Pound Puppy

  I'm being attacked by this black an tan ball of fur. She wants her head and butt scatched and is willing to push my laptop onto the floor to get her way. She's a persistent little mutt. I'm taking about Samoa.
 8 and 1/2 years ago I was attacked by this black and tan ball and fur. The runt of the litter of black Lab and Shepherd mix puppies. Even though she was tiny she was fiesty. I showed the kids how to assert their dominance by putting the dog on her back and holding her there until she realized who was in charge.
   Cute as she was, Sam wasn't my choice. I liked this year old beagle already housebroken with sad eyes and a friendly personality that I immediately bonded with. But It wasn't my choice. Shari and I had promised the Kids specifically Aidan that he could get a dog if he brought his grades up and concentrated on school work for the remainder of the year. He did. So we were at the Virginia Beach ASPCA to rescue a dog and fulfill our promise to the kids. On that first visit They named this little mutt after a Girl Scout cookie because she looked exactly like a Samoa. I think the kids were attracted by her personality. She like to roughouse but was playful not mean like some of her siblings. Also as the runt she got pushed around by her bigger brothers and sisters so she was rescued from that as well. I had no chance of getting the beagle.

  Shari had never had a dog or cat growing up. So had been hesitant about getting a dog especially while I was till active duty and at sea much of the time. We lived in a nice home with a meadow behind us that couldn't be used for building because it was considered a flood zone. We had plenty of room to let Sam run and play. She also adapted easy. House broken in a matter of weeks, she rarely had an accident in the house. She also has never chewed up anything that she wasn't given to chew on. Shari fell in love almost immediately and its clear that Sam is her dog. Except when it comes to giving her a bath or taking her for a walk, then she's my dog.

   The kids of course each relate differently to her. To Aidan, Sam was a playmate, someone to roughouse with. He continues that today playing with her when ever he's here. Journey was the caretaker. Journey's ambition was to be a vet. She worked in a pet store all through high school. Started college majoring in biology. Sam was checked daily by Journey for fleas and mites. Journey and I bathed her, Journey cleaned her ears and trimmed her nails. Brushed her and trimmed her fur.  Now Journey is a long distance caretaker. She still does all those things when she is able to come home from Florida, She also sends money for visits to the vet and medications.  A caretaker. Cameryn was cautious with Sam. The dog treated Cameryn as the runt of the litter until Cameryn grew as a teenager. Now they pretty much ignore each other though Sam makes her daytime den in Cameryn's closet.
    I notice in this picture that her beard is as grey as mine. Since I came home from the hospital, Sam and I are spending most days alone with each other. I was the alpha male and Sam was leery of me as a puppy, I was usually yelling at one of the kids (read Aidan).That made Sam nervous. She would play and roughouse with me but was ready to bolt to Shari if she thought I was angry. Over the last year Sam and I have bonded. She has been integral to my regaining strength and balance as we started taking daily short walks together slowly extending those as I try to fulfill my commitment to do a half marathon. A goal that looms in the background. We have become buddies. She reads me with her big brown eyes and is aware of my every emotion. She will comfort me if I get upset, she knows that I wll always spend time with her if she needs a agood butt and head scratch, she knows I'm good for a piece of chicken or a bite of my ham sandwich, But when Shari gets home from work, Sam will be by her side for the rest of the night unless I pick up her leash. Then Sam's ready to go.

Sitting on my porch, leaves look like brown snowfall from the twin oaks out front. A young lady roller blades by. I wonder if I could get a pair? My family will say bad idea, I've had balance problems since my surgery. But it looks like fun. A fire truck, siren blaring comes by. I hope it's not serious. Sam sits quietly but alert for something. She looks like the Sphinx when she sits like that. I need a better camera. No song in my head this morning. curious!