Pet's Age
10

City
Winchester

State
Massachusetts

Pet's Story
Koda, a Samoyed or “Sammy,” has been part of our family since he was 9 weeks old and just had his 10th birthday last week. We originally planned to rescue a dog from the nearby shelter, but our daughter broke out in hives. Turns out Samoyeds are hypoallergenic, and the rest is history.

For a dog his size (103lbs, maybe more these days), we are happy he is super-chill and friendly to everyone who wants to say hi. He is very smart and what people politely call “food motivated.” However, when a treat is on the line, he is excited to show off all of his tricks: high-five, high-ten, shake, roll over, speak, and fetch. He’s also politely stubborn: on a walk, if we want to go left and he wants to go right, he sits…and simply doesn’t move. With his size, he often gets his way.

We’ve heard the same from other Sammy owners, too, but walking Koda in public places is an experience. We get stopped on the street a lot, and the same questions and statements usually come up: “OMG, he’s soooo fluffy!” (yes, yes he is); “Does he shed a lot?” (yes, yes he does); “Do you have to brush him a lot?” (we should, but two thumbs up for regular grooming…which takes an entire day to complete); “Does he like the summer heat?” (more than you’d think, but wintertime is when he shines).

Winter is indeed his season – when it starts to snow, he demands to go outside and refuses to come back in. He makes a “nest” in it and happily goes to sleep. We have many pictures of two black eyes and a black nose, the only discerning features to separate dog from the pile of snow.

But the best part is that wonderful “Sammy Smile” – we get to see it every day on Koda and feel lucky to have such a happy guy in our lives!

Pet's Best Personality Trait
Koda is a howler and a grumbler and seems just one step away from talking.

Pet's Favorite Thing To Do
He loves to play with toys that squeak. To test them, he will “boop” a toy with his nose to make sure it makes a sound. Most irritated expression when no sound emerges.