Thank you, Samantha.

Back in February, I introduced you all to Kelso, the Shih Tzu that started it all. She was my first Shih Tzu, with us for 18 years (!), watching me grow up. When Kelso was six (and I was 14), she had a litter of puppies – four sweet baby Shih Tzu’s, two of which we would keep: Spike and Samantha. Spike is still with us (he is 15 now), and lives with my parents, but four years ago tomorrow, we lost our sweet Sammy girl to congestive heart failure.

In honor of Sammy’s life, I’d like to share with you all just a little bit about this sweet girl who has meant so much to me.

Samantha was the gentlest, kindest dog we’d ever had. She was a friend to absolutely everybody she met, hopping up in a lap whenever the opportunity presented itself. But don’t be fooled – Sammy had a mischievous side too. You may have heard me call Millie the Stealth Bomber. This originated as Sammy’s alter ego. In her 11 years, she never saw the value of pottying outside when a perfectly good carpet inside would do the trick.

Sammy chasing her brother down!

Her best friend was her brother Spike, and she taunted him mercilessly, as siblings do. She didn’t care much about toys, but Spike did, so she would steal them from him just because it would irritate him. And if he had a toy that she wanted to steal from him, she used the tried and true “bite him in the ass until he drops it” maneuver. Poor Spike.

Bad hair day.

Samantha wasn’t graceful or beautiful (if you’d ask the AKC, that is). She was always disheveled like she’d been out all night on a binger.  She had various health problems (seizures, a heart murmur, a slipped disc and the resulting paralysis that the wonderful vets at Virginia Tech miraculously fixed). But she was, of course, a beautiful, perfect girl in our eyes.

When she wasn’t even a year old, Sammy had puppies (Word to the wise, spay your pets at 6 months. We thought she was too young to get pregnant – boy were we wrong). My parents were out of town when she went into labor, so my 16-year-old older sister and I helped to deliver the puppies. I can still remember sitting on the laundry room tile when Sammy jumped into my lap, let out a huge yelp, and out came a pup. Right in my lap. It was gross and amazing all at once.

I considered her my guardian angel. She was with me at a time in my life where I needed a friend, and she never failed. (Show me one dog that would. I’m betting you can’t.) I am forever grateful to her.

Four years later, I still think about Sammy often. I suspect I always will. The joy and laughter she brought into our lives is immeasurable. Thank you, Samantha.

Love always,

Layne, Kelley, Mom & Dad

My freshman year of college at orientation, we were supposed to bring a photo to share with our new classmates.
This is the one I brought.

A classic Sam-Spike face-off.

Sammy with my sister (L) and me (R).

Sammy with my Mom & Dad.

My beautiful girl.

After Sammy passed, my Mom made a keepsake box for me that I keep right on my desk. That's her collar on the front.

My guardian angel.