  Her favourite race was the Pride Run, where she dragged BlondHairDaddy across the finish line for seven consecutive years.  Along with John, she trained for the “Haunted Hustle” marathon in Haileybury, and made it to the 35K mark before the sleet, wind, and the welcoming dog treats that had been provided for her at every water station proved too much of a temptation. 

Copper the Therapy Dog

One day, Copper’s friend City Councillor Paula Fletcher suggested that, given Copper’s temperament, she would make a great therapy dog, and so Copper’s ‘formal’ volunteer career began when she was evaluated and accepted as a St. John’s Ambulance Therapy Dog. The evaluators were so impressed with Copper that they waived the one year waiting period (a first!) and invited her to be immediately evaluated for her Child Friendly Therapy Dog designation which she passed with flying colours. Jefferson took Copper to visit seniors at Bridgepoint Health Centre, and John took her to the Stroke Survivor’s Group at Central Neighbourhood House, alternating with visits to Eastdale Collegiate.  At Eastdale, she made friends with a number of special needs students – one young man responded to her more than to any of his teachers or classmates. Copper also added classroom visits at the Queen/Saulter Library to her increasingly busy therapy dog schedule. 

Copper the downward dog

Copper’s calm, peaceful demeanor made her the perfect co-host for every Jefferson Guzman Yoga retreat both in Prince Edward County and Costa Rica. In fact, many students would ensure she would be in attendance prior to booking their spot. Copper would go around to all attendees doing her therapy work and helping everyone leave the retreats feeling better than when they arrived.

Copper 9 to 5

Her loving, patient manner made Copper the ideal ‘office dog,’ first at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts with Jefferson, and then at Social Planning Toronto (SPT) with John.  When Copper showed up at her volunteer ‘interview’ at the Ralph Thornton Community Centre (RTCC) in her pearls, the Volunteer Coordinator was slightly nonplussed, but willing to give her a try.  Copper never looked back, and for the next seven years was a fixture at RTCC, getting pets and treats in return for the love she shared with staff and service users alike.  She had her ‘fan club’ of folk who use the public access computers at RTCC. Some of them would become most indignant if she was not there when they came in to visit.  She was appointed ‘Social Media Hound’ for RTCC (it helps when your daddy is the Executive Director!), and her photo and byline became ubiquitous in RTCC’s newsletter, annual report, and other publicity.

Copper and governance

As happens to so many individuals in the non-profit community sector, Copper found herself attending a number of Board and committee meetings, first at SPT, then at RTCC. Her presence at these meetings contributed to a calm, positive atmosphere – it was hard to argue a point too strenuously when you were being nudged or nuzzled by a 45 pound, furry bundle of love. Not content with involvement at the local level, Copper began attending Board meetings and the annual Conference of Toronto Neighbourhood Centres, becoming an honorary Board member.  Copper was also a valued member of the Riverside Business Improvement Area Marketing Committee, blazing a trail for other canines. 

Copper’s other awards

Copper’s community service was recognized in 2021 when she was nominated by The Neighbourhood Group for the Volunteer Toronto Legacy Volunteer Awards – the first canine to be so honoured.  This treasured recognition joined the “Most Excellent Therapy Dog” award she received from Eastdale Collegiate – presented when she was a guest of honour at Eastdale’s graduation ceremony. 

Copper the writer

With just a little help from BlondHairDaddy – an accommodation for her lack of opposable thumbs – Copper also blossomed as a writer and social media personality.  She had articles published in “Runner’s World” and the “Riverside Magazine,” and was active on social media, with Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts.  This could occasionally get out of hand.  Her post on a Facebook Vizsla page, a picture of her and Atmos Fierce in full drag for Drag Queen Storytime, provoked a storm of outrage. To this day, there are people in Idaho and Oklahoma “praying for her soul”!

Copper the starlet

Not satisfied with being a published author, Copper followed in her CurlyHairDaddy’s footsteps, and moved on to stage, screen and print.  Copper was a star, and was never one to shy away from the limelight.  Whenever people would begin to gather for a group photo, Copper would immediately make her way to “her place”, front and centre, and would sit facing the camera waiting for her close-up.

She was featured on media coverage of the Pride and Remembrance Run (how could a cameraperson resist a dog in a matching outfit!), and through her RTCC connections, ended up on stage at the Danforth Music Hall for the Riverdale Share concert, moving on to a ‘co-starring’ role as Santa’s ‘Reindog’ for five Antler Breakfast events – three live, and two online – starting in 2017.

Copper was also a bit of a fashionista.  She was willing (and sometimes enthusiastic) to wear a range of outfits.  She had outfits for Christmas (a full Santa suit), St. Patrick’s Day, and her ‘go to’ Halloween costume was a replica of Dorothy’s blue gingham “Wizard of Oz” dress, complete with ‘ruby slippers’ socks. 

One of Copper’s few disappointments in life was never having one of her pictures selected to be featured in the Vizsla Society of Ontario calendar.  Despite submitting photos every year for seven years, and occasionally making the semi-finals, she remained the “Susan Lucci” of the VSO. John compensated for this omission by creating an annual Copper calendar starting in 2018, which was distributed across Canada, England, and Costa Rica. She did, however, finally make the front cover of the “Viszla Voice” in June of 2021. 

