Northwest Samoyed Rescue

Sophie’s blue spot is so we can identify her quickly.

Tessa relaxing in the yard.

This month we had a visit from Terry, a friend who has twice adopted dogs from us. She and her late husband Dennis were loving parents to multiple dogs over the years. While she was here we talked about the possibility of giving Sophie a home after her senior girl Tasha passes on. We hope that will be a long time from now, and we know it will be quite a while before Sophie learns to trust. Just like Fena, who is now with Kathi, it will help her confidence to learn she can cope with being a single dog. Equally important, if we can split Sophie and Tessa it will help both of them because their fear feeds off each other. Both are coming along slowly, and although it seems we say that monthly, it is true every time. I’m keeping kibble in the office now and both the Iowa girls frequently come and ask for a bite. Tessa hangs back in the hallway, while Sophie comes in and takes it from my hand. We’ve experienced some regression with Tessa, who would rather stay outdoors in good weather, who won’t come back in. With time and patience she always ends up in the kitchen eventually but it takes a while. Handling them is difficult so we can’t clean their feet, and the mud on our kitchen floor is testament to that.

Happy Annie

The big news of the month is that Annie has been adopted. We contacted a previous adopter in British Columbia who has had dogs from both rescue and a breeder; she lost her Samoyed girl a few months back. After several tries, put off because of travel and a cold, she was finally able to come and meet Annie. When she got here she sat down Annie began showing interest in her; we have said many times the dog chooses the human, and it happened again. Annie rode back north with no problems at all, and is settling into her new home. This was an ideal match. We’re still getting used to her absence because she spent ten months with us. It seems much quieter, and on the positive side we have been able to fill in some holes in the yard and plant a little grass. So far Annie hasn’t begun digging in her new yard, possibly because she has more attention there.

Nanuk on a walk.

Nanuk is still officially on the books as a rescue dog in a foster home. He needed some minor dental work, which was done at our vet’s office locally, so we had a chance for a short visit with him and his people. He is a strikingly handsome boy who is thriving in his home. We consider this boy one of our biggest successes. He came into rescue matted and filthy and his life changed forever when he went to live with John and Theresa. He gets daily walks with John (you might say John gets daily walks with Nanuk), and he goes everywhere with them. This is a perfect definition of a lucky dog.

We keep responding to dogs we hear about, like the one in Abbotsford BC recently. Most of the time we check in with either the shelter or the party listing the dog, and sometimes we hear back. Usually we don’t, but we keep trying.

Many of our friends go to Amazon using the link on our website, and we appreciate that a lot. Well, bad news. Amazon decided a week ago that we were not in compliance with their rules because “friends, relatives, or business associates are using our link.” The email we got was quite rude, and allowed for no appeal. We tried to explain that we don’t know who uses the link because they won’t share names, but we got a second copy of the email. Amazon pays two months in arrears, and when they closed the account they kept two months of contributions.

What we have been using is the “Amazon Associates” program, designed to drive business to them by incentivizing “partners” to get people to use special links. It gave us from 1% to 5% of each purchase, which has been a substantial part of our income. They have another program called “Amazon Smile” that is built especially for charities, which gives 0.5% on everything. That’s all we have now, and the link on our webpage has been adjusted. It’s all we can do. If you previously bookmarked the link, please DO NOT use it any more. Go to Amazon through our website (www.nwsams.com/Amazon) and bookmark the new link. It we can get just a few dozen people shopping with that link our dogs will benefit greatly. Thank you.

