Before writing Sam's update, I interviewed other family members to see what they have to say about Sam.

ORHD aged 8: My favorite t​hing about Sam: he is sometimes funny when he steals pillows off of the couch and snuggles with them. If Sam had a human job it would be a boxer; no, the guy who shoots t-shirts out of the big gun at games and makes everyone cheer. Sam was very stinky when he came here but he smells better now. I hope his new owner likes to give dogs baths. He liked his bath.

HLHD aged 8: My favorite thing about Sam: he brings back the ball when I throw it. Also, he ran into the wall his first night here. He thought a shadow was a door. He put his head in my lap and made sad sounds and let me pat him. If Sam had a human job, he would says hello to everyone at [LARGE DISCOUNT STORE] and marker people's receipts. He would act like the job is fun. Sam can be annoying because he never wants to just do nothing, but he is very nice and silly. I hope his new owner buys a lot of tennis balls.

MSD aged 6: My favorite thing about Sam: he looks funny when I put underpants on his head and stick his ears out of them. He really, for real, likes hugs. Not like some dogs that you can hug, but they want to get away. If Sam had a human job it would be a clown or a hugger who hugs people that need hugs. I hope Sam's new owner hugs him and never forgets to feed him.

Foster dad: My favorite thing about Sam is that he does not have a mean bone in his body. He is starting to listen to his name, "No, Sam." If Sam had a job it would be the guy who really wants to tell you about his religion at the Metro. I hope Sam's new owner is expecting an eight-year-old dog to have as much energy as our 4-year-old one does.

Slinky (resident dog-neutered-male) aged 4: My favorite thing about Sam is that he is available for adoption. If Sam had a human job it would be: proctologist. I hope Sam's new owner feeds Sam enough. Even though he is annoying, he just wants to be friends, and no dog deserves to be starved - like Sam was.

Update from foster mom: Sam is enjoying life with a family, although he is really struggling to be calm and relax. He spends a lot of time pacing and seeking attention. He is not destroying anything, although he really likes an old couch pillow, which we are letting him keep. He carries it around but hasn't torn it up or taken anything else that he should not have.

Sam is very eager to please and responds to a sharp, no. He has had zero training and is starting to understand that he needs to "sit" to be served dinner. Sam is housebroken and he is fine when left alone at home in a crate - handled an 8 hour day without issue. He is dramatic and vocal when crated while his people are home because he wants to be with them. Sam has accepted that he is not permitted to be in the humans' beds or on the couch. He is having a harder time realizing that the resident dog doesn't like him "like that." That issue should improve after Sam is neutered. On a positive note, he accepts rejection well.

Sam walks nicely on a leash. He has met a males and females of all ages and sizes and done well with a variety of personalities. He would likely do well with a bossy female or any dog that wouldn't meet his exuberance with aggression. Sam has shown no interest in chasing rabbits or squirrels, when they are around, so it seems likely that he would be okay with a cat.

Sam is an all around friendly guy, who will 100% do well with training, consistency, and that all important trip to the vet.

Meet AWESOME Sam!  Guess what---I know sit, stay, paw, down and I come when called!  Some friends took me out for the day and they discovered I know all of these commands and more!  I know how to speak on command and if you ask me to smile I will give you one bark—its’ not really a smile because I don’t show my pretty teeth but it is so cute J  Someone loved me so much that they spent a lot of time training me.

My friend took me to a horse show and I was out and about with horses, people and other dogs. I was even polite to those little dogs that don’t really look like dogs to me J   I was amazing and she was so impressed with me.  She took a photo of me hanging out with a horse. I am good with cats too!   Neither one of my new friends can take their dogs out in public—LOL!  I rode great in the car with my friend and I was so good on a leash at the horse show.  Most dogs can’t do what I did that day.

I am over the top impressive with the STAY command---I stayed with tons of distractions in my friend’s back yard.  There were people walking down the street with dogs, joggers, lawn mowers buzzing around but I STAYED until I was released.  Next they did a series of recalls with me just to make sure that I would come when called.  I came every single time they called me---they tried to trick me and one hid on the side of house so I could not see her but I came when she called.  Every single time I came to them the girls made me do a sit and then a down.  They wanted to make sure that I was SUPER SMART and I am!!!!!        The girls gave me treats for my impressive behavior and they discovered that I take treats gently.  My  mouth is super gentle and my new friend was so impressed---sometimes she calls her dog Jaws because he takes treats so hard which is so impolite.  Then the girls pulled out the dog puzzles and I started to excel playing the Brick game by Nina Ottosson and then came the Bob-a-Lot which I got in a New York minute!

I am good with kids too!  What’s not to like about me---come meet me!  Everyone is special but I am super special because I am trained, housebroken, can go out in public, like people, cats and kids and I am very handsome and loveable!