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By Cathy Kirkman

About this blog: This blog explores life in Palo Alto with our dogs, cats and other pets, as well as the urban wildlife around us, the title being a reference to Sharon Creech's lovely story, "Love That Dog." I grew up in Palo Alto surrounded by ... (More)

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Guest Post from FoPAAS: Meet Sam the Dog!

Uploaded: Dec 29, 2014

Here's a guest post from the Friends of the Palo Alto Animal Shelter, about a lovely dog named Sam, who is available for adoption. Sam is available for $12 on Tuesday & Wednesday, December 30th and 31st. Those are the final two days of the $12 Home for the Holidays fee for adopting adult dogs & cats. After that, the regular adoption fees, which are still very reasonable, will apply. Thanks to FoPAAS president Scottie Zimmerman for the text, and to Jill Thompson for the photos.

Sam was picked up as a stray in Palo Alto on June 23rd, 2014, and brought to the shelter for the usual evaluations and health check. They estimate his age at 2.5 years. Sam is an energetic, strong, healthy youngster, and he's also very sweet tempered. One of Sam's many human friends gave him a stuffed Santa toy to play with, and Sam likes to please his friends. So he picked up Santa and took him for a quick gallop around the play area at the shelter. You can see the joyful gleam in Sam's eye, right?

Sam, like most pit bull mixes, is a smart, sensitive dog. He watches to see what wins your approval and what doesn't. He wants to play fetch with Santa and is not eager to tear Santa into small pieces of white fluff.

For most of his stay at PAAS (6 months so far) Sam has worked on leash with experienced dog trainers, learning good manners and basic commands. For example, Sam knows what it means to "sit."

And he understands "down."

After 6 months at the shelter, Sam is ready for his own home and family. We recommend that he go to a family with lots of practice working with big, high-energy breeds. And his new owner should continue Sam's training, possibly in a class provided by Our Pack, Inc, a rescue group that specializes in pit bulls & chihuahuas. You can find the class schedules on Our Pack's website

Sam is a gorgeous, smart, friendly sweetheart who's been a good sport about waiting to be adopted. If he looks like the dog for you, meet him at Palo Alto Animal Services, 3281 E. Bayshore Road.

Comments

Posted by Terri, a resident of Crescent Park,
on Dec 31, 2014 at 8:54 am

Wish I could keep this great little guy, but I have two dogs already. He's going to be a sweet pet for some lucky family!!

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Posted by Scottie Zimmerman, a resident of Midtown,
on Dec 31, 2014 at 6:02 pm

Terri,
Sam is a great dog, and I understand you have enough on your hands with your own two dogs. Another way you can help Sam is to "Share" his Facebook post with any of your friends & family on Facebook. When people pass along the information by sharing, it increases the chances that someone who wants a dog like Sam will see him! Think of it as match-making? Thanks for your comment.

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Posted by Nora Charles, a resident of Stanford,
on Jan 2, 2015 at 6:55 pm

Thank you for this great piece on Sam, and the wonderful photographs. I recently watched something on how grooming and special photos really make a tremendous difference. I hope Sam finds the best possible home.

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Posted by Jill Thompson, a resident of Leland Manor/Garland Drive,
on Jan 3, 2015 at 8:38 am

Even if you cannot, or wish you could adopt Sam, PLEASE spread the word. Through facebook, instagram, any social media you use. He is an amazing dog that wants very much to please someone. I've seen him work so hard on manners and commands. His enthusiasm is contagious! Sam has been at the shelter a long time and is so deserving of a loving home for all the efforts he has made. Please help Sam find this home in the new year!

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Posted by Mr.Recycle, a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis,
on Jan 4, 2015 at 2:32 pm

Do we really need more pit bulls in our neighborhood? Just yesterday was reading about an attack on a 10 yr old.

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Posted by Scottie Zimmerman, a resident of Midtown,
on Jan 4, 2015 at 11:02 pm

Mr. Recycle,
I believe your concern about pit bulls is shared by others. I myself had a negative prejudice about pit bulls--until I started walking dogs as a volunteer at Palo Alto Animal Services and made the acquaintance of the breed for the first time. I still remember the pitties I walked, trained, and socialized--every one of them a sweet, intelligent, eager-to-please dog.

It is not fair to condemn the entire breed (or mix of breeds) because of the sensational and tragic news articles that appear occasionally. The article you cite is from a newspaper in Oklahoma, not really in "our neighborhood." And I bet you cannot find a single bad report on the behavior of any pit bull mix adopted from PAAS. The shelter staff & volunteers take care to evaluate the behavior of all the adoptable dogs every day of the week. And the dogs adopted from PAAS are exemplary pets and canine citizens. In the case of Sam, the shelter has enlisted the help of qualified trainers who work with large energetic breeds, in addition to skilled volunteers. All of these people are determined to give Sam a head start in learning the good manners that make a dog appeal to potential adopters.

Finally, I want to point out the number of cases of brutality committed against pit bulls by mentally unstable humans. The dogs are instinctively loyal and accept beatings and other torture stoically. Add to that the people like Michael Vick who think it's entertaining to train pit bulls for fighting to the death, and who take great relish in strangling or shooting a losing dog that lives.

Pit bulls are as sweet and noble as any other breed. The best way to prevent bringing a dangerous dog into your house or neighborhood is to adopt from a shelter or rescue group you trust. Do not adopt from an online breeder or a pet shop.

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Posted by Cathy Kirkman, a resident of Southgate,
on Jan 5, 2015 at 7:37 am
Cathy Kirkman is a registered user.

Thank you Scottie, very well said. Also Cesar Milan has an excellent episode on NatGeo called Love My Pit Bull, and it talks about the history of the breed, going back to it being a "nanny" dog for young children, including Pete the Pup, the Our Gang dog, etc.

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