Elizabeth, our Sammys must surely be friends by now and brag to each other about how much they were loved. And, I am sure that both are glad we have new furkids to love. Neither would like us to be sad. When I am "talking" to Sammy, I say, "Sammy, you would really like Wrigley — well, not right away but after a while."

He loved all people and dogs — except for puppies. For some strange reason he would growl and jump toward them, caused their pawrents to grab them and jump away from the mean dog. The truth is that Sammy probably would have run away had he actually made contact, but he wanted to act all grown-up dominant. It was hard convincing new puppy pawrents of that.

His last summer in Michigan our neighbors had a new 8-week-old Samoyed puppy. Cody came prancing up to him and Sammy tried his mean act on him. Cody took his little paw and smacked him right on the head. Sammy was stunned, He looked at Cody, he looked at us, then back at Cody like "What just happened?" From then on Cody terrorized him, chasing him and nipping at him when Sammy chased balls — but, in no time, Sammy was pausing for Cody to catch up with him. After he fell in the lake (and never fully recovered), Cody seemed to sense that Sammy couldn't walk well and concentrated his efforts on his brother, Cooper, and Sosa. I don't know whether Sammy was relieved or sad.

Something you said, Elizabeth, was an epiphany for me because it perfectly elucidated my secret fear — that giving all of my heart to Wrigley would somehow be disloyal to Sammy. Thanks to your wisdom, and the kind and caring remarks by others, I now see that isn't true. I feel like the Grinch, whose "heart grew three sizes that day." I already loved my little imp with all my heart, I just felt guilty about it. And, that doesn't stop me from loving Sammy forever.

Ge'lena — you are so right. It is better to have loved ... I am a better person for having shared my life with Sammy. Some would find it hard to believe, but I wasn't much of a dog person before him. I honestly didn't know how amazing they are — people can only strive to be so honest, brave and dignified. But dogs also know how to be totally goofy — and that is a life-lesson in itself.

Suzy, I am so glad you joined us on Tripawds although i am sad you had to do so. I don't know what I would have done without this site when we found about that Sammy would lose his leg. Handling it without the benefit of others' experiences must have been tough, but your big heart shows through your blog. Did Sophie lose her sight before or after Rizzo's cancer? Your Rizzo is a cutie and that picture of Beans in the bandana just makes me laugh. I can't tell if she is miserable or just humiliated!

Jackie, I'm up to 35 percent now. A few more hours at the pool (and a ticked-off crated puppy) and I'll know how this turns out. If Dave ends up happy in this book, I will be mad!

It's funny what you said about channeling. Wrigley is patterning his nephew/brother, Sosa, but these Sammy traits keep emerging. Sammy always liked to have the humans do tricks for him, so he pushed his favorite balls under the couch then cried till someone retrieved them. Then, he would do it again — sometimes right in front of you! Yeah, so who  was the "retriever"? Other times he made you wait on him when he was perfectly capable of doing things on his own. Last night, Wrigley was on the couch with me and started to cry so I thought he wanted a toy. I tried to put him on the floor, but he hunkered down in a corner of the couch. So I brought him several stuffed toys, which he poked with his nose before turning away. I brought him a ball that he sniffed; again, he turned away. I brought him his teething keys and finally earned acceptance and a kiss. Really! Pure Sammy.

Jerry, Renee and Jim — I second Jackie's thanks. I hope you realize how many you have helped. I was looking through the member directory this morning and was both shocked and saddened by the number of dogs listed. So many have crossed the bridge and their pawrents no longer post, but I know they haven't forgotten the support you provided on this site. If the Rainbow Bridge poem scenario is true — not one, but every head, will turn at your arrival. You turned a personal tragedy into selfless support of both people and dogs. Thank you.

Beth, Spirit Smilin' Sammy and MB Wiggly Wrigley

Denise, nice to "meet" you and thanks for the wise words. Also, bless your heart for Bella and Cotton — your pack sounds awesome. BTW, some dogs smile but Kona looked like she was laughing so hard she can hardly stand it! She looks like she was fun!

Elizabeth, I have no doubt your Sammy sent you a message. We stopped getting pennies around the time we decided to get Wrigley, but I have found two in the last week. I like to think he is telling me he approves of my little monster (who is sweetly asleep under my feet). He walked into the shower today and had his first shower bath. I think he liked it — mostly. He especially liked rolling around on towels like a jackass afterward.

Beth

Elizabeth, I knew that your Sammy lost his right front leg but I don't know why I didn't realize he developed osteosarcoma in his left front leg. Their stories are sooo similar — especially when you factor in the fact we both called them Smilin' Sammy and the Beth/Elizabeth thing.

The hardest thing for me to accept is that Sammy's lungs stayed clear during the whole time. From everything I was told and read, mets appearing in the lungs was the thing that would kill him. Every clear x-ray was a victory and encouragement. We were totally blindsided by cancer in his other front leg. It is such a cruel disease.

Now, it is interesting that Golly  is a chewer and so it Wrigley. This is new territory for me because Sammy was so gentle with his toys. If they sang or talked, he thought they were real. He carried them around and gave them kisses. If one of the sound boxes started to go, he cried. With Wrigley, if I press them to make noise, he attacks them and shakes the you-know-what out of them. If fact, I am waiting for the vet's office to call. He has diarrhea again, this time from eating lots of little pieces of the "indestructible" teething toy I left in the crate with him yesterday. His poop has lots of blue, yellow and red highlights and this morning he threw up a few pieces. He is half puppy, half shark and I can see lots of worry ahead. Maybe when those little puppy teeth fall out he won't be such a ruffian?

I can hope!

Beth