Our beloved Sammie

Yesterday we said goodbye to our beautiful and faithful friend Sammie. She was 13 and half and we couldn't have wished for a more fantastic dog. I had been preparing myself for this day for 2 weeks as she had been refusing food which, especially for a Labrador, is not a good sign. This, coupled with excessive drinking, was an indication of failing kidneys and possibly an enlarged heart- both are  relatively common in older dogs. 

I am grateful for so many things. When I came downstairs and found her she looked fast asleep in her bed. It was me that found her. I didn't have to make any decisions about euthanasia. We weren't in Norway and we didn't have a houseful of family. I cannot begin to describe how I'm feeling right now but I have some wonderful memories to cherish forever. R.I.P. Pooch

This was the first ever photo of her with a couple of the litter. She was soon to be known as "Weetabix Head" because she got weetabix all over her head during the weaning process.

But we called her Samourai (she only ever had her full title when she was called by the vet)

Our first dog was called Dommie and at the time we bought Sammie a very small grey racehorse called Dom Samourai was leaping over high fences to nearly win races like the Welsh Grand National (2nd to Earth Summit)

Drake, now 22, on early morning duty!

Drakey's notes on choosing a Labrador pup.... yes Nem, they DO wreck your kitchen!

Even GG did garden duty when he came to Chester to stay.

(My Dad ALWAYS called Sammie "he")

Her first collar. Well OF COURSE it was SKY BLUE! PUSB PUSB!

(Look at her rounded head)

Christmas was always a mess of paper (such FUN for a dog)

She never did really grow up but this was in her slightly calmer days.

We had regular walks on the cricket club fields.

In her dip, with Woody.

When Husb bought new equipment for school, he liked to try it out at home first. But Sammie always wanted to join in too, and more often than not get completely in the way.

Then she got so excited she ran after the ball and came back with an apple.

She was a beauty.  A Black Spirit (Cubba backed Black Spirit at Royal Ascot today in her memory)

I couldn't keep her out of the water when I took her to the woolly cows.

She was just IN.

We adored her. And all she ever wanted was to be with her pack. Preferably on the settee.

She looked good in the snow, and always ran like something possessed, we presumed it was because her feet were cold!

In her "box"

She was eating so little when she died but her last meal was a couple of slices of 

(cricket tea) (whoopsie!!) corned beef and half a tin of Aldi chicken soup. There was always room for a titbit though, especially when out for walkies.

When I went upstairs she would lie at the bottom and wait for me to come down.

Her fur was sooooooooo soft. It also came out in handfuls all over the house.

I totally didn't care. Who wants a boring, tidy house?

Sadie was her very best friend.

She was the BEST DOG EVER and anyone who patted her was instantly her best friend too. 

I had Unconditional Love  for 13 and a half years. It is hard to imagine life without her now. 

R.I.P.Poochie