Copper the party animal

Copper was a party person – from fundraising events to house parties, Copper was always (reasonably) well behaved, respecting the sanctity of even the most accessible buffet table, and occasionally showing off her moves on the dance floor. She also knew how to work the room like a politician. She was a very well-connected dog, counting a number of City Councillors – and the former Premier, Mayors, School Trustees, MPP’s and MP’s -  among her acquaintances and friends.  Her attendance at an NDP rally in the 2015 Federal election landed her picture on the CBC’s website home page. Her politics matched her colouring – either orange or red, depending on the light! (although we suspect she was secretly a supporter of the Animal Alliance Party).  Her favourite politician was former Deputy Mayor Pam McConnell (possibly because she let Copper sit on her couch!) Partisan politics aside, Copper was a strong advocate for civic engagement – her one and only “Pawerpoint” presentation was made on that topic. 

Copper the jet-setter

Copper also loved to travel.  She accompanied her Daddies to Costa Rica for a number of years – with her own seat in the plane (being a ‘specialty dog’ has its privileges!).  In Costa Rica, a dog is generally not an indoor pet, but Copper charmed Jefferson’s relatives, and was welcomed into their homes. 

On one of these trips, Jefferson and John were touring a potential vacation property with a real estate agent when they suddenly realized Copper had disappeared. She was soon found swimming laps in the pool! This convinced them to not only buy the home, but to also name it after her. At Casa Copper in Manuel Antonio, Copper loved to spend days by the pool – alternating swimming laps with time ‘tanning’ on the patio.  She also enjoyed visiting with the neighbouring dogs, particularly her friend Paco, who would drop by for treats. But likely her favourite was morning runs on the Manuel Antonio beach.

In 2017, John and Jefferson were married on that same beach, and Copper was their ring-bearer. When the officiant invited the couple to hold hands for their vows, Copper surprised everyone when of her own accord, she walked over to her daddies and placed her paw onto their joined hands. 

Copper and her peers

While Copper was definitely a people person, she was less of a dog person.  She was not, initially, thrilled by the arrival of her adopted brother Dusty (a 90 pound Weimaraner rescue with a lot of energy), but he adored her, and over time she moved from toleration to affection for her ‘problem’ sibling. When she came to the dog park, along with her brother Dusty, she would usually ‘hang’ with her people and just watch the dogs.  She was never into ‘fetch’ (she had people to fetch for her), and the only times she would ever bark was to ‘referee’ overly rambunctious playfighting among other dogs at the park.  She did enjoy visiting with other Vizslas at periodic “Vizsla Meet-Ups” where she was the Grand Dame of the pack, and enjoyed the company of her Vizsla friends Pippi and Anni, and her out of town buddies Winston, Clyde and Chewie.

Copper’s final days

The two pandemic years were hard on Copper, as they were on everyone.  She was only able to come to RTCC during the times that it was open, and all therapy dog visits were discontinued, so her routine was severely curtailed – a hardship for such a social being.  While she attended many Zoom meetings, it was not the same for her as being physically present.   

As she aged, Copper remained in remarkable health – the average lifespan for a Vizsla is 9-12 years, and she exceeded that by another two, remaining mobile and energetic up until her very last days. Arthritis did begin to slow her down, and she began to show some signs of Cushings disease and dementia. She was not able to run as far or as fast, and had to settle for much shorter walks, rather than her beloved long runs up the Don Valley with John.

On February 3, 2022, Copper had a medical emergency and was diagnosed with degenerative bone and nerve disease which would result in paralysis, and advanced lymphoma. She was given one to two months to live. Copper was blessed with amazing, empathetic medical care.  Her family veterinarian, Dr. Amanda Low, and her palliative care veterinarian, Dr. Lizete Valdmanis (both making house calls), were professional, knowledgeable, and incredibly supportive to Copper and her Daddies over these difficult weeks.  The family would like to thank them both for the incredible care they provided Copper right up until her final day.

On April 1, 2022 Copper made it clear to Jefferson that she was ready to rest. A few hours later John came to realize that they had to say good bye to Copper. Jefferson and John’s love for Copper had only strengthened over the last nine years. She wasn’t a pet, she was like a daughter to them. At home, on April 2, 2022 at 11:00am, they held Copper and whispered how much they loved her into her ear as she crossed the rainbow bridge.

Copper pure, free, forever

Everyone thinks their dog is special – and they are all correct.  But Copper was a truly exceptional being.  Many people who ‘didn’t like dogs’ or were ‘afraid of dogs’ found a safe friend in Copper.  Her empathy, her patience, her emotional intelligence led so many to remark that ‘she’s not really a dog – she’s a person in a dog suit.’ If every human made as tangible a contribution to our community as Copper, the world would be a much better place.

Her passing leaves a small hole in the hearts of many who knew her – and an enormous, gaping cavern in the hearts of those who loved her best. She would want to be remembered for her devotion, and would ask everyone whose lives she touched, to reflect that love back to someone else who needs it.

Rest in peace sweet girl, your daddies love you forever.