PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
December, 2005

Happy Holidays to all my Sammy Friends!

As Thanksgiving ends and we move toward Hanukah, Christmas, the New Year and all this season’s holidays, I always like to step back and look at the past year to remind myself what a wonderful life we have here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. While last year’s lack of snow made for a sparse sledding season, we are still blessed with a great climate with so many opportunities to get outside and play with our dogs. I’m crossing fingers and paws that our annual Snow Outing, put together by George Johnson and Louise Goodman, will be a great success. It’s tentatively scheduled for January 28th but please check back on the club webpage and read next month’s newsletter for further details.

Be safe, and keep your fuzzies safe as well. And if any of you have dogs that freak out with fireworks, leaving you dreading the New Year, may I suggest using Melatonin as an alternative to valium or Ace? Morrigan absolutely hates fireworks and can work herself into a frenzy. This past July 4th, I tried using 3mg of Melatonin on her and it worked wonders! More information on using Melatonin with noise sensitive dogs can be found at http://www.doghobbyist.com/articles/Fireworks.html. You can find this supplement pretty much anywhere, including your local grocery story or pharmacy.

I am sorry to report that Liz Swearingen has resigned her position as Recording Secretary. Liz does an amazing amount of work for the Samoyed Club of America as well as SCWS. She’s also working with her husband, Van, on the SCA 2006 National. It’s more than understandable that she’s simply reached her limit, especially as our National grows closer. The board will be meeting in January to discuss her replacement. If you are interested in stepping into this role for the rest of the term (August 2006) please contact me or any other officer or board member.

Wishing you all the happiest of holidays!

Cyndy

** DOGGY DICTIONARY **

LEASH: A strap which attaches to your collar, enabling you to lead your person where you want him/her to go.

DOG BED: any soft, clean surface, such as the white bedspread in the guest room or the newly upholstered couch in the living room.

DROOL: Is what you do when your persons have food and you don't. To do this properly you must sit as close as you can and look sad and let the drool fall to the floor, or better yet, on their laps.

SNIFF: A social custom to use when you greet other dogs. Place your nose as close as you can to the other dog's rear end and inhale deeply, repeat several times, or until your person makes you stop.

GARBAGE CAN: A container which your neighbors put out once a week to test your ingenuity. You must stand on your hind legs and try to push the lid off with your nose. If you do it right you are rewarded with margarine wrappers to shred, beef bones to consume and moldy crusts of bread.

BICYCLES: Two-wheeled exercise machines, invented for dogs to control body fat. To get maximum aerobic benefit, you must hide behind a bush and dash out, bark loudly and run alongside for a few yards; the person then swerves and falls into the bushes, and you prance away.

DEAFNESS: This is a malady which affects dogs when their person want them in and they want to stay out. Symptoms include staring blankly at the person, then running in the opposite direction, or lying down.

THUNDER: This is a signal that the world is coming to an end. Humans remain amazingly calm during thunderstorms, so it is necessary to warn them of the danger by trembling uncontrollably, panting, rolling your eyes wildly, and following at their heels.

WASTEBASKET: This is a dog toy filled with paper, envelopes, and old candy wrapper. When you get bored, turn over the basket and strew the papers all over the house until your person comes home.

SOFAS: Are to dogs like napkins are to people. After eating it is polite to run up and down the front of the sofa and wipe your whiskers clean.

BATH: This is a process by which the humans drench the floor, walls and themselves. You can help by shaking vigorously and frequently.

LEAN: Every good dog's response to the command "sit !", especially if your person is dressed for an evening out. Incredibly effective before black-tie events.

BUMP: The best way to get your human's attention when they are drinking a fresh cup of coffee or tea.

GOOSE BUMP: A maneuver to use as a last resort when the Regular Bump doesn't get the attention you require.....especially effective when combined with The Sniff. See above.

LOVE: Is a feeling of intense affection, given freely and without restriction. The best way you can show your love is to wag your tail. If you're lucky, a human will love you in return.

