Samson (formerly known as Seth – Champion FFT It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere
Posted: June 10, 2007 Filed under: FFT Lhasa Apsos 8 CommentsWe really enjoy hearing about your Lifetime Companions! Slowly, but surely, pages devoted to each dog are being added in the Gallery section. Each Gallery begins with a simple postcard designed for each dog. There are two links on each postcard: the dog’s name will take you to the pedigree. The dog’s face will take you to a page devoted to that dog, including photos and correspondence. Be patient; those pages can be slow loading. I’ll let you know What’s New each time I add a dog to the Gallery.
Because it may be beneficial to others, I’d like to address two things in Caroline’s email.
In the Happy Apsos section of the website, there’s a grooming section with step-by-step instructions. Be sure to share that with your groomer, someone that hopefully understands the breed’s temperament and enjoys grooming Apsos! Her experience, unfortunately, is not uncommon. As a professional dog groomer, I’ve had to do redo some very…interesting hairdos!
It is very common for dogs to fear thunder and/or lightning. And dogs that have lived with me have experienced thunder and lightning up close and personal at 9,000 feet elevation! With the exception of a couple of housedogs, my dogs all live in the kennel. Click here for a tour. Dogs that are being shown live separately until they’re retired from the show ring. At that time, I incorporate them into the appropriate group, if at all possible. When all the dogs go outside, they are in one of two groups; male group and female group. There is a large fenced area for each group. Problems seldom arise with this arrangement. Inside there are groups that change, depending on which dogs are here with me. Currently, all the females (five) are housed together and all the males (four) are housed together (except for the show dogs). Each group’s inside area is 10′ x 9′, attached to outside covered runs.
Seth was with me for six years. When he was in show coat, he was in a show run except when he went outside with his group. The show runs are 6′ x 2′ with a working gate on the end, divided by fencing that’s 1″ x 2″ and a bed at each end. While those dogs can’t dogpile, like the other dogs do, they often sleep side-by-side. After Seth retired, he lived in a regular indoor-outdoor run.
Dear Debby,
It’s been quite some time since I reported on Samson’s new life in Florida and I thought you might be interested in how he is adapting to his new home.
He is definitely my dog. He still follows me everywhere and if I am away for a time he sits at the screened – in lanai and waits for me. As soon as he sees me he barks, wags his tail vigorously and jumps around. What a clown. He is very adept at helping me make the bed in the morning. As soon as I start he jumps up on the bed and claws at the sheets and blankets as though he knows how to arrange them. That is our morning ritual and he loves to get under the covers and hide. When I say “Where is Samson” his tail starts wagging and he pops his head out!
Last night we had a thunder storm for the first time since Sam has been with us and I was surprised at how afraid he acted. He was trembling and couldn’t get close enough to me. This behavior made me wonder how he reacted when he was with you. What kind of environment did he live in? Was he quartered with other dogs or was he by himself? He heard the first thunder and I could tell immediately that he didn’t like it.
I have to tell you that he had a such a trauma a couple of months ago. I took him to the groomer and she asked if I wanted him to have the same cut he had before. I said I did but as I was leaving she said he was matted on his chest and it would hurt him if she tried to comb it out. I said okay, thinking she would clip it there and the rest of the cut would be the same as before. When I returned a couple of hours later I couldn’t believe my eyes – she had shaved his whole body except for his head and tail! I was furious but there was nothing I could do about it. Well, anyway, he was mortified, didn’t want to go outside and was freezing most of the time. We kept him covered up as much as possible. Finally his coat has grown in enough that he is no longer embarrassed and he is starting to look and act like his old self. Naturally I will never use that groomer again. There was no reason to do that. He was not matted all over his body and I don’t even think his chest was in bad shape. We brush him every day and he looks great now. I was too shocked to tell you before his hair grew back but now I thought it was safe to confess!
Samson is a real watch dog, barking when people walk by our condo. Everyone thinks he is adorable (which he is) and they want to pet him but he is still leery of people he doesn’t know. That’s okay with me though. I don’t like animals to jump all over me.
We will be returning to Ohio in a couple of weeks for the summer. It is getting very hot here, upper 80’s every day and I will be happy to be in a little cooler area. Sam doesn’t seem to like the really hot days either and it will be interesting to see how he adapts to another home. I’m sure he will do fine.
