Sam the beautiful all-black German Shepherd Dog: 07/01/2005

The Cyberdog Buddy - Gershwin

My cyberdog buddy Gershwin went to the Rainbow Bridge a few weeks ago. My Mom and his Mom exchanged emails about us and say that we have a lot of the same behaviors.

Alert, happy, even though not mobile
Live with 3 other dogs
A special bark when we need something!
Good at grabbing treats out of mid-air

Even though Gershwin is gone now I expect to meet him in dogson at the Rainbow Bridge.

Gershwin montage

Gershwin posing

The New York Times: more feline than canine

It's terrible how biased the press is! Even the venerable NYTimes shows its claws in the latest article which worships cats and their prowness on the internet. Well, I couldn't let this pass. I wrote my first "letter to the editor".

MY LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK TIMES

Subject: Dogs DO Blog -- despite your article stating the contrary

Dear Editor of the New York Times,

Regarding the article about cats on the internet:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/30/arts/30cats.html?hp
Internet's Best Friend (Let Me Count the Ways)
By SARAH BOXER
Published: July 30, 2005

While amusing and well-written, it concludes with a shocking falsehood:
“Those cats are like so many bloggers sitting at home staring into their computer screens and watching other bloggers blog other bloggers. Cats, who live indoors and love to prowl, are the soul of the blogosphere. Dogs would never blog.”

I realize the NYTimes is biased; more Democrat than Republican, more liberal than conservative, more intellectual than blue-collar, but I never, ever would have imagined it to be more feline than canine.

Check out my blog – http://www.samtheblackgsd.blogspot.com/.
“Sam the beautiful all-black German Shepherd dog”
220 posts since August 26, 2004 (when I finally gained access to the internet). That’s an average of more than 5 posts a week. And check out the “Dog Blogroll” in the sidebar of my blog where my cyberdog buddies are busily chronicling their lives.

Woofs and Treats,
Sam the beautiful all-black German Shepherd dog
http://www.samtheblackgsd.blogspot.com/

p.s. I often post about cats since my goal in life is to get my pearly teeth around their soft lithe scrawny bodies and scrunch down hard. No luck so far, but this dream keeps me going.

The Found Cat

Incredibly, Misty has been found! I'm trying to act happy about this but frankly I think she is just waaaayyyy too much trouble to keep. Mom really should let me deal with her. It would be short and sweet.

Anyway, Misty wandered 13 houses away, but never crossed the street, and sautered into the home of Florence and her husband. Misty joined their all-gray cat Smokey in chowing down cat food, right in the house! Florence had picked up a "lost cat" flyer and knew immediately that Misty was the intruder and she called Mom to come and get her. Florence said the "lion tail" was the dead giveaway. When Mom showed up Misty hid in the sewing room. Mom finally caught her and Misty purred for 10 seconds then she ran into the family room and hid behind the chair. Mom grabbed her again and took a couple of photos with Misty and Smokey "sitting" in Florence's lap. They are two evil looking felines if you ask me, plotting something nefarious. They sure look alike.

Mom has been kissing Misty and cooing at her, all pretty disgusting given how upset Mom has been about Misty's shenanigans. When Misty showed up I got up the energy to get off of my bed and sit up and bark at her. It's the least I could do!

Only Misty's "lion tail" is visible behind the chair. Click on the photo to make it larger. Misty is hiding from Mom when she went to rescue her. I guess Misty would have preferred to stay with her new buddy Smokey.

Misty and Smokey acting out. Can you guess which is which? They are in the lap of Misty's savior, Florence from 13 houses away.

Misty and Smokey -- which is which? Ha, ha. That stupid "lion tail" gives her away. Sitting next to Florence, Misty's savior.

The Lost Cat

Misty the scrawny gray cat has disappeared. Mom is crazy with worry and running around the neighborhood going door-to-door with a color poster and plastering these posters all over any post or fence she can find. Misty has been gone one whole day and she never disappeared for more than 15 minutes before. Even I feel sad because I miss barking at her and trying to get my jaws around her soft little body.

Here are some photos of Misty and the wording of the poster. Mom also filed a lost cat report at the San Jose Animal Control Center.

