Sampson and Kids

I met Sampson when I volunteered at the Finger Lakes Humane Society (almost 17 years ago) where he was given up as a puppy.  I was asked to take a puppy to a Pre-School when they were doing a Pet Day event.  I picked Sampson (who I had named when he came into the shelter).  He spent the hour or so wading through the sea of 4 year olds, smiling and laughing at them as they petted him, fed him biscuits and hugged him.  Hmmm, I thought, this is a special puppy.  Apparently the teacher thought so too, because she sent her husband to the Shelter to adopt Sampson and the Director told him that she was pretty sure a volunteer (me) was going to adopt him (totally against her own rule of "he's not yours until the papers are signed" and oh, I had never even MENTIONED adopting Sam). 

Sam continued his affection for and tolerance of children for his entire life despite not spending a lot of time around youngsters.  Here is a picture of Sam from Elkton, Maryland this past summer (at 16 1/2 years old and probably with some discomfort from arthritis) surrounded by his young friends who wanted him to meet Sparkle their very small, white, stuffed :) dog. 

Sam dutifully met Sparkle while throwing me looks and saying, "Seriously?  I still have to do this stuff?  It's not even a real dog.  You owe me BIG time for this one.  Yes, girls, she's beautiful, she certainly is.  Seriously, Mom?"

We visited the office of Sam's chiropractor this fall and a family came in with several small children (between 2 and 5 years old, maybe).  There were several other humans and dogs in the office and the kids went around and visited all the dogs (except one small dog who wasn't crazy about kids).  When the doctor came out he said, "Kids, you can pet the dogs if you want to, except for this one", indicating Sampson.  He assumed that since Sam was really old and likely ouchy that he wouldn't tolerate kids.  The children had already petted and hugged Sam and the doctor was shocked that he had been okay with that.  I wasn't shocked, just a day in the life of Sam.  He was always the most gentle, kind, and understanding soul and continued to be so through his last day when Doctor Baum at the Emergency Hospital commented that despite Sam's probable discomfort he didn't whimper, snap, or growl during his poking and prodding examination.  He was surprised - I was not.  Just a day in the life of Sam...

"Just because I'm uncomfortable, that doesn't mean I should take it out on others."  Another Sam-ism?  Something else for me to work on, I think...