That’s all for now from Samson and me,
Caroline
Kunza at FleetFire Timbers 
I really enjoyed reading this letter. He has some characteristics like Roadie. He doesn’t help me make up the bed, be paws to get in the bed about 5:30 or 6:00 p.m. Then his craving is satisfied and he sleeps on the floor or in his bed the rest of the night. That groomer is not very reputable. (smile)
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Roadie’s sire is Seth. You might enjoy checking out two of Roadie’s brothers – also sired by Seth – in the Galleries. Roman, aka Ch. FFT Veni Vidi Vici. Willis, aka FFT Bruse is Dancin’ in the Dark. Zeke, Roadie’s son, is also in the Galleries. As time allows, I will continue to add to the Galleries, giving you a sense of ‘family’!
This is really great. Willis really was not enjoying the few hot days we have had in NY. Yesterday the temps dropped down to the 50’s; and he is in his glory, loving it. We’ve had 1 or 2 rumbles of thunder which, surprisingly, caught his attention, never noticed that it effected puppies, usually the older dogs. Interesting to hear that Zeke is also related; i’ve been following his story too.
It certainly is true that these wonderful little friends have such unique and individual Apso-alities.
Zeke is unafraid of anything, except clippers. Anyone trying to clip this little lion would have to sedate him. Debby likened grooming to a “rodeo” and that is what it is. (Ride this Apso for 8 seconds if you can!) If he feels like getting brushed or scissored, he will allow it. Otherwise forget it. He would never bite the hand that feeds him, but he will shred the hand that brings the clippers anywhere near his space. He likes his hair long and said so. Besides, he is Roadie’s son and must keep family tradition. Having groomed poodles for many years, anyone who can groom one of these hairy wonders has my admiration and respect. He will just have to look pitiful and endure our learning curve, since we will never take him to a “professional” groomer. (or clip him!)
Zeke is 8 months old today! 14 lbs and really healthy and happy, and unbelievably smart.
To see some photos of Zeke, along with a short video, along with reading some of Katy’s wonderful letters:
http://www.fleetfiretimbers.com/FFT/Collages/Zeke.htm
Hope the link works! If not, cut and paste into your browser. I’m still on a learning curve here! I can put ‘click here’ links in through my administrator access, but not sure if I can do that through viewer comments.
Greetings One and All
I share a home with Dancer and Spirit. They let Jay and I live here and take care of them. Their Grand Mother was not afraid of thunder or lightening, but their Mothe, Starr is. When Star is with them they all vibrate. When Dancer is alone with me she wants a little more attention but does not vibrate. Apso’s are very intuitive to energy (more so than other breeds). Lightening is more energy than they care to deal with.
Also, I have had the same problems with groomers here. I took all the girls to the Poodle Parlor and they shaved them. Said they did not have the time or staff to comb and clip them. Found another groomer and used her until she retired. Wonderful woman with all small long haired dogs. Now it is back to finding another groomer.
Debbie, I do not blog so this is new to me. I enjoy Apso’s so much that I will keep trying this. It is interesting to read the comments. Well enough for now.
Sharon,
What do you mean by “vibrate”? Vibrating with fear or in tune with the storm energy?
Here in NM, thunder means the potential for rain, and we all welcome it! Sometimes we go out on the back porch and watch the approaching storm in celebration. The thunder and lightening are like fireworks! So Zeke, maybe “tuned in” to our eagerness to actually smell the rain, dances along with us. We consider it “good energy”!
A previous poodle I had was very frightened of thunder and all loud noises, and I gave her the Bach Flower Essence, Rescue Remedy, with some calming results following.
Katy,
It is a little of both and it depends on the dog. With Star it is more fear as she has had some sound trauma as a young dog. With Button it is with the storms energy – no fear. With Spirit it depends on how upset Star gets, but most of the time it is with the storms energy. For Dancer it is mostly storms energy. We as two leggeds and feel the exhileration of the storms energy if we but open ourselves to it. What a RUSH!! I talk to the girls and they quite and go back to what they were doing. I have not have had to use Bach Flower Essence or Rescue Remedy but those are both excellant.