Cooper is an 11-year-old Golden Retriever with a few firmly held beliefs: every sock belongs to him, beds are meant to be slept on diagonally, and there is no such thing as too much time spent chasing a tennis ball.

Every afternoon at precisely 2:52, Cooper appears beside Mike’s desk and gives him “The Look.” Walk time is technically 3:00—but Cooper has never been particularly concerned with technicalities.

Beneath all the wet tennis balls, stolen socks and laughs is eleven years of unconditional companionship. Cooper has been there through new homes, changing jobs, good times and heartbreak—including the loss of Mike’s dad, when a furry head quietly resting on his knee said more than words ever could.

“The Tennis Ball King” celebrates the hilarious little things that make a beloved pet completely irreplaceable—and the enormous place four paws can occupy in a human heart.