Then I want to report that I upgraded the godaddy account, so there will be some changes to the Along Came Sampson website, I think the biggest change will be that the blog will be on that website which will make it much easier for me to promote!  I will keep you update with the progress of the change and of course let you know once it is up and running! 

In the meantime those business cards I ordered have been shipped and were scheduled to arrive on Thursday, but due to the weather we have been having, I’m not counting on it.  As long as they get here before the 11th I am ok. 

So I wanted to tell you about Delilah, yesterday morning she took a half-eaten bag of chips off the table on the sofa and took them into the bedroom and started tearing apart the bag, luckily for me she started with the bag and NOT the chip clip!  Naturally she is not quiet so I heard it and went in and took the bag away and made her go in her crate for a few minutes.  I wasn’t really mad because I failed, she didn’t.  I should have known better but still I needed to let her know that I don’t want her doing that.  

Flash forward to last night, I let Delilah outside (we have a fenced in backyard so thankfully I don’t have to take them out.)  She had been out a while, (which should have been my first clue) when I heard a noise at the front door.  At first I ignored it, but I heard it a second time so I said to Chet what’s that?  He said, is Delilah out?  I said, yes but she’s in the back and then I opened the front door and there she was!  So he went out to check and he had been using the snowblower to try to make room for the new snow we were getting and he inadvertently left one of the gates open!  This concerned me, but also made me very proud of Delilah because she really could have taken off.  Oh I’m quite sure she left the yard, but considering the dogs that have challenged her, and the enticement of the trails at the top of the street, it really could have been a sleepless night for me.

I did want to let you know of one thing, some people (me being one of them) don’t like to keep the “going out” collars on the dogs all the time.  For one thing they are noisy as all get out as they must have their rabies tag and their town license clinking around on them and two, they are so big I like to give the dogs a break.  I picked up (my friend Jo-Anne gave me the idea) this very small collars that slip over their necks.  They have one little tag (with a silencer on it) that has their name on one side and my name and cell phone number on the other.  This way if they ever get out of the yard and someone finds them or they are picked pu by the pound, all their information is readily available.  If you don’t have a tag with that kind of information on it for your pet, I highly recommend purchasing one.  You can make them at most pet stores for less than $10.  A small price to pay for the safe return of your pet.

Sampson, Delilah and I went to play group tonight.  Our trainer (Sara) sent me a text yesterday and asked if anyone was interested in play group tonight.  We don’t usually go to play group since it is normally on Wednesday night and the dogs are tired from daycare but we are expecting more winter weather in the next couple of days, so Sara thought we might like to give the dogs a chance to run and play.

Now I know that Sampson is a “people” dog; when all the other dogs are running around and playing, Sampson likes to hang out with the people and get rubbies.  So here we are with lots of dogs running around and Sampson is hanging with the “peeps.”  I sat down and started chatting with one of the ladies who is in our Thursday night obedience class; she has a HUGE Alaskan Malamute named Brockway.  Well Brockway came up to us while Sampson was being petted and Sampson got a bit aggressive.  Immediately I put him down on the floor and held him down until he relaxed. 

Now Brockway is challenged so he keeps looking at Sampson and Sampson keeps looking at him and before you know it, my sweet boy and Brockway had a little altercation.  I dragged him out of there and stuck him in the other room where he nonchalantly walked around pretending it didn’t bother him, but I ignored him until he was laying at the gate waiting to come in. 

Sara thinks he is jealous (even though some dog “experts” will say that dogs don’t get jealous.)  Sounds like jealous to me, what do you think?

Well I got all the files over to Lloyd (the Along Came Sampson website designer.)  He said he can work on it some today and also during the week; he will be putting the book up.  In the meantime, here is the second page of the book.  If you click on the picture it gets larger so it is easier to read.

Page 2

The book is designed as Sampson’s scrapbook of the first year of his life.  This is how I choose to showcase the pictures and design the book, however an agent or publisher may have other ideas. 

I was toying with the idea of self-publishing but I just found a website that says, “DON’T”.  So as soon as I’m finished with this blog I am off to do some more research.

I am going to be making some postcards up, it will be a picture of Sampson with his website address on it.  If you are interesting it getting some postcards and passing them out (or sending them to some friends) leave me a comment and let me know.  I will figure out how to get them to you!

So I took the dogs for a 45 minute hike in the park at the end of the street.  I really wish I could express to you how beautiful it is right now, with three feet of snow on the ground and all the quiet that comes with it.  There are the two dogs leading the way and they look so beautiful together.  Honestly Sampson and Delilah compliment each other in almost every possible way, evenly matched in height he has the bulky build of male, while she has the slimmer female build.  He is fair in coloring (peanut butter I like to call it) while she is chocolate-brown (see I told you, what’s a better combination than peanut butter and chocolate?)  He is patient and calm, while she is inpatient and exuberant.  Sampson will stand calmly ahead on the trail, while Delilah will run back to me to reassure herself that I am there.  When she is running towards me, it almost takes my breath away because she is so beautiful with her dark coloring against the snow.  I am going to try and remember my camera next time so I can share this with you.

That’s it for today. XOXO