Died: 13-Sept-2016, United States, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County, Monroeville
Breed : Shih Tzu
Born on Wednesday, Died on Tuesday
Aged 18 years, 6 months, 26 days.
I lost my boy last night, my best friend. The loss of the love, light, friendship and companionship that is Samuel is excruciatingly hard to bear.
He lit up the lives of everybody he met and other dogs, including helping a 10-year-old Boxer feel and play like a pup again.
He loves cheese, (thanks to Ricardo who was not supposed to give him any people food early in his life…), popcorn, bananas, watermelon, potato chips, French fries and especially “Cereal Time”.
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Cereal Time
I’m not sure when exactly this started, but it has been
going on for at least the past 14 years, if not longer. I was getting lunch packed before I went to work
one day and decided to take some of the Malt-O-Meal brand Frosted Mini Spooners
to munch on during the day. Samuel, always
with me and being a typical guy, was also looking to try to score some grub.
Having the massive will-power that I possessed with him, I
instantly caved and gave him a piece; I could tell that it was an instant addiction. I told him that it was cereal and asked, “Do
you like it? Is that good?” He told me “Yes” in his special way of the
look in his eye, tail wagging and bark. I
let him have one more piece, but only after he worked for it by performing some
tricks. I had him sit, shake with both
paws, give ‘high-five’ with both paws, lay down and then give kisses.
The next day, I’m packing lunch, but did not have the
Mini Spooners out, I think I was taking trail mix that day, but as I was
gathering everything to go, Samuel starting wagging his tail and barking. Like every day, I gave him my usual hugs and
kisses before I left and told him that I was going to work and would be back
later; but there was something different that day. He started barking more, ran to the kitchen,
looked back at me barked, looked into the kitchen and back at me barking.
I asked him, ‘What’s up Buddy?” He kept looking into the kitchen and back at
me barking. I’m thinking to myself, “Really? Is this what I think this is?”. I asked him, “Do you want cereal?” More barking and running in circles; a
definite yes! So I got the Mini Spooners
out gave him one, then he sits down and holds out his paw…already starting the
trick portion of the program for the second piece.
And that was it. From
then on, every morning before work, we did our morning routine, and then I
would tell him, “Cereal Time!” and he was ready! It was then required on the weekends as well
if we went anywhere. He tried many times
for more, but it was always stopped at two; I didn’t want to plug the little
guy up, but he never had diarrhea, ever.
It was always added to the shopping list as Samuel's Cereal.
==================================================================It was always added to the shopping list as Samuel's Cereal.
Deiter
When Samuel was a puppy, our young recently married neighbors had a 110 pound German Shepard named Dieter, and they would take turns chasing each other through the back yards as if the yards were one big racing track. It was the funniest thing to see a 10 pound Shih Tzu chasing that big German Shepard.
Dieter was a typical caring German Shepard making sure that he knew where Samuel was at all times and taking great strides to make sure that he did not step on his small friend.
When Samuel needed a break, he would just flop down in the grass and Dieter would lie down in front of him, giving Samuel all the time he needed to recover. When Samuel was ready, he would bounce up, give a bark, and off they would go again.
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Photos:
(This is my favorite photo.)
On my couch with my pillow and afghan taking a break during a football game; and I'm *NOT* giving this up yet!
On a cold winter night on my couch with my warm pillow case cover and my own afghan that Mommy made for me. What can be better than this?
.
.
Clothes are folded. Can I have a cookie?
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(More photos and stories to follow later; when I can write the stories without crying on my notebook.)
Through
18-1/2 years, 15 vehicles and 6 homes, this was still not enough time
with him. I unreasonably wanted another 20 years with him, but his
ashes will be returned to me and will be buried with me when I'm gone.
You can visit the memorial page for Samuel Jefferson Adams.
