From the club newsletter, "PuppyTales", by F Pegg

OCTOBER 2005

SAM
LABRADOR

Yes, you guessed it. This is Kumbelin Kamaroo, or as some of you will know, Sam.

Sam is well known to many handlers and dogs as he likes to meet and greet as many as he can, especially when everyone else is behaving themselves at training. Sam has been bringing Fred Pegg along to training ever since Sam was in puppy pre-school at around ten weeks of age.

After a short break while Fred recovered from surgery on his hands, Sam went into class 1 and quickly passed through class 2 but enjoyed class three so much he stayed there for what seemed like years. However, he finally got it right on the day and has been in class four for a while now.

	Fred and Sam had a go at learning flyball for a little while, but each time they tried, Sam’s usual lack of enthusiasm for anything strenuous meant he couldn’t be bothered after a couple of runs. They have also “participated” in agility which Sam & Fred seemed to be getting the hang of and enjoying, but Sam seemed to be losing his “obedience”. Maybe they will get back to it one day. Although Sam is in class four, he can often be seen taking part in class three as a sort of refresher in the more basic levels, but there is no danger of him ever being seen in the trial ring, so there are no titles, ribbons or fancy prizes to talk about, just a lot of fun and love. All dogs in the club are special to their handlers, but Sam is extra special to Fred’s wife Jan.
She had been wanting a black Labrador since the day their previous (white) Lab, Gypsy, died of old age. After some searching, a litter of blacks was found at the kennels of Mick and Maria Downes in Ballarat. The cutest of the lot was also the runt of the litter, and that was the one chosen to become Sam. The diet suggestions given by Maria must have been good as Sam is certainly no runt any more. What makes him so extra special is that the day they picked him up at eight weeks of age was the day Jan’s father passed away.
	A story about Sam is not complete if it does not include his buddy Mitch, the Pegg family’s Border Collie. Mitch is only six months older and a fair bit smaller than Sam, but he is definitely number one in the pecking order. Mitch loves to run and catch a tennis ball and once he has started playing with one ball it is useless trying to introduce a different one, even if it looks exactly the same. Mitch knows the difference and will not touch other than the one he first started with. Sam might catch a ball in his mouth once or twice, then can’t be bothered. He prefers to play with his teddy bear, and when this is thrown at him he will jump up and catch it in his paws. Sam’s other “trick” is to fetch the papers in the morning. When he is let out the front door, he picks up the rolled newspapers and brings them inside. In a tag-team effort, Mitch meets him at the door and takes the papers from Sam to deliver them to the kitchen. Saturday always presents Sam with a dilemma as the newspapers are so thick they are rolled separately. He usually makes a determined effort, but even Sam can’t get two Saturday papers in his mouth at the same time.
Sam has recently turned five years old and is now starting to show signs of maturing. Sam would like to leave you with a lovely thought which was seen quoted recently on a notice board at Dana and Doveton Sts. “You should always strive to be the kind of person your dog thinks you are”.