Tessa and Sophie

Did you know grapes can be toxic to dogs? If they have enough (and that may only be a few) their kidneys can shut down. Early on September 5 Annie counter-surfed and pulled down a large bag of grapes while we were out of the room. Sophie, Tessa, Lily, and Rowdy all helped clean them off the floor. We know the danger and we had an unopened bottle of hydrogen peroxide in the cupboard. The first two, Rowdy and Tessa, gave the grapes back after a large dose of peroxide. Annie didn’t so we knew it would be an emergency trip to the vet. We took her, along with Sophie and Lily, to an expensive morning of treatment. First they gave the three dogs Apomorphine (to induce vomiting), then something to calm their stomachs. The drug didn’t initially work on Sophie, so they did a quick x-ray and found her stomach was packed with grapes and gave her peroxide. That worked, and they said it was an impressive quantity. All three received a liter of fluids, and all had to drink a bottle of activated charcoal. We’re fortunate we have a great relationship with our vets, and were able to contact someone outside normal hours who could arrange to give us immediate help. During the morning we talked to three vets and a half dozen vet techs, and our dogs got terrific care. Two days later we took the same three dogs back for tests and their kidney functions were all normal.

Kathy holds Sophie while the techs work on her.

During the grape scare, both Sophie and Tessa were involved. Tessa is still very fearful, and we were lucky the hydrogen peroxide worked on her and we didn’t have to take her to town. Sophie went with us, double-leashed and crated, and handled things surprisingly well. Both the Iowa girls are improving steadily, especially Sophie, who has lately been coming into the office and bumping my arm, hoping I am carrying kibble in my pocket. When I pass out treats, whether it be kibble, cookies, or green beans, she always takes them from my hand. Tessa is coming closer, and every few days will take something before scampering back out of reach.

Of the three original girls, Fena is the closest to recovery because she is with Kathi in a home with normal, well-adjusted dogs. Her dog-walker, Zak, is doing a remarkable job of getting Fena used to men. All three are much more afraid of men, but Zak is now able to take Sophie to the dog park where she gets along well with the others.

Sophie, Rowdy, Annie, and Tessa

Annie has been here since November and is ready for her new home. As mentioned last month, we have arranged for a previous adopter in British Columbia to come meet her, but that is slightly delayed because of a minor health problem. Annie is our resident digger, counter-surfer, and barker, but our adopter is ready and experienced. Sometimes it’s hard to see a dog leave, and that’s definitely the case with Annie. Her faults are because of her age, and we know she is close to the point of settling down and will be an amazing companion.

We will soon get to see Nanuk again. He’s being fostered in Kalama by John and Theresa, and they will be bringing him to our vet for a dental. On their way back they plan to stop and visit, which we know we will enjoy. He is a wonderful dog; if he got along with our boy I’m confident he would still be living with us. As it is, he landed in the perfect home.

Last month we were working with a man in Sandpoint, Idaho, who had a six year old male and twelve year old female he asked us to re-home. Recently he wrote to say the old girl was sick, and he thought he better keep her for now. When we asked what was wrong he couldn’t say because he couldn’t afford to pay for the tests the vet wanted to do. From the symptoms, we were quite concerned, so our board voted unanimously to pay his vet for the tests. Unfortunately, the ultrasound showed a large mass and he elected to euthanize her. We’re sorry that was the outcome, but rescue takes a lot of different forms. Sometimes just doing the best thing for a dog makes it worthwhile. We’re giving him a while to decide whether he really wants us to place the six year old.

Early last month we were told about a stray Samoyed at the Everett shelter, and Ryann volunteered to contact them and see if we could help. She called and they didn’t give her much information, so she went in to check. They told her the owner had already claimed her. A week ago there was another Samoyed at the same shelter, and we heard from someone else about that one. Again, the shelter said the owner came for her. It shows again that our policy of placing only in homes with secure fences is a good one. Samoyeds like to explore new places, and they don’t stop till they are tired. Some of our dogs even come to us because owners are tired of paying the fines. Thanks to Holley, we heard of a Samoyed already with a rescue group in Seattle. We offered our assistance and asked if we should advise our applicants about their listing; they returned our emails promptly and said they had an adopter lined up. There is a great demand for our breed, and people are always searching. Unfortunately, that’s also the reason for puppy mills and retail rescues.

The Portland pup.

A week ago we were contacted by a man in Portland who had a 3 month old female puppy and wanted to place her that same day. His girlfriend couldn’t keep her, didn’t understand how active she would be, and he agreed to find a new home. His mother has “an immune problem” so the pup had to be outside. Melissa agreed to take her and he wanted to drive to her house immediately. He agreed to wait until the next morning, but didn’t show up. Eventually Melissa reached him and he said a family member took the pup. This all happened in the space of a single day.

