Sam - NTSRI

Super Sam: He Took A Licking And Kept On Ticking!

Sam arrived in NTSRI rescue in July, 2003, at the age of 14-1/2 years.  His owner had become homeless. Although the owner's sister agreed to keep the dog, she unfortunately didn't have a clue as to the needs of Samoyeds in general, and an elderly gentleman like Sam in particular.  She shaved him, thinking that it would help to make him cooler out in the back yard that he now called his home. And, in deference to the heat, she tried to make him more comfortable by putting wet towels on his newly-shaved skin.  The results were disastrous: Sam developed a staph infection, along with ringworm. Coupled with the arthritis that was now slowing him down in his old age, Sam was a very sad sight indeed when he arrived at NTSRI.  In fact, his foster mom was not sure he would make it through the night.

But Sam was made of stronger stuff! With the right medications and lots and lots of love, he got better.  Slowly, his hair began to grow back.  And, although he would never exactly gallop around the yard, he did move around on his own, without assistance.  He thought he was really moving on out!

Sam was a flirt, too!  It became very clear that, in his younger years, he must have been quite a ladies' man.  He had a certain sparkle in his eyes, even at his advanced age, that hinted at the rogue he no doubt was in his youth.  Many was the time that we wished we could have known him in his prime!  His personality was one in a million, and everyone who came in contact with him grew to love him.

Sam held court at the monthly meetings of North Texas Samoyed Fanciers (the AKC-affiliated Samoyed breed club in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area) for the better part of a year.  He entertained us by trying to catch the light from a laser pointer; he "talked" to us with his uniquely Sammy "wooing"; he presided at our garage sale fundraisers; and he "inspected" prospective adoptive families of the other rescued Samoyeds that came and went in the rescue program. In short, Sam was "Mr. Personality," and we all loved him dearly!