

	Featured Story		Dog of the Day

Samson

Please Note: The dog in the accompanying photograph is the subject of the story, but the person pictured is probably not the patient in the story.

My name is Samson, and I am 4 ½ yrs old. I am a yellow lab, and I've been a therapy dog for almost 3 years. When I was a puppy, I was always getting into trouble digging holes and chewing my mommy's shoes. My favorite thing was learning how to turn on the hose by myself and playing in the mud. When I was finished playing I'd run into the house with my muddy feet and jump on the couch or the bed for a nap. My mom would have to clean my mess and give me a bath.

Now I have a job at the hospitals, making people happy. I love to have my picture taken, and sometimes I even play games with the patients. One day on one of my many visits to Childrens Hospital I saw a little boy that I had seen many times before. I would visit him, but he never spoke to me; he would just pet me and brush me. On this visit he had a play doctor’s kit. He played the doctor and I played the patient. He listened to my heart, took my temperature, looked in my ears, eyes, and throat. He checked my teeth and then he gave me a big smile and a hug and said, “I love you!” That’s my job … to make people feel better. And I wouldn't trade my job for anything.