Max and his new family.

Max was with Melissa and Terry since last December, after Laura picked him up from the Clackamas shelter and took him there. There was something about him that said we needed a DNA test, and it showed he was actually 7/8 Siberian Husky. The other 1/8 may have included Samoyed, and he was white, but his personality was more reserved. He frequently challenged their dog Boomer, and it wasn’t always a perfect situation although 99% of the time he was a sweet dog. Melissa said he was wonderful except for being a bed hog. When she got up at night to let other dogs out, he jumped up on her side and sacked out. It took a while, but we were lucky to find the right home for him. The same family that adopted two of Katie’s puppies 12 years ago lost both in the past few months and asked us about finding another dog for them. They met Max and the match was excellent. His eyes were only for them. They thought about it, then returned and took him home where all are happy.

Two Samoyeds in Montana need a new home.

The day this report was written we heard from a man in Montana who wants us to take his two Samoyeds, 6 and 12 years old. He says he is a single parent of four kids and has too much work. He told us the breeder of the younger one (the old dog was bred by someone no longer around), and she said she will take both dogs if needed. First we will try to find an adopter willing to take them, but it’s a great relief to have good, responsible breeders.

Several people told us about a dog in a Salem shelter. He appears to be something other than a Samoyed, and after recent experiences we concluded we have to stick to purebred Samoyeds. We also heard again from people who want us to receive dogs from China or Korea, and we declined to participate. We know that puppy mills everywhere will make up great stories of hardship to get people to donate money, and we suspect Asian countries are no different. The usual story is that they were saved from the meat market. We think it’s much more likely they are breeding dogs and making money from the donations. There are also reports recently about sick dogs coming into the U.S. Whatever the truth, we have decided to keep the scope of our rescue in the northwest states.

Nanuk enjoying his deck.

Nanuk is still technically a foster dog, even though he lives in Kalama. He loves his life and gets to go everywhere with his humans. Nanuk, now called Nikki, is one of the true Samoyed retrievers we have seen. He fetches a ball over and over until he is tired.

Sophie and Tessa, the Iowa dogs, are still with us. Fena is still with Kathi Bacon and is getting more comfortable. Last week Fena allowed Kathi’s dog walker Zak to take her to a dog park, and seemed to enjoy the experience. A few days ago Kathi bathed her, and Fena looks terrific.

Fena after her bath.

Sophie and Tessa are enjoying the liberty of having the entire yard to run, but taking advantage of it to add to the list of things they find to chew on. Sophie will take food from my hand, while Tessa hangs back a little. When they run into their crates at night in the bedroom they will take kibble from my hand. Our grandkids were here for a few days and the two chose to spend much of each day in their crates. The experience with the chaos probably helped them in the long run, but I doubt you could convince them it was a good thing. Baths for our two are still in the future.

Annie, Rowdy, Tessa, Sasha, and Sophie.

Annie is the reason the other two dig holes. She is an affectionate, high-energy young girl who is always ready to run and play and dig. Especially dig. Once every few years we find an especially busy dog with an abundance of energy, and she is at the top of that list. She came to us quite apprehensive and a bit fearful, and after almost ten months we think she is ready to move to a forever home. We contacted a woman in Vancouver BC who adopted previously, and she is up to the challenge. She had experience with a digger and will come to meet Annie sometime early next month. We have six dogs in the house, but Annie creates about half the workload. We know when she leaves we will miss her a lot.

We have been working with a woman in the Seattle area for over a month; she has a dog named Jaiozi she got from someone and he doesn’t get along with her male. He sounds like a good fit for Karen, a past adopter of several dogs dating back almost 20 years, so we got them together. In the meantime Jaiozi had surgery for a blockage, so the adoption has been delayed. You never know what’s coming until it surprises you, and we know we’ll never see everything. They are still communicating and we hope for a placement very soon.

