What The Heck Is My Name, Anyway???

I know it's some derivative of Sam, but the fact is, I've been called many different things at one time or another. Sam. Sammy. Sammers. Sam E. Sam Elliott (when I'm really in trouble). Samson. Samsonite. Samsung. Samurai. Sammy McSamerson. Samwise. Samwise Gamgee. I feel like I"m forgetting some, but you get the picture...

I've also been called some things that definitely aren't derivatives of "Sam", which I think are expletives. I will leave that to your imagination...

Mostly, Master Tim addresses me as "Oh Sammy Me Boy!" What does he think he is, Irish?

All I know is, it's cold out there! I can't even poop standing on all fours anymore. I have to take turns doing it on three legs, so I can try to warm up one of my Oklahoma feet. Which is why I have to report that I love heat. Heat Seaters, I mean seat heaters, are my favorite. Master Tim rarely keeps me in the kennel in the truck anymore. He has found that all he has to do is turn the heat seater on "HIGH" and I will stay in the general vicinity. I also like to hover on the bench, right above the heater in the fish house - so close, that once, I singed the hair on my ears (they hang down a little bit you know). Potty training can become challenging when it is this cold, cuz going potty is all about time, and my Oklahoma body can't handle that much time out there! All I want to do is run back to the house where it's warm, and then when I get inside, I find out that I have to go even worse. Oh boy, that's when I hear things that are definitely NOT my name.

I've been having lots of contact with other dogs lately. Mostly Maverick (Ben's dog), but also Bodie (Gutenkaufs dog), Sozo (the house dog at Master Tim's work), Hugo and Mira (Lauren and Michael's dogs), and other random dogs that I run into here and there. Thing is, I usually have a chew toy called a "bully stick", and I worry about other dogs getting my bully stick, so my thing lately is finding just the right place to hide it. I carry it around in my mouth and look here and there - under a couch or table, in a dark corner beside a potted plant, and I leave it there - but not for very long, because I like to chew on them a lot. So I move them often - so often, that sometimes I forget where I put them, and then I have to hunt and sniff all over the place to find them again. Once in a while, I hide them so good that I can't find them at all, or, I can see them but I can't get to them - so I get frustrated and BARK! I think Master Tim and Granny find this to be amusing.

Granny gave me a Santa doll for Christmas! I love to tackle Santa. Chew on Santa. Body slam Santa. And run around the house like a wild animal, with Santa in my mouth. Sometimes, I just shake Santa, and take out all of my aggression on him. It's a good thing Santa is well made. I think he will last a little while longer...

I'm growing really fast! If you haven't seen me in awhile, you will really be surprised. Last time I went to see the puppy doctor, I gained five pounds, and I wasn't even gone for three weeks! Master Tim keeps giving me more and more food. I keep eating it fast, like it is the first food I've seen in days. If I don't, some other dog might get it, you know? Mostly, I'm getting taller, and building some muscle in my legs, but you can still see my ribs. I'm not fat or anything like that. Master Tim seems insecure about this. He keeps taking me, and cuddling with me, and telling me to stop growing so fast. For some reason, he likes me being a puppy. Once, when I woke up in the morning, he told me that I had gotten bigger overnight! I like being big and strong and powerful. Heck with Master Tim!

I like Holidays, cuz a few times, I got some people food - like turkey. Turkey is good!

Merry Christmas!

Sam E.