I can’t remember what I was doing but I received a photo from my mum with a cute pup in it. Cute pup. Is it a Lab? I asked to which I got an offended response NO! He’s a German Shepherd. Whoops.

https://i.imgur.com/golrLEa.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/xsFYpd6.jpg

The next couple of years were tough as that pup, Sam waited until you turned your back before quick as lightening he hopped the fence and was gone. This happened numerous times and he was a devil to keep in so heras fencing was sought and erected in a corner at the back door. Sam found this challenge to be right up his street and he mastered climbing it.

https://i.imgur.com/IePTtjd.jpg

The garden shed was then emptied and a small door cut in the side of it with a run surrounding it so the dogs could go from the house into the shed and then they could have unsupervised time outside before being supervised to go directly from the shed and into the house.

I didn’t stay at home so didn’t have much interaction with Sam until I was dog sitting one week when he was 3 years old.  It had always been that the dogs sat before they ate. I got up to feed the dogs breakfast and Spey sat, Kenzo sat and Sam stood watching me. The others ate and wandered off and Sam still stood. 20 minutes later he sat and got his food. 

Then came time to put them out and Sam went to barge past as soon as the door was ajar so I closed it. Again, it took about 20 minutes before he sat and waited. I went through this several times a day with him and twice when being fed.  It was a battle of wills. The end of the week arrived and Sam was the first one to sit for food and to go out. I loved the little sod.

A couple of months later I was excited as I had the news I was moving to a new flat and I could finally take Spey with me.  I did worry about how she would cope as she was 11 years old. Then I got the news Sam had growled and snarled at my parents – they had my young nieces over a lot so they had to be careful. I spoke to Rob and he wasn’t keen but we made the decision for us to take Sam instead of Spey.

https://i.imgur.com/kDZboEz.jpg

His first night at ours he was curious but lay down. How would he cope as he’d never been an only dog? He lived in the countryside and was now in a town? He had a garden and now had to go out on the lead to the grass across the street?

We had a balcony that he loved to go out on and watch the world go past.

He was wary of cars and lorries zooming past with his tail between his legs. People were everywhere and there were dogs in gardens barking that riled him. I took him for walks in the nearby woods where a river flowed.  We met dogs and he’d bark and lunge and be on his hindlegs. He was never off lead as his recall was terrible.

We spent hours walking paths and a couple times a week I took him on a 50ft line to a grass park nearby and we’d run the length of it back and forth. He went down to the stream and paddled about.

It was a different kind of life but he settled in well.

https://i.imgur.com/yqxnRAx.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/XtrPNMZ.jpg

Two years later we moved – same town but to a house with a garden. I watched him like a hawk but he never tried to disappear and gradually I began to trust him. I got a different job so Rob started to take him for walks and took him to agility.

He loved to jump but if I was there he had to keep coming to where I sat to ensue I hadn’t disappeared.

Then another 2 years went by and my ponies moved.  I took Sam to the field and I was able to shut the ponies in a different field and I kept a long lead on Sam but he had freedom for the first time.  He ran around happy and free.

There was a local facebook group and I joined and in June 2014 I took Sam (dog reactive) on a dog walk. I was nervous but the woman reassured me and we headed to the beach. There were about 10 dogs all running around and I had Sam’s 22ft line. I was then encouraged to take it off and the feeling of that day! It was incredible. This dog ran with the other dogs and he chased the tennis balls and he leaped into the sea. He came back when called. I burst into tears.

https://i.imgur.com/X16oOrK.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/pce0lwZ.jpg

Since then we were able to build it up to the point I could take him to an unfenced park, through the woods and in later years in a field beside sheep and that dog never had an issue with recall. He even darted after a startled deer one day and came back when he was called.

Later in 2014 we got a puppy and Sam was scared of her. He jumped on the sofa to get away from her but he became tolerant of her and it didn’t take too long before they were the best of friends even if she did steal his toys.

He became braver (no longer jumlping when something fell) and he became more sociable. Instead of lying at the bottom of the bed he came and interacted with us.

Sam was our world and meant so much to us. In Oct 2020 he had a tumour and the vets didn’t expect him to last the weekend. I sure didn’t expect to have him on my birthday in November and then to get another Christmas with him was a miracle. He then celebrated his 13^th birthday and it was truly amazing that we got another year with him after that.

Sadly, his arthritis got severe and he started to be in pain so at 14 years and 11 days we sent him over the rainbow bridge. A little sigh and his head on Rob’s knee and a little bit of my heart was gone.

Goodbye Big Pup x Go run and play with puppy Spey until we meet again

https://i.imgur.com/JeseReK.jpg

-hugs-

Soo many memories for you guys to share and look back on!
Sending love & hugs to you!

hugs and more hugs 

♥♥ -huge hug tight-

Thank you