A woman last month found a Samoyed in Marymoor Park. She kept him a few days while searching for his owner, and then took him to the Kent Animal Shelter. They held him for the mandatory three days, then neutered him. On the day he would be available the woman who found him was standing at the door when they opened. She did things exactly right; by taking him to the shelter and letting them try to find his home, she established a legal chain of ownership so she could adopt him with a clear title (and conscience). As we always do, we contacted the shelter to let them know we are happy to help new owners with any breed questions they might have. Many thanks to Erin, who went to the shelter twice to keep an eye on him.

In recent years there has been an influx of dogs from Korea and China. They all have the same story, that they were destined for the meat market and were saved by people who sent them to America. We have been asked to help many times, and we have made the decision that the scope of our rescue work is the Pacific Northwest. We can’t save the world, and international rescue is beyond our abilities. There is another factor involved, which is a question we have whether these really are meat market dogs. Knowing how backyard breeders work here, it seems likely that American rescuers are being fed stories about these dogs. Is that the case? We don’t know, and unfortunately there is no way to investigate the possibility. Until we can be positive, we will have to pass on Asian Samoyeds.

A Seattle all-breed group last month listed a shaved Sammy girl named Pearly. We offered to help and they returned our emails, but they had an adoption contract written before two days went by. We didn’t learn the adopter’s name, so we don’t know if it was someone already on our list.

This month we have had some significant progress with Sophie and Tessa, our Iowa girls. They have now been given the entire dog yard, and our cross-fences are all removed. Now they can run big circles and exercise while they play. The girls usually come in nicely through our patio door. They sleep at night in crates in the bedroom. After a year and a half here the progress is very slow but steady. A few days ago we had some young children in the house and Tessa spooked and dug under a deck. She was there until about 2 am, and Kathy had a short night’s sleep. For a few days Sophie and Tessa elected to stay in the bedroom, mostly in their crates, and we’re happy they see the crates as their safe place. On a negative note, last month we had a tragedy when the girls caught one of our cats and killed her. These dogs will never be safe around small animals.

Annie, who got here last November, is quite social now except in new circumstances. She also became fearful around the children, but she didn’t freak out and she behaved herself.  It was good for her in the long run. We’re still considering the right home for her.

Because of some health challenges I wasn’t able to get things ready for a Rescue Picnic this year. We are sorry that after more than 20 years, the picnic won’t happen in 2019. We hope 2020 will be better.

Snowy

Ten years ago we used to expect up to five dogs in the first half of May. Recent years have seen fewer dogs, but this year sure felt like the “good old days.” The first dog was Snowy, surrendered by his second owner at less than a year and a half old. We have to thank Seattle Humane Society for telling her about us and suggesting she contact us first; she had made an appointment with them to surrender Snowy a few days later. Hans and Holley picked him up and brought him here, where we found him to be a typically friendly boy, eager to please and still full of energy. He is also the son of Tessa, one of the puppy mill girls we have here. The pedigree showed what we have come to expect, showing Tessa had been bred to her brother. We called Sue Yim, who recently lost her boy Tolkeetna, and she came to visit him. Two days later she came back to pick him up, and Snowy lives with his new sister Sadie, who was one of Katie’s pups born 12 years ago. Snowy is a handful, still in training and a high energy dog. He needs someone like Sue.

Annie, Tessa, & Sophie

Annie has been here since November last year. We kept her an unusually long time because she was so unsocialized and fearful, and then when we thought she was almost ready she came into heat. Our vet prefers not to spay until a month after it begins, so she finally had surgery and it’s time for her to find a home. Recently we checked in with all the people on our waiting list, asking for updates and requesting they tell us if they want to remain on the list. One reply was from a couple in Idaho who adopted Button from us many years ago. Button passed last month at 14 years old, showing what great care she had. We called that family and they are going to drive to meet Annie soon. We warned them Annie is the most active girl we have ever fostered; she barks and digs and gets into trouble, but they have enough Sammy experience to recognize that won’t last forever. Annie is the kind of dog we’ve often seen, who will settle down and be an outstanding family member.

