A little background on “That Boy” (as new mom Pat calls him).
Samson was one of our first adoptions, but he was returned to us within a couple of days, when things didn’t work out with the other dog in the family. Geoff and I arranged to pick him up and then do Pat’s home visit in Abbotsford on the way back. Pat liked the big galoot right away, but she was actually looking for an older male for her 9 year old female greyhound, Zumi. Zumi had been quite despondent since the passing of her long time greyhound mate, Mason. 
We leashed and muzzled Samson up and took him into the yard. No sooner had they been introduced, that Zumi’s ears pricked up and she started racing around and around and around him! Doing, what else???? ZOOMIES!!!!
Samson had found his forever home! 
Pat’s pretty white picket fence was not high enough to hold Samson in, so to the tune of $1000, she installed a chain link fence right along side it. Samson was in heaven, snoozing and sunning beside Zumi and his mom in the yard.
Too good to be true???
A couple of days later, a loose cat sauntered by and “That Boy” was off and running at full speed… climbing awkwardly, but successfully, over both fences!
Although his antics were immediately foiled, that was the moment he came to be known as “Samson The Swift”.
Returning “That Boy” was not an option to Pat and although she jogged with him daily, when she was at home, she wanted him to have the freedom of an open kitchen door and a secure yard to wander out to. And so, with Pat’s permission, we continue with the saga of “Samson The Swift, one expensive puppy”!
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Part 1:
Hi Annie,
Okay, another 900 dollars later, we are now about 70% secure. I have made him a kennel at the back of the house which runs about 8-10 ft wide
and about 50 ft long. It has cement, grass and dirt with a 6 foot wooden fence at one end and added to the chain link at the other end which is about seven feet high, so he is safe. It has the 9 ft hedge runnng the length of it. Have also added webbing to the chain link, another 300 dollars, so he is not intense with his vision and is calmer wnen he is in the other part of the yard. Have added 8 ft high reed barrier, 16 ft long at the back of the compost pile, so he cannot see the cat in the next yard.
The final plan will be to add hedging along the chain link fence along the driveway, but that will be another 1000 dollars, so it won’t happen for at least another 6-12 months. In the meantime, my girlfriend and I are going to add another 2-3 feet to the exisiting chain link fence. She found me a black plastic chain link that matches fairly well. According to the city bylaw, the hedging can be grown to any height, as there is no height restriction as there is for fences, so that will be my ultimate solution.
He is a sweetie, Loves his new mom. Eating really well. Zumi is much happier and lively with his presence
take care, will keep you updated.
Pat
Part 2:
Dear Annie,
The $3500.00 dog now has his hedge put in, so he has the run of the side yard, which he loves.
His favorite frog toy disappeared for 2 weeks, where was it you ask? Buried in the yard, I know this for sure because when I found it, I saw him re-bury it, very delicately of course.
His new favorite toy is the jolly ball- loves chasing it and carrying it around- hard to bury this.
New habits he is learning that are not looked favorably upon- are #1- countersurfing++ . His attempts have netted him chicken, Tim Horton’s sandwich, chinese fortune cookie, cheese bun, all which were rescued out of his mouth in mid attempt to call them his own.
Gate is now placed across the kitchen garbage area, as he has now learned to open the garbage can- it
has a spring loaded lock on it-Poor Samson- thwarted at every turn.
He just makes me laugh every time I look at him as he has such a joyful outlook on life.
Hopefully there will be no other expenses, as I think he has covered all the bases of frowned upon behavior.
Pat
Part 3:
Hi Annie:
Yes, I do love that boy. He makes me laugh, even watching him sleep is an adventure- his lips fall back, his teeth show and he snores!
Pat
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Pat recently sent me these pictures of “That Boy” on his couch. The quality isn’t great because they were scanned from the original photographs, but that doesn’t detract, one bit, from the sheer joy these 2 hounds are experiencing.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful love story with me.
