Every morning around 7:00, I get the look. The look from my dog Sammy that says, PLEASE TAKE A WALK WITH ME!
Sammy came into our lives as a foster dog we met in a Walmart parking lot. We had just found a forever home for our first foster dog Dottie, and Sammy wasn't getting along with another dog in her first foster home, so Last Hope Pet Rescue asked us to foster her.
We brought Sammy to PetSmart every Saturday to help her find a home but after a few weeks it was unlikely that she would find a forever home anywhere but with us. She and Heather bonded with long walks every day and plenty of treats and pets too!
Did you know? Approximately 2 million shelter/foster dogs are adopted each year in the United States.
We decided (after some convincing from Heather) to adopt Sammy. Many years later, she's a member of our family who's been there through every major life moment including moving into our home so that she could have a big fenced in yard that she proceeded to escape on the first day we moved in chasing some geese by the pond.
Sammy just celebrated a milestone birthday this past weekend, her golden birthday on December 16. To celebrate we wore birthday hats and Heather made a special cake out of dog food and rice for Sammy and our younger dog Leia. They both loved it!
As we transition into the winter months in Minnesota, I have less desire to take a walk, but I have to admit that no matter the weather, Sammy helps motivate me to get out there. She has a "pep in her step" when we leave the house and she is 100% in the moment, taking in every site, smell, and sound. She's showing me exactly how to be present and in the moment, removing the distractions of my phone or what I have to get done later in the day.
At 16 years old, she's starting to slow down. I am not sure how many more times we will be able to walk together. She's helping me to cherish these walks a little more these days as I think about the moments of happiness Sammy has been a part of in our lives including these short walks before work.
Thank you Sammy for encouraging me to take a walk and teaching me to be present! It's good for me and it's good for you!
Learn In The Flow Of Life
Jason
Happy birthday Sammy!