Jaiozi

In April this year a dog named Jaiozi was listed on Craigslist, but we didn’t get an answer when we wrote. Unfortunately the woman who got him, who wanted a companion for her male, found the two boys didn’t especially like each other. We became involved and we’re looking for a home for him. We will try to place him directly; Karen in Ellensburg has been waiting for three years and has gone to look at several dogs during that time. None were still available when she got there, so we’re hoping this one works out. He looks like he might be another dog born at Prairieland from Iowa puppy mill parents. We don’t have paperwork on him, so we won’t know for sure.

Fena asking for a belly rub.

Tessa and Sophie, our Prairieland girls, continue to make progress. At first their only outdoor access was a small are outside the garage, but when they moved indoors we cross-fenced a section of the back yard for them. In the last few weeks we began letting them out in the big dog yard, and they are running and playing with the other dogs. Most of the time they come back when called inside, so we will continue giving them more time there. It will be nice to get rid of that cross fence and be able to mow everything. Both dogs are still afraid of men, so Kathy interacts with them most of the time. Still, compared to a year ago they are completely different dogs. Fena, the third of the girls, is still with Kathi and making even faster progress. Recently she even turned over and asked for a belly-rub, which considering her background is nearly miraculous.

Handsome Max.

Max remains with Melissa and he is still looking for a home. He is a wonderful dog, but 7/8 Siberian Husky and people don’t come to us for a Sibe. Even those who say they will adopt a mix don’t seem interested. We even used Petfinder for the first time in years, without any positive result.

Some shelters or humane societies, like Homeward Pet in Woodinville, don’t like to work with rescues. They think they know breeds better than we do, and as a result there is a Samoyed there who was also there a few months ago. He was placed badly and came back. We tried hard to get him, but they just aren’t interested and as a result he has been in a shelter this time for over a month. Others, like Seattle Humane, recognize rescues as a good tool to help dogs. They are responsible for getting Snowy to us and we truly appreciate them.

Back in November we tried to get a dog from the Woodinville shelter, but they said they wanted to place him themselves. Now he has been returned, but they insist they know how to find him the right home. We called, emailed, and cajoled, but they don’t want to work with us. One of our well-qualified applicants tried, and she was turned down for having cats. When we run across a situation like this we always try to get the dog into rescue, but the sad fact is they have the dog and we don’t. We have to hope they get lucky this time and find him the right home.

We only cover the northwest, but Holley checks online listings daily for the entire country and forwards them to the national rescue secretary. We also keep a list of people outside our area who have inquired about dogs, and when she finds one we pass it along. This month we worked with someone in Ontario because there is no rescue group covering that part of Canada. If we can forward a listing and spend a few minutes to refer a dog, it’s time well spent.

We are actively looking for a home now for Annie. Her spay was successful and she has healed well. Her energy level means we have to be picky. It’s not every family that has the experience she will need. We also need a home for Max, and we’re having trouble because he is 7/8 Siberian Husky. He’s a cool dog, but very stubborn and wants to be the alpha dog. He would do best as a single dog living with a man. That kind of home is rare.

Sophie and Tessa continue to progress, and as we said every month since January 2018, it’s painfully slow progress. We expect they may be here for years. It means rescue must be done differently because our foster space is pretty much full. We even discussed finding sanctuary homes for them, but we don’t want to do that after the time we have invested. Last month we mentioned they are loud at bedtime, but the solution we found turned out to be easy. They now sleep in crates in the bedroom and they are quiet all night. It’s the most remarkable thing to see them run down the hall for the night, knowing they will be treated the same as the other dogs. Kathi reports that Fena is also coming along well, and now permits more touching than before. All three of the dogs need a lot of grooming, but that has to wait until they are ready.

Sophie and Tessa, waiting for treats.