Misty looking up

Misty head shot

Misty and Charli in cage

Misty the cat is missing as of the morning of Wednesday July 27th, 2005 from Chateau Drive, Saratoga, CA 95070. All gray with long hair however she has a summer haircut (the “lion cut”) and her hair is short except for tufts on the tail and face. Female, spayed, age approx. 15 yrs. Weight 7lbs. Green eyes.

Misty is an indoor cat only, during the summer she lives in an outdoor cattery. She escaped during the night. Misty is not experienced being outdoors. She is unafraid of things, including dogs. She does not have any front claws (they were removed by her previous owner, she is a rescue from the Humane Society). Misty has a blue and pink collar with several ID tags including a license (043982), and is microchipped (Avid 085 018 796). She has probably not gone far and is still near home, cross streets are Cox and Saratoga-Sunnyvale, behind the Argonaut Shopping Center. Vet is Hemingway Cat Hospital.

The Photos of Sam

Sam wishing he wasn't being photographed

Sam lying down

Sammy

Sam outside

Sam and his big nose

The Crossing of the Great White Porch

Tonight I got so exasperated waiting for Mom to help me come back from the yard, across the great white porch, and into the house, that I just decided to crawl in myself. Mom was shocked to see me all the way up to the sliding glass door! I haven't crawled much at all since I had that last bout of pnuemonia. Crawling means I am stronger, which is good. Mom put the muzzle on me as she is about to help me get inside the house. Mom always muzzles me before she fools with my limbs since she says I get a little bit ornery.

After crossing the great white porch I'm right at the sliding glass door!

Mom opened the sliding glass door and now I am trying to get over the threshold using the leverage of the door against my head and neck. I'm trying awfully hard which is good. I need to exercise myself as much as possible.

You are probably wondering what is wrong with this photo that it is so streaky and weird. Mom wonders the same thing. This happens to a lot of her photos that are taken inside the house. Since she has a super duper digital camera Mom is sure that the fault is hers, not the camera's. If anyone knows what Mom is doing wrong and how to fix it, please leave a comment. It's a shame that photos of me are not coming out perfect!

Struggling to get in the door by myself

The Job for Pumpkin

Believe it or not, Pumpkin now has a job! Danielle takes him to a convalescent home where he is supposed to interact with the residents in a positive way (that is, by wagging his tail and letting them pet him and not by stealing their food and jumping on their laps). Mom took some photos of Danielle and Pumpkin working today.

Danielle realizing Pumpkin is lying down on the job

Danielle reminding Pumpkin to be friendly and not steal anyone's food

Danielle the beautiful with Pumpkin totally under control

Pumpkin exhausted from taking orders: Sit! Down! (followed by eating a treat)

The Typical Monday

Today was a typical Monday. Breakfast, then swimming, then dinner. Gosh I love to go out. Mom says I'm kind of dumb because I am so eager to get into the car and yet so surprised when I end up at the pool. It's true that I do not like to swim. But I love to be in the car. After I go swimming since it is evening by then Mom parks in the shady driveway and lets me hang out in the car all by myself. It's cool being in the car!

I swam really good today. I am getting back some of my strength that I lost when I had pneumonia. Mom didn't bring the camera and torture me thank goodness. Sadie the white lab and Honey the yellow lab were also at the pool. They don't like to swim all that much either. Sadie barked and barked at Honey for no obvious reason. I'm quiet at the pool. I don't interact with the other dogs or humans, I'm kind of above the social patter that goes on. I do keep my eyes glued on Mom just in case she decides to toss me a treat.

Yesterday I really wanted to grab the cats and squeeze their furry little bodies hard with my teeth. I barked and barked and snapped my teeth like an alligator. Gosh I looked and sounded like pure evil. But that scrawny gray cat named Misty just sauters by me a few feet away and worse then she lies down on the ground and swishes her tail and stares at me taunting me! She deserves to have my pearly teeth squished into her scrawny body but no...I cannot walk so I cannot grab her. Die Misty die. Oops. Mom didn't like that. Well, gotta go now.