Sammy II

1+ year-old sable and white male

Update on Sammy – July 17, 2006!

You’ve come a long way Sammy!

In the several months that Sammy has been at his foster home, he has been transformed from a nervous, frightened boy into a confident, happy collie. He is no longer afraid of common household items and noises and has even conquered his fear of the dreaded shiny floor. He has learned how to love and trust, and although he sometimes flinches at a raised hand or a loud voice, he no longer flees. Given his remarkable progress, Sammy’s foster mom no longer feels that he must have a doggie companion in his forever home, although he gets along well with other dogs and would be fine in a multi-dog household. A fence would still be preferred for Sammy, but in the right situation, it too might not be a necessity.

Sammy’s foster family describes him as the Engergizer Sammy. If only we could bottle all that energy! He loves to play with his foster, canine siblings and he really loves children. He also enjoys his toys (especially the stuffed ones). Sammy still has some residual, separation anxiety, but he is much improved, and his foster mom believes it would disappear entirely with time and his own forever family. When he is left alone, he tends to chew things, so he would need to be left in a safe place when his family is out.

Sammy is ready to face the world. He is ready for that loving, forever family who will continue to show him what a joyous place the world can be for a happy little collie boy.


Update on Sammy – May 7, 2006!

Sammy is really settling into his foster home. He is eating much better and has even learned to like treats (particularly any treat that one of his canine foster siblings has). He is on a special diet to help him gain some much needed weight and build up his coat. He is also getting over some of his fears of common indoor experiences and is making slow progress on his fear of the dreaded shiny floor! Sammy is well behaved in the house, doesn’t jump up on furniture and does not need to be crated at night or when his foster family is gone for short periods of time. In fact, he seems to have lost his fear of crates now that he knows he will not be locked in. He sometimes goes there for a little doggy down time.

Sammy is an extremely loving boy and gets along well with virtually all of his fellow creatures. He loves playing with the other dogs in his foster family and is very friendly and playful with any dogs that he meets. The family cat is dog savvy and ignores Sammy, so Sammy returns the favor. If he were to encounter a cat that would run from him or hiss at him, Sammy might see this as an invitation to play, so his forever home should probably only include cats that are dog experienced. He loves his foster mom and is learning to trust his foster dad, but Sammy’s real favorites are the children. He is very protective of them and needs to know where they are at all times. If given his choice, he usually sleeps near the bed of one of the children and allows the three year old to dress him up like a large, furry doll. Sammy’s forever home needs to be one that either includes children or one in which children are frequent visitors.

Although Sammy is making progress with his fears, he still has a long way to go before he is the confident boy that he wants to be. He is initially friendly and affectionate with all strangers, but abrupt movements or loud noises still frighten him (particularly if they come from a man). He is such a gentle boy, that his fear never manifests itself in aggression, only in an attempt to flee. His adoptive family will need to understand and be very patient with him, particularly since a move to a new home will probably result in a set back for Sammy. Patience and love will be rewarded, however, with an exceptionally sweet and devoted collie boy.

Sammy came to MWCR from another rescue that didn’t have the necessary space for a large dog. He had originally been surrendered by an older couple who lived on a farm and kept him as an outdoor dog. He was left on his own virtually all of the time and didn’t have toys or other dogs to play with. For this reason, Sammy decided to make his own fun by chasing and trying to play with those large, brown, “mooing” dogs on the farm next door. Since neither the farmer nor the cows appreciated this friendly gesture, Sammy was given up for his own safety.

As a lone, outdoor dog, Sammy didn’t receive any training and doesn’t know most basic commands. He understands “no,” “sit” and “down” but he will need his forever home to work with him to help expand his knowledge. He is such a sweet boy and so eager to please that this should be an easy task that will help him to bond to his new family. Sammy accepts grooming (particularly the much loved Zoom Groom) and enjoys baths so much that he tries to share the fun by making sure that his human gets at least as wet as he does!

Once Sammy has gained weight and been neutered he will be looking for a very special, forever home. Because he is young and energetic, he will need a large, fenced yard where he can play and work off his excess energy. He will also need a doggie companion to play with and to help him “learn the ropes” and become a more confident boy. Since Sammy has spent almost all of his young life alone, he is particularly in need of love and attention. For this reason, he will need a forever home in which he is not left alone for long periods of time: a retired couple, a stay-at-home mom or someone who works either part time or from home would be perfect. Most importantly, Sammy’s love for children and his devotion to them, make it mandatory that he should have children in his life. One look into Sammy’s eyes will tell you that this is an old soul in a very young body and that he deserves a special love to make up for the loneliness in his past.

New to Rescue!

Sammy is a new arrival at MWCR, but is already proving to be a real lover. When he came to his foster home he was 10 to 15 pounds underweight and his first job as an MWCR collie is to put on some weight. Once his weight is where is should be, Sammy will be neutered and ready for his forever home. This will take a little time, but if all goes well, he will probably be ready in late May.

In the meantime, Sammy is learning what it is like to be an indoor dog. Prior to coming to his foster home, he had always lived outdoors and while he loves being inside with people, there are lots of indoor things (slippery floors, ringing phones, TVs, etc.) that are strange and scary to him. He is learning gradually from his foster family that those things are not as dangerous as they seem, and he is also doing well on his housetraining.

Sammy is an extremely loving and mellow boy who gets along well with other dogs and even with cats. He loves being with people, but he particularly loves children. He plays “dress up” with his foster family’s three year old daughter and follows her from room to room. He also considers the family’s infant son to be his special responsibility. When the baby cries, Sammy pulls mom into the baby’s room if she isn’t moving quickly enough. This is one collie that would definitely let you know if Timmy was in the well!

Although Sammy is highly affectionate with most people, he does have a fear of men. Initially, he is fine, but if a man does anything that Sammy perceives as threatening, the poor guy trembles, whimpers and tries to hide. The “threat” can be as simple as a loud voice, a sudden approach or the use of what appears to Sammy to be a weapon i.e. a broom, shovel, etc. He will need a forever home that either doesn’t include males or one where the man will be gentle, patient and understanding of his fears. His forever home should also include a companion dog.

In the short time he has been at his foster home, Sammy has won everyone’s heart. As he settles in there, other aspects of his personality will no doubt emerge, so be sure to check back for updates on this loving, gentle boy.

Sammy is being fostered in the Des Moines, IA area.