The most significant thing to happen in the past month was the improvement of Sophie and Tessa. We weaned them off Prozac, which we gave for most of the past year to help with their fear. They are becoming much more normal dogs and exploring the house now. Kathy can approach them most of the time, and I have finally been able to get Sophie to take food from my hand. Tessa has been slower to trust ever since she arrived, and we are still waiting for her to get close when it’s her own choice. Fortunately she can catch treats. In the past week they both have moved to the kitchen when resting, something we were waiting for. I hand out bits of crackers each morning, and they now come to the office to participate. sAfter 14 months they are finally integrating into the pack. Their spays were last month and they went well; we expected some lasting fear from being at the vet, but both have continued to do well. It turned out they were just beginning their heat cycles, but because

Fena relaxing with an antler.

of the stress of being at the vet we elected to spay them anyway. There were fortunately no problems. Becoming normal dogs has a down side. They now bark at night when we go to bed, and both have learned to jump a gate. They definitely need a lot more exercise than they did before.

Fena is still with Kathi and making great progress. She lets her leash be clipped on, knows some basic obedience commands, and is progressing faster than our two. Soon she may even tolerate a bath.

Annie has been here since November, learning how to be a dog. She is still very young, and we are at least her fourth home. She barks, chews, counter-surfs, and digs. Does she ever dig! We put her out in the small yard with Sophie and Tessa to exercise them, and she taught them to dig too.

Annie

Our yard may never be the same. We had her scheduled to be spayed last month, and the day before the appointment she came into heat. We rescheduled for April 17. One positive thing about her heat is that she seems more mellow now. Whether it is a consequence or a coincidence, it’s nice. Annie is calmer and that’s good. We think we found the right home and we will schedule a home visit soon. Annie is developing into one of the nicest dogs we’ve had in a long time.

We have begun to see dogs for sale in the Plummer, Idaho area. The word is that a group of Mennonites has begun selling them. There were rumors that Prairieland Kennel, from whom we got the three Iowa dogs, was going to sell the rest of his dogs to someone in Idaho, and that may have happened. The pictures we saw of dogs look much like Sophie, Tessa, Fena, and the rest of the Iowa puppy mill dogs.

Laura Brice organized an auction at the WVSF Specialty to benefit Northwest Samoyed Rescue. At this writing we don’t have exact details, but it was successful and she raised well over $300. We are blessed to have good friends helping us.

Fena

Happy third birthday to Sophie and Fena, who were born as litter sisters on March 9, 2016 (Tessa is older by about five months). Fena celebrated with Kathi, who has had her since last August, while Sophie and Tessa are still here. Fena is slowly turning into a dog who trusts. She shoves her nose into Kathi’s hand; she gives kisses to get petted, and is working on being restrained. If we had two more foster moms like Kathi we would have made much more progress with the other two.

Sophie and Tessa have moved into the house full time. Living in the garage is a thing of the past, and our cars are back under cover. Kathy has been moving sections of fence around out back yard, giving the girls their own area they can access from the laundry room. We started them with a small outdoor area and have increased it slowly so they will come back in when called. Several times we had to make it smaller as they regressed, increasing it again when they came in when called, and they have plenty of room now. The best part of this? They finally, after 13 months here, are mostly housetrained. Kathy is able to feed them from her hand regularly and in recent weeks they have begun tolerating my presence.

Tessa and Sophie

The day of this writing Sophie began coming to the gate during dinner and taking treats frommy hand. We think the girls can tolerate the stress of their spay surgeries, which are scheduled for March 13th. Because of their fear we began giving all three Prozac last year in May. Because Fena was doing better, Kathi weaned her off it a couple months ago, and we have been tapering down the dose on Sophie and Tessa. Their last dose should be history by the time you read this. It means they are becoming much more active, and that in turn means they are acting more like normal dogs. Now they are getting into things they shouldn’t; last night it was a roll of toilet paper completely unwound. They have begun excavating their yard, and Sophie was trying to dig under the deck (Annie showed her that trick a month ago). We’re willing to put up with that these changes because they obviously feel better.

Annie

Annie might be the most active young Samoyed we ever fostered. She is “on” almost all the time. We decided her new home must be with people who have Sammy experience, with consideration given to whether there is someone home all the time (or they have doggie day care). No doubt she will mellow with age, but right now taking care of her is like a graduate level course in dogs. Her digging is constant and our yard has new holes in dozens of places. She also will need a special kind of fence. She has escaped from our yard in places no other dog ever found; fortunately she went from one yard to another and couldn’t get past our perimeter fence. Annie is a smart girl, trainable, very food-driven, who will do anything for a treat. She is getting twice the food of our other dogs and is still underweight. We scheduled her for a spay on March 6th, but on the 5th she came into heat. We’ll wait a few weeks and try again. We hope Sophie and Tessa aren’t on the same schedule.

