Things were not all smooth sailing for my buddy. When he was around 6 years old.  I notice him having trouble getting up and down the stairs. He couldn’t keep up with me and being my shadow was his job. I took him to the vet John used. By this time I had to carry him. They checked his labs and he was severely anemic. I had to take him to the animal ER. He had autoimmune mediated hemolytic anemia. It was a really bad case and he only had a 20% chance of survival. They presented me with the huge estimate and it was no question I would be late on my mortage I decided. At the time I was dating John and luckily he helped us out. Sammy got blood transfusions and steroids and stayed at the hospital for 3 days. I boiled him chicken and hamburger and brought him little containers. They all loved Sammy he was the baby of the hospital just like at home. After a bath he stayed wrapped in his towel just like he would with me. We normally have serious snuggles after a bath. Also as weak as he was he still was trying to climb in my lap for kisses. We don’t know what caused the anemia but thankfully he recovered! Super Sammy prevails..

Life was quiet for sammy. Well except for that time he decided to explore the neighborhood. He got out of the backyard gate and took a walk. It all got very confusing because the houses on my street had a flight of  stairs to the front door. I noticed him gone and went out the front door calling for him. There he was 10 doors down running up and down the stairs in a panic. There was a very large dog in the house barking his head off. Sammy was sure that was his house why was there a mean dog in it? He was shaking and so upset he never ever left the yard again with out me. Otherwise he had a quiet 6 years with his pack. I was dating a guy who traveled for months at a time and I was in nursing school. I had severe depression so stayed home except for work and school. My furry kids kept me going and working towards happiness. Once nursing school came to an end and that relationship,I met John. We had a crazy start but things went well. John had two kids and a dog of his own.  After a two years of spending alot of time together we moved into Johns house. Sammy’s pack was so big now he never was bored! He got to go up north to the lake and ride boats. He never had to look far to find a person. He had a big new doggie sister named Sparky. Sparky was an awesome leader and protector which suits Sammy’s follower personality just fine. I finally found paleo and crossfit which helped me out of my depression for the first time I can remember. Pooh was declining though and had dementia pretty bad for a few years. She ended up in diapers full time and was lost alot. At the same time she was always happy wagging and sniffing around. Sammy stopped looking up to pooh and snuggling her. He dealt with her loss well before she was physically gone. I didn’t take it so well I was at work when she went down. John couldn’t get ahold of me and took her in because she was unable to move and hardly breathing. I felt like I had let her down not being there. I also never had lost someone so close to my heart. I was in a pit of grief for a few months. She needed alot of care at the end and I didn’t know what to do with myself. I was constantly thinking about where she was for her pill or diaper change only to remember once again she was gone.

Growing up as Sammy was good. I think he had all the attention a puppy could ever want. It might have helped shape his personality but for potty training I kept him leashed to my side. He has been there ever since. He was always with me or pooh, so has never wanted to be alone. He is a lover not a fighter. As a puppy he wanted to give kisses more than anything! He was a little rough on technique though. He would scratch his little paws on your face while exuberantly expressing his love. He never understood why anyone would turn down his kisses. How else could he show how much he loves you? Sammy consists of 90% love 10% happiness if measured out. Possibly a little fainting goat in there too. He grew out of it but when frightened as a puppy he would freeze and fall over with stiff legs. If you ever saw a video of fainting goats that was Sammy. I wish I had a video of that it was hilarious. His dog sister/mom was there to teach him the art of snuffling. Which was to scratch and rub your self while upside down and groan as you wiggle around. His grampa Cat boo boo had no trouble teaching him to respect his elders! He would play Sammy’s head like a bongo if sammy got out of line. Man did that puppy head echo it sounded like there was nothing in there. Sammy was very smart though and used his skills to figure out what pleased his human. I remember him testing out different things to see my reaction. If he was making a face and got a aww you are cute response he would repeat it. He has a special library of things that his mommy likes. He is the opposite of his sister who very much did whatever she liked. Snuggling was an art form and our snuggle piles were the best! He became the heart of our pack and always will have mine.

I will start at the beginning since cancer is only the latest chapter. He had a sister Empress or pooh bear we affectionately called her. Sammy is really hers. She was a momma dog who never got her own puppies. We lived with a boyfriend who had a four year old daughter for a while. Empress fell in love, she followed the girl everywhere. Which was sad because the little girl was forever looking for attention. So things didn’t work out and they left. Empress was heart broken. She cried and whined for three months straight. She would snuggle me and boo boo (my cat) and just cry. I should mention boo boo since he was the man of the house and a handsome Tom Cat of epic stature. So since I was not providing her with another child I got her a puppy. Little did I know he was the baby we all needed. I found him at the seven mile fair which is kind of a permanent garage sale here in Wisconsin. I saw him and it clicked he was sleepy and adorable. He also matched Empress they are both black and tan cocker spaniels. He was an angel puppy…compared to his sister. She was so energetic and chewed up everything including a fake leather couch. He was always with me or his sister. They were crated when I was gone mostly for her sake. He was a silly happy boy and got me through some rough lonely times. I had severe depression and anxiety when he was young. I worked third shift and slept most of the time that I wasn’t working. I probably wasn’t fair to them and should have gotten them out more. But they were sleepy lap dogs and we’re content to sleep all day play catch in the house and sleep all night. Boo boo was ever the man of the house and kept all of us in line. I had him since middle school and at the time I got sammy I was probably 22. We were my world and isolated as it was it was enough. We were a team and we had love.