It was the middle of March and signs of Spring were beginning to manifest themselves in the city of Maastricht. The tulip bulbs were sending out little green signals that in a matter of days, the unveiling of a new year of flora would begin. Even though it was still cold, I'd elected to sit outside and enjoy the bustling Sunday crowds as they navigated through the smallest of the three town squares. The outdoor heaters were radiating warmth down onto the small group of tables set up under the awning in front of the restaurant where I'd sat, but I was still wearing my coat. I'd already ordered my dinner selection and had settled back into the novel I was reading, when I got the feeling someone was looking at me. Since I couldn't shake it, I looked up to see if indeed the intuition was correct.

At next table over sat an elderly man, his wife, and what I would surmise correctly was their daughter. The parents looked to be in their late sixties, and the daughter, a spitting image of her mother, appeared to be in her mid-thirties. The daughter was staring intently at my jacket. I'd assumed I must have spilled something on my coat, but when I looked down, I realized what the woman was looking at. I was wearing a jacket with the emblem of a smiling Samoyed face and the name of the Samoyed club I belonged to. The woman's face reflected a deep sadness. Visibly upset, she said something hurriedly in Dutch, and left the table. The older woman quickly followed.

The man looked over awkwardly, and said something to me in Dutch. I did not know what he said, so I admitted somewhat apologetically that I only spoke English. He explained in English that his daughter had become upset by the depiction of the Samoyed. Not thinking, I asked if they had recently lost their pet. His answer, thankfully was no, but he proceeded to tell me one of the most saddening, yet heartwarming stories I'd ever heard about a Samoyed. I repeat it to you as best as memory serves me.

Approximately ten years prior, his daughter's son was diagnosed with cancer. At the time he was diagnosed, he was given less than six months to live. He was four years old. The doctor told the family they would need to start Chemotherapy as soon as possible. Not long after, the son needed to reside full time in the hospital. His immune system had grown so weak that the fear was any infection would probably be fatal.

The trip to the hospital turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Not long after they'd checked him in, the son made a new friend. Someone had offered a therapy dog visit. The daughter, knowing her son's love of animals, agreed to allow them to visit the small boy. The therapy dog was a Samoyed.

The elderly gentleman now stopped talking. My food had arrived. He excused himself to go check on his family. Sadly, I knew his tale did not have a happy ending because of the woman's reaction to my coat, but I couldn't help but want to hear the rest of the story. The man returned shortly and sat down. He informed me his wife and daughter would probably be a little longer but everything was ok. I slowly chewed my dinner, wondering if he'd pick up his tale where he'd left off. He looked off in the distance for a bit, and I figured he must have completed his story. I finished my dinner and called for the check. It was then the man began to speak again.

"My grandson really enjoyed the visits from the Samoyed", said the man. I replied that I had two Samoyeds and I thought they were one of the friendliest breeds, but a lot of people didn't care for all that white fur. The man welled up in tears. He stated that the fur was one of the best things about a Samoyed, and he needed to finish telling me about his grandson.

The Samoyed and his owner visited the boy once a week, and they became quite close with the family. Often they would stay and chat. During that time, the Samoyed laid next to the boy, letting him play with the fur as he talked with the therapy volunteer. One day, the boy admitted to the volunteer that he knew he was going to die. He was hoping he'd live until Christmas, because he was looking forward to seeing his first Christmas snow. Holland is known as a place that receives snow very rarely, and this young man had never seen real snow. He figured his best chance was on Christmas. His family knew he'd wanted to see snow from a young age. They'd just never imagined he would never get that chance. It was only February and the previous Christmas they had not even known he was sick. At this point the doctor had told the family there was not much time left.

The next week the therapy dog person approached the family with two shopping bags and an idea and they decided they would try it. The following visit, while the little boy was sleeping, the therapy worker and the mom carefully laid out their plan, and then sat back and waited for the boy to wake. The little boy awoke roughly a half hour later. On the tray above him sat an assortment of neatly wrapped Christmas gifts. As he rubbed his eyes and looked around, he got an even bigger surprise. "IT SNOWED!!!" said the excited little boy. Indeed, it had snowed. The boy was completely surrounded in soft white Samoyed fur. "Today is Christmas!!" he declared. "Merry Christmas!!!"