Max

This month we listed Max on Petfinder, the first dog we posted there in quite a few years. We always have a backlog of applications for our Sammies so we haven’t needed it, but although many have agreed to consider a mix, none have come forward to adopt a Siberian Husky. Max’s DNA test showed he is 7/8 Sibe. He’s a great dog with a personality much like a Samoyed, but a little bit more aloof. He also has been trying to take over the alpha role from Melissa’s dog Boomer. There have been a few fights, none terribly serious, and lately they have been better friends. As Melissa says, Max’s worst trait is taking over her side of the bed if she gets up during the night.

Sophie and Tessa

It’s been an exciting but somewhat distressing month for our puppy mill girls. Although Fena lives with Kathi now, this marks one full year Sophie and Tessa have been here. Although they have made progress it often feels like nothing has changed. We cleared out our garage and let them live there, giving them a small side yard accessible only from an outside door in the garage. Gradually we moved them into the house, giving them the laundry room during the day and the garage at night.

A month ago we installed a cross-fence across the yard so they would have a small area of the dog yard that included the outside door to the laundry (as well as the garage door). With a lot of conditioning they began to come in the other door most of the time. Kathy began with an x-pen on the deck, then a larger area, and finally that whole end of the yard. Changes come hard with a fearful dog, and each change was unsettling to them.

Finally we made the decision they needed to be in the house full time. Part of that was because they need to adapt, and part was because our cars have been outdoors for a full year; that includes Kathy’s 1970 Buick that should definitely be under cover. So, with the snow on its way, we got the laundry area modified, moved their beds inside, and put the cars back where they used to live. The reaction? Sophie and Tessa decided they didn’t want to come in that door, and when they saw the cars in the garage they were afraid of that door too. Kathy spent hours trying to coax them inside. We ended up using a spare gate, a “hog panel” and an x-pen to make a smaller area that included some grass. Now a few days into the new accommodations, we are able to get them in if they are wearing long leads made from clothesline rope. At least we can catch them when we run out of time. They are definitely getting better; another week or two and we think they will have adapted. Being indoors means I might be able to get closer to them; they are still much more afraid of men than women.

Fena meets Kleenex

Fena is doing much better now that she is with Kathi. She has begun barking and poking Kathi for attention, and recently when something scared her outdoors she came running in to Kathi. She gives kisses when she wants to be petted. Kathi is working on restraining her for a few seconds at a time, getting her used to it, and teaching her to jump into a car. She recently learned how much fun a box of Kleenex can be, as shown in the photo. We can’t say enough for the patience and understanding Fena is getting from Kathi.

Annie is here, waiting for a spay appointment and getting a little bit of training. We think she is closer to one year old than two, and possibly less than a year old. She behaves like a totally untrained puppy with a mind of her own. When we fenced the yard, she quickly determined she could burrow under the deck and get from the big yard to the one used by Sophie and Tessa. There is only a five or six inch space she went under. To stop her we put a 16-foot board to block her path. She went to the other side of the steps and found another route that was more than 20 feet away from where she came out. More boards and she is again blocked. We’ll see what comes next. Annie is as sweet as a Sammy can be, but her next home will have to be with experienced people who have had Samoyed experience and have at least one other well-behaved dog, preferably another Samoyed. She takes her cues from our other dogs, and it’s going to be important to have a buddy for her to live with.

Annie’s shortcut

Max is living with Melissa and Terry. As Melissa has learned, there is a real difference between Sibes and Sams. He is as loving as other dogs we have had, but there is a strong streak of stubbornness. Melissa reports he is easily bribed with treats so training should come easy for him. Max is still a young boy, only a couple years old, and somebody will get a really great dog when they adopt him. Just keep in mind he is a bit of a bed hog.

