And Then There Were Five....

Another German has been added to my brood. More testosterone, too. Brown eyes. Brown hair. Stubborn, determined, cultured. He is also sweet and playful.

Meet Sam. The newest family member. He's two years old and was given generously to us by two friends of mine with whom I went to high school. Sam's companion, Savannah was recently put down due to medical conditions that were not treatable. He still whimpers, and I think it's for her.

I've never owned a dog this big. I've been against getting a dog because it's just one more thing to take care of and as it is, my time is precious and my energy is not always at it's peak.

My Children have been begging for a dog. My Husband has said for years he wants a German Shepherd because they are his favorite breed. He has a litany of reasons as to why he prefers this breed. So, when this opportunity crossed my facebook page, I explored it. It, in the end, was possibly one of the best things ever done for my family.

Sam is going through a hard time having left his first vibrant, loving family. Due to circumstances beyond their control, Sam (and Savannah) could not move to the new city in which they moved. Friends had been going by the house daily to feed the dogs, who were outside dogs. They were lonely, I'm sure. Then, Sam trekked from the country to the big city in an almost two-hour drive. He met two young children, and growled at the youngest.

Quickly he submitted to My Husband. He does well with My Eldest. A couple days later, he submitted to me. My Little One, however, is the one thing he's going to try to Alpha. He growls at her sometimes. When we are all around him at once, he's good to her. He'll lick on her (to taste his lunch for someday when he'll get is chance to pounce on her!), and he'll play ball or frisbee with her. They go on friendly walks. Yet, at times when only a door or a screen is between them, he'll sneak in a little growl and scare her. She pouts for all of five seconds then she's right back into fearless mode. Ahh the child-like wonder we all lose....

Sam will come around -- of that I'm sure. He just needs to be socialized in a more structured way. My Husband has been working with him, training him, and Sam's picking up on the commands and responding to them. He's very bright. He'll fit in just fine.

My Eldest has surprised me with how active and responsible she's been in caring for him. She leaps out of bed in the mornings to feed him with her dad. She's picked up the land mines in the back yard (not without grossing out), and she loves brushing him. She worries about him when no one is home. She tries to walk him, but it's more like he walks her. Comical! That's 93 pounds vs. 95 pounds. Hopefully she keeps that same level of enthusiasm about caring for him.

The addition of Sam has also revealed a part of My Husband that's new to me. I've never seen him interact with something he's wanted the way he interacts with Sam. It's sweet to look out the window and see him petting that dog while drinking his morning coffee. He's commanded the care of Sam. He's the primary caregiver of the dog, which is just how I like it. I don't intend on bonding with the dog. So, The Kids and My Husband can have a good time with him and I'll enjoy the few minutes to myself. ;)