The Eulogy To Sam
This post is written by Cynthia, Sam's pet guardian.-------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Fans, Friends, and Cyberdog Buddies of Sam the beautiful all-black German Shepherd Dog,
I set Sammy free today at 5pm PST. There was no one particular reason, it’s just everything all added up. I want him to leave happy rather than when he was suffering. He was so paralyzed at this point that he couldn't even get to his water dish if it was beyond the end of his nose.
Sam had a wonderful day starting with sleeping next to me all night with me rubbing his ears and nose continuously. In the morning he ate lots of ice cubes and an expecially large breakfast. Then he got fresh peanut butter in his Kong and a rawhide bone which he chewed on for hours.
His swimming lesson was great. He and Connie, his swim instructor, called it a truce and he gladly let her rub his ears. He didn't even once try to bite her when he was swimming. There are photos of Sam swimming in the posts below, along with some videos.
Sammy left this world after eating 5 bananas in one day, in fact, he had a banana chunk in his mouth at the very end. He passed away on the floor of the back seat of the suburban, one of his very favorite places, satiated with bananas and treats. He closed his eyes and went to the better place where his legs work again and he can run and bark and actually catch and chew on cats.
While every pet guardian thinks their pet is the best, Sammy was the bestest of the best! I don't need to tell you about his antics; you can read about them in his words right here in his blog.
However, I do want to mention his great attitude through all of his difficulties.
Sammy never lost his sense of knowing what is really important in life: food, ice cubes, bananas, being in the house, car rides, and barking at the cats. His sense of self of self-importance never wavered even as he became less and less mobile. He knew that if an ice cube slid out of reach, it was my job to fetch it for him.
And he kept up his job of barking at the cats, and the squirrels and the birds in the yard, without complaint despite his handicap. In fact, he enjoyed his job tremendously even though the possibility of catching and eating one of the luscious felines became unlikely. The cats kept up their part of the game by continuing to completely ignore him.
He kept working at his personal goal -- biting his swim instructor -- without becoming discouraged despite his total lack of success.
Over time he proved to Elsa the Meanie that he, Sammy, was the top dog and she was subordinate to him.
When disaster struck from the Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, Sammy willingly gave up his treat allowance to the relevant Humane Societies.
Sammy never figured out that he was paralyzed and couldn't walk. He just dealt with what he could do and lived happily within his physical limitations. He is my hero for keeping his spirits up without fail, and always appreciating a banana.
I will be making a donation to Refugio Franciscano in Mexico in Sam's name.
Additional eulogies to Sammy Wammy can be found in the comments to this post and the surrounding posts, and on the blogs of his canine blogging buddies:
It's time to say goodbye, posted by China, the medium bug-eyed red mutt
Goodbye Sammy, posted by IndyPindy the Husky
Goodbye Sammy, Miss you, posted by Freda the Delta Bunny GSD
Nicknames, posted by Leader dog Willow and Stella the puppy
Ode to Sammy, posted by Heidi the Way Under Dog
------------------------------------------------------------
Many thanks to all of the people who helped me with Sammy including his vets and the staffs who cared for him at Adobe Animal Hospital, Pet's Friend Animal Clinic, and the Animal Care Center, the San Francisco Bay Area German Shepherd Rescue group who saved him from euthanasia, the Degenerative Myelopathy Yahoo Group who provided support, knowledge, a variety of DM-specific equipment, and friends galore, his cyberdog (and cybercat) buddies and their humans, his blog fan club, my friends and family who loved him, his swim instructor Connie Frank of Aquadog who laughed off his attempts to bite her, his sibling doggies Elsa, Pumpkin and Buffy who tolerated him, the luscious felines Misty and Charli who ignored him, and my good friend Cindy who kept me going when times were really tough.
posted by Sam the black GSD @ 11:30 PM
20 Comments:
Godspeed Sammy, you will be dearly missed. Tamar couldn't have said it better, you DO hold a special place in our hearts. Run free beautiful boy!
With tears & love-
Meagen (from DM List)
Cynthia and Sam, you've been the heros, the shining examples, for the DM group. Sammy has entered the pages of doggie history--and you deserve a well-earned rest. (Hope that is not true about Elsa!)
Harriet (from the DM list)
Beautiful Sammy, run free now, and know that you are sorely missed. I have laughed and cried with you and your mom for many months. You have been a shining inspiration to all of us, and we will not forget you. Run free, be happy, and carry our love to all the kids at the Bridge.
Love,
Gretchen (from the DM list)
I am so, so sorry. Your post brought tears to my eyes.
I've never commented before, but have been reading your blog for awhile now. I've enjoyed this blog so much and am so sad that Sammy is gone.