Last month we were waiting for word on the Iowa puppy mill dogs. We’re still waiting. We know there are a large number of Samoyeds who will need new homes, but the courts and the ASPCA still control their destiny and they aren’t sharing anything.

Early last month Holley sent us a Craigslist post about an 18-month old Samoyed female in Puyallup. We tried to contact the poster, but had no answer. Four days later we got a message from a woman in Redmond who told us she just bought a dog through Craigslist and she wanted us to take her. She said she wasn’t equipped for a dog this young and active. Erin and Tom picked her up and delivered her to Kathy halfway between Redmond and here. She had no name and we were told the former owner wasn’t the original owner either, and he didn’t have a name for her. We decided to call her Annie.

Annie was as timid and fearful at the beginning as Sophie and Tessa, the two we have from the puppy mill. She even sat with them in the corner of the laundry room, and there is a remarkable similarity in faces. Fortunately, within a day or two she began warming up and playing with our other dogs. She was still slow to come to us, which makes us think she hadn’t been treated well in her young life. She definitely hasn’t been house trained, but we aren’t worrying about that until we ensure she doesn’t have a urinary infection or some physical problem. At this writing we are awaiting urine culture results. She was already on one antibiotic based on an un-sterile sample, so we are doing a culture on a good sample.

Although she was listed as a year and a half old, we’re pretty sure now Annie is closer to a year. She has the appearance of a dog not quite an adult yet. Her behavior is also very puppy-like. When we know she is healthy we will spay her, and then she can go to a new home. We have been talking to a former adopter who has another Samoyed girl already, which we think is important. Annie is much faster to pick up behaviors from another dog. She has settled in now and has turned into a sweet, well-tempered girl who just today decided she likes to be a lap dog.

Max is still with Melissa. Last month we mentioned we were waiting for the results of a DNA test, and now we have it. Although he has much in common with Samoyeds, he is actually 7/8 Siberian Husky. It’s easy to be fooled. He has the sweet temperament of a Sammy combined with the stubbornness of a Sibe. The people who were interested in him decided they will wait for a Samoyed, and we haven’t yet found anyone to take him. As Melissa says, his worst trait is stealing her side of the bed if she gets up during the night. If you’re reading this and would be interested in a nice dog, please contact Melissa.

We completed the cross fence in our back yard. It’s not beautiful, made of some cattle panels and an x-pen, but it works and that’s most important. Sophie and Tessa are getting time in their new area, but obviously are not comfortable there yet. They are getting to it through a different door, and it’s a frightening thing for their routine to change. When we are able to get them to use that door easily we will be able to put our cars in the garage again. They have been parked in the weather for almost exactly 11 months, since the girls arrived. It’s a long process.

Meanwhile, Fena is with Kathi and doing much, much better. She understands she is part of a family and is loved, and she is beginning to reciprocate that love. Fena is able to accept petting, even seeking it out now. She enjoys being with her new Mom and the other dogs, and is very close to accepting grooming. It’s what we hope for Sophie and Tessa, too.

The latest news from the Iowa puppy mill story is that the breeder requested she be allowed to keep nine Samoyeds and four cats, and the court ruled against her. The following is from a news report.

“On Monday, Judge Krull ruled the nine dogs and four cats were neglected by Kavars in that she failed to provide adequate food and water, left the animals in “horrid, filthy conditions,” and did not provide adequate shelter or veterinary care. Judge Krull also states he does not find Kavars testimony that she will stop breeding dogs “credible” and that she made statements which clearly indicate her desire to begin breeding animals again. Judge Krull rules the nine dogs and four cats qualify as “threatened animals” and says the Worth County Sheriff’s Office should appropriately care for them, up to and including delivering them to another owner. Criminal charges in this case are pending.”

Sad news this month. You probably recall Katie, the mix who surprised us with three puppies in March, 2007. One of them was named Sparkle, and she went to a very good family in Portland along with Cubby, the only male. We had word a few days ago that Sparkle began to decline, probably from stomach cancer, and they had to let her go. It sure doesn’t feel like twelve years.