The family brought in a dozen more presents, and the little boy joyously opened each and every one, still surrounded in Christmas snow. After he finished his gifts, he asked his mom if he could have a special Christmas favor. Could he please keep a small tuft of Samoyed hair with him? The mother asked why. The boy replied, "So every day from now on can be Christmas".

Less than a month later, the little boy left his earthly existence. At the funeral, most of the attendees were perplexed when mother and her parents brought in a large bag of white fur and slowly spread it around her little boy. She kissed him and held his little hand tightly. "There", she said. "Now every day will be Christmas."

I sat dumb founded, amazed at the story the man had just told me. He wasn't quite finished however. "Today is March 11th". He stated. "Ten years ago today, my grandson passed away. Then you stopped here with a Samoyed on your jacket. I guess my grandson just wanted to remind us that today is not a day to be sad; rather, today is Christmas".

I stood up slowly and walked over to this man who'd just poured out this very personal story to me. I reached into my pocket, and I took something out. I asked him for his hand, and as he held it out I placed a small ball of Samoyed fur in his palm. "Here" I said. "This is for your daughter. Samoyed fur holds special meaning for me as well. I carry it with me to remind me of home when I am away on trips. From now on it will also remind me that every day I wake up is special, that every day should be like Christmas."

Samoyeds are a perfect symbol of how it can be Christmas everyday. They make us smile most waking moments. They always go that extra mile to ensure we have a wonderful day.

The Christmas season is usually a happy time for us all. It's a celebration of life. Whether you are religious or not, it's a time when people take an extra moment to say hi to someone they don't know; a time when people take the change out of their pocket and contribute it to someone more needy; a time when people display generosity toward others. It's a time of giving.

After the Christmas holiday ends and you get back to the daily grind it's easy to forget to be extra kind. Hopefully, the next time you pick a doggy hair off your sweater, this story will serve as a reminder that everyday is a day to take that one extra step for your fellow beings. It's a reminder that you can treat every day can be like its Christmas morning if you just take one extra moment to think about it. Merry Christmas.

---

Dog Rules, Simplified For Humans

Visitors: Quickly determine which guest is afraid of dogs. Charge across the room, barking loudly and leap playfully on this person. If the human falls down on the floor and starts crying, lick its face and growl gently to show your concern.

Barking: Because you are a dog, you are expected to bark. So bark--- a lot. Your owners will be very happy to hear you protecting their house. Especially late at night while they are sleeping safely in their beds. There is no more secure feeling for a human than to keep waking up in the middle of the night hearing you protective bark, bark, bark...

Licking: Always take a BIG drink from your water dish immediately before licking your human. Humans prefer clean tongues. Be ready to fetch your human a towel.

Holes: Rather than digging a BIG hole in the middle of the yard and upsetting your human, dig a lot of smaller holes all over the yard so they won't notice. If you arrange a little pile of dirt on one side of each hole, maybe they'll think it's gophers. There are never enough holes in the ground. Strive daily to do your part to help correct this problem.

Doors: The area directly in front of a door is always reserved for the family dog to sleep.

The Art Of Sniffing: Humans like to be sniffed. Everywhere. It is your duty as the family dog to accommodate them.

Dining Etiquette: Always sit under the table at dinner, especially when there are guests, so you can clean up any food that falls on the floor. It's also a good time to practice your sniffing.

Housebreaking: Housebreaking is very important to humans, so break as much of the house as possible.

Going For Walks: Rules of the road: when out for a walk with your master or mistress, never go to the bathroom on your own lawn.

Couches: It is perfectly permissible to lie on the new couch after all your humans have gone to bed.

Playing: If you lose your footing while chasing a ball or stick, aim for the flowerbed to absorb your fall, so you don't injure yourself.

Chasing Cats: When chasing cats, make sure you never---quite--catch them. It spoils all the fun.

Chewing: Make a contribution to the fashion industry... eat a shoe

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