Dearest Cynthia and Sammy-Wammy,
I've been so blessed to known you both over the last several months.
I will miss you, 'my' Sammy, but am comforted to know you are running free and happy now - and forever more.
Til we meet again---
All our love,
Cindy, Dick, Kodi Swan and Angel Shadie
Goodbye Sammy, we'll miss you! We learned so much from your blog. We will always remeber you when we get to eat some bananas, especially since reading your blog let us know that bananas were so yummy in the first place. :-)
Hugs & puppy kisses to Cynthia,
--Leader Dog Willow and Stella (& Laura)
Dear Sam and your Mommy, we've never met you but you're really dear to us after reading your blog all these months. You fought the good fight with courage and dignity, especially in that war against them felines.
Someday we'll all meet in heaven!
Sniffle-ly,
Reowster Kobmeister
Oh Sam, and Sam's mommy,
I am so sorry to hear this news, but I am also glad to hear that Sam's suffering is over. Cynthia, you gave Same the best possible life he could have had, and you gave us all the joy of knowing him, if even for a little while. I know Sam is happily running in the big green fields of doggie heaven, an he looks forward to seeing you there someday!
Indy and his mom
I only came across your blog today. I'm so sorry to hear that Sammy has crossed the bridge. Thank you for knowing when it was time.
My Heart is with you.
Sammy, run free & run like the wind. You are now a whole, young vibrant boy. You will forever be an inspiration to all. Cynthia, you are the best.
Sandy (from the DM list)
Sammy you were a big part of our DM family and will be missed by all of us. Your Mother Cynthia loved you immensely and was so very proud of you. Love ya man!
Sara, Howard, and our little angel boy Brutus
Dear Cynthia,
God bless you and Sammy Wammy. I hope he gets to meet Ragamuffin at the Rainbow Bridge. He was a fan of Sam's and I used to read him Sam's blog before he passed away on 9/4/05. We will miss you Sam.
Dear Sammy,
Purrs and head butts to you and your mom, I'll miss you. If you see my woofie, tell him I miss him too.
Mia
Dear Mr. Sam, the all-black German Shepherd,
If you can read this from where you are, please say hi to Kaiya the Samoyed for me and maybe share a banana from the angels with her. She had to go from here too, but she is still always here it seems no matter how much time of change happens.
If you can, would you please put in a good word for your mom Cynthia for all of us who understand what a loving human can give to a fellow spirit. Not many humans can give so much to a dog like that for so long and stick with them through everything good and not so good.
Also, please tell God that he has some work to do down here to help lots of dogs, humans and other souls with all the pain they get in their lives; some every single day. And tell God thanks for giving me life and if you haven't already, tell him that all us dogs appreciate that he arranged it so dog spelled backwards is God, at least in English anyway.
But most importantly, make sure if they run out of bananas in Heaven to let me know, 'cause I always have an extra one to share with you anytime. After you get your wings, all you have to do is just bark real loud and I'll leave one on the porch for you to eat when you come by.
Thank you for being the inspiration for so many.
We love you Sam!
Cal
Dear Sammy,
I miss you already. You have been such an inspiration to all of us DM doggies. I know that you are in a better place where you can run free and chase kitties all day long. Please save a spot right by your side for me. We will run together and eat ice cubes together and you can have my share of bananas because I don't like them!! How's that for an offer!
With much love,
Kody the LHGSD
Sammy what a special boy you are and how we will all miss you. You were an inspiration to all of us. You fought such a brave fight and tho we are so sad you are gone ... we are also celebrating your freedom. Run free Sammy ... you are whole again you beautiful boy!
Love,
Tamar
Sammy I vill miss you! You da bestest of da best. You're gone from here but your story will live on in our hearts for a lifetime. I'm very sad. :(
Cynthia you're a dogs best friend. You're in my prayers.
Chow Heidi
Dear Sammy,
We are goin' to miss you big guy. You will always be an inspiration to us all. You showed us how to live life to the fullest.
Your Cynthia has been an inspiration to my human and others. (His eyes are kinda watery now.) He hopes he has the same love and strength she has had ever since you entered her life....
I am very glad I got to read your blog. I learned a lot and know I found a friend.
I know somewhere, sometime a very handsome GSD puppy is goin' to appear and he will be a runner. He will run and run. And a lucky human is going to look into its eyes and say, 'Hello... Sammy. Yes. Sammy. Would you like to go and chase some cats?'
Miss you.
Whimper...
Freda
thanks for posting your story. sam is a big inspiration for us.
I used to work with a police dog handler who had a black shephard. Big boned and bold. So powerfull. Yet so playfull untill it was time to catch the baddies.
Inspiring blog
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