My friend Fay is a devoted Dal. foster mom. Every time I go to visit her she has a new precious pup playing with her four permanent dogs, Monty, Quoodle, Scarlet (a deaf dal), and Henry. Before Christmas ’09 I had gone to visit Fay and she had, yet again, a new dog in the pack. She introduced me to Sam (then called Hardy) and I immediately adored him. However, I was leaving in a few weeks for a trip home to Maryland. Plus, as she puts it, I “love all the fosters”.
Fast forward three or four or five weeks and I returned again to visit my friend in Longmont, CO. Much to my surprise Sam was still there. We talked about it and we just didn’t understand why this sweet, slightly timid boy had not been taken into a forever home, yet. She told me he had been found in NM half starved and maybe his slight fear of people put potential parents off. That evening I got snowed in at Fays and had to spend the night. After playing with the dogs for much of the evening I decided that I loved Sam and wanted him in my life.
My boyfriend and I had talked about getting a dog, but with two cats we just weren’t sure if our boys would be interested in having another creature romping about the house. David (the b/f) and I went out to visit with Sam and his foster parents. I told David that if he did not love Sam as much as I did I in no way wanted to pressure him into getting a dog he did not want. Since we already have two animals it had to be a family decision.
Lucky for me, Sam melted David’s heart and we took him home two days later.
It has been a few weeks now and it feels like we have always had Sam in our lives. He has learned Sit, Stay, and Lay Down, though being young he still sometimes gets distracted easily. He’s learning to walk nicely on the leash, but again there is just so much to look at! Sam is putting on a bit of weight, which we are so ok with, since he was a bit thin when we first got him home.
Sam also was pretty shy around David for a little while, but he has learned now that his new Dad is not going to hurt him, and is also a great spot for a nap. We have discovered that Sam does NOT like baths, but love, love, loves his stuffed animals. He hoards his toys in his kennel and only occasionally brings them out to show them off to us. He also gets along rather well with his new brothers, occasionally playing tag with the smaller cat, Koa. It’s pretty funny watching Sam chase Koa down the stairs and seeing Koa and Kirby tag team chase Sam back up the stairs.
We feel like the luckiest dal. parents because he stayed with his foster family so long that it was obvious he was meant to come home with us. Sam completes our family.
Below are pictures of Sam's close up for the camera, Sam and his Dad taking a nap on the couch, Sam with his first new toy (“Is this for me?”), and Sam playing with his toys in his kennel, where he loves to spend time.
Ashleigh M. & David K.
Arvada, CO |
