My name is Sam! Short for Samone! My old name was Samara, but I really wanted my name to match my new best friend's, which is of course Kapone! Samone and Kapone! But I'd rather just go by Sam!
I have so much to update all of you on, so I wanted to have my Dad and Mom let you know how I was doing!
(Which is GREAT!) I almost don't know where to
start, so I'll start with how wonderful it is to have a best friend like Kapone! My Dad really wanted Kapone to have someone to play with and keep
him company, so he found me! All my friends at hand me down dobes told him
before we even met how great I was. And after he met me in April, he
couldn't
have agreed more! My Mom and Uncle Andre were there, too. Out of a huge room
of us orphans, he picked me. It was like we were meant to be. I knew pretty quick I liked Kapone. What's not to like? I let him know I was the boss right away! He's kinda laid back, so that wasn't real hard! (big Doberman laugh!). We Doberman play A LOT! I can't even begin to tell you! We nibble each other's necks, nip, bite, snarl, and if you didn't know better, swear we were killing each other, but it's all in fun! Our teeth even clack together! I think it sounds really cool!! Kinda like swords coming together, you know? Kapone liked me right away! We are best friends! I have to admit though, sometimes we DO get tired and we let each other know, but I think that's normal. I tell him..."Back off!" and he let's me know, too...but then 5 minutes later, we're back to playing again. I have to admit, though, I am the QUEEN of the chew toys! I kinda hog them!
I have A LOT of new friends, and so many changes in my life that I was really nervous at first. There was thing called "going up and down stairs" I wasn't too sure about! My Dad wanted me to run up these funny little things called steps. I was NOT too sure about all of it. My mom held my collar and gently pulled me up while my Dad kept telling me it was all right. It was scary. It seemed like a lot of work, but after a few times, I'm a pro at it. In fact, I'll knock my Dad down getting by him!
OH! I HAVE to tell you about my totally new obsession! My Dad says they're called 'chipmunks'. One of them lives right out in front of my new forever home and boy do I drive Dad and Mom nuts going after them. I swear that little thing knows I'm after him. I think he teases me. I run back and forth for
hours from window to window trying to get him, but I just can't seem to
catch him. I've knocked over couches, loveseats, and even my great uncle Cujo's ashes to get that little
varmint, but so far, no luck! (Cujo is my
twice removed uncle of some strange ancestry called a poodle? He's in some
glass jar thing that sits in front of the window?) When I get tired of
knocking Cujo over, I like to carry a big couch pillow around. It reminds me
of all the babies I've had. Dad doesn't mind. He thinks its kinda cute!But anyway, I sure try to catch that little tiny thing. It even comes up to the window and I bark at it! It just sits and STARES at me. I get so aggravated, I about go bonkers! My buddy Kapone never used to know what these 'chipmunks' were, but I've told him...."You stick with me, buddy, and I'll show you the ropes!" So NOW, he comes with me and tries to get that little fast morsel, too! Somehow, I think Dad gets tired of us sometimes playing the game!
I guess the next big topic is food! You know, it was a battle where I came from. I was tied all day to a dog house and I never knew where my next meal was coming from! Then I had all these nasty worms (so the Vet told my Dad) and I had to stay put a long time. Man, did I used to be hungry! I think that's why sometimes I want that little fast thing outside my window (chipmunk?). I really like to chase anything! Squirrels, birds, snakes, yeah...about anything! In the old days, that used to be food, now Dad gives me my meals. I used to eat so fast, I about ate my bowl! And I have to admit, (sheepishly), that lazy Kapone would leave his bowl unattended and I would gulp his down, too! I mean, he eats one morsel at a time! I know how to EAT! I don't waste time!
Mom and Dad love me so much, they want to give me extra, but the Vet said I should probably lose a few pounds! ( I hate diets!) I weighed 58 pounds at the doctors office. I've had a lot of babies, so I have a bit of sag here and there anyway! (you girls know how THAT one goes!)...but Dad said he didn't care how saggy I was. He just wanted me to
be happy AND healthy! So he cut
back on my food and I'm getting my dobie figure back! Kapone says I look
GREAT! And really, I'm not as hungry now that know I'm going to actually get
fed a couple times a day. That pushover Kapone can leave his food now and I
don't nibble it. I think I'm learning to get more laid back like him!ALL of Dad's (and Mom's) friends LOVE me. I mean, I am REALLY personable! I really love to snuggle, and snuggle and snuggle! I think it's one of my best traits! I think Dad's friends think so, too! I sleep with my parents and Kapone. We each have our special spot, and sometimes I lay my head on Kapone. He doesn't mind. He's taught me a lot, too. I wasn't too sure this was my forever home at first. I was scared a lot. Kapone has taught me feel safer! I slowly learned to trust Dad and Mom. I learned that they're going to feed me and be nice to me, so I started to trust them.
At first, I ran away. Dad got really frustrated. Mom even had to go get the car at first to catch me while Dad was chasing me. I don't know what got into me. I saw a bird and figured I'd go eat it because that's how I was used to living, but now I've been here awhile and I know it's a safe place, so I listen to Dad and Mom.
I also get to go this place called Lake Erie. My Dad has boat up there. Kapone knew all about it because he's been there a long time, but I was scared at first. You have to jump into the boat from a bunch of boards called a "dock". It reminded me of those scary things called "stairs". Dad was REAL patient with me. I guess it's a good thing he loves me so much because I didn't listen very well at first. I kept seeing these birds. There are so many and they have all different names, geese, swans, seagulls, ducks, and lots of little babies for each. I wanted them REAL bad. I tried to control myself, but it was really hard. I wanted to jump off the boat and get them, and once...I did! I was
scared though. I don't really love the
water, and after I jumped, I hit that very thing I hated...the WATER! I
forgot about those swimming birds real fast! I just wanted Dad! And he saved
me! He was real strong and pulled me back in the boat. Since then, I've been
REAL careful about those dang birds! I'm beginning to think they're like
those little fast things outside my window at home! they like to tease me!
So now I listen pretty good to Dad. I learned from Kapone that I can play and have fun, AND follow the rules of Dad and Mom. They take me to the beach and let me play with Kapone and other dogs. I get to ride LOTS in a little boat called the Wahoo! I ride with my friends Sadie and Drummer. They aren't like Kapone and me, they're not Dobermans, but their still nice. I like them a lot. And I have the sun and air and lots of birds to look at. I have to admit, it's a pretty good life!
Everyone at the lake loves me. I lay on lots of laps. I like laps A LOT! I like my Dad's friends a lot. Ron and Annie are really nice, Ron especially. He has two dogs of his own and I lay on him while my Dad and Mom play a dice with him and his wife Annie. I stare at him a lot. Overall...I'm pretty happy with my forever home.
I'm lucky that the people at hand me down dobes saved me and found the BEST forever home I could ever have. I love Kapone, my Dad and Mom and all the new people that are in my life. I have plenty to eat and do and best off all, I have lots of love. Thank you hand me down dobes. You saved my life! I can't thank you enough!
Sam