# Sam's Photo Thread



## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

I figured, rather than spamming elsewhere, Sam needs his own photo thread. 

Sam is a St. Bernard mix living the good life in Alaska!







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Sam's litter, very young!







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A little bigger!







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At 5 1/2 weeks or so.







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Sam on his first day with us...just under 6 weeks old.







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Sleeping on his first day...







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And sleeping some more!







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Attacking a plushie!







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And sleeping some more after surfing dog forums!

A full day 1 and 2 at home!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Day 3 pictures!








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First bully stick for our little nipper! 







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A close up of that handsome face.







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Another nap after his first vet visit.

A full day 3 at home!


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

That last picture is too cute for words. I *need* to rub that puppy belly!!


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

Little chubster we want him, to bad you cant just reach in there and pet him, so cuddly looking....


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

He is just freaking adorable.


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## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

How can you live through the absolute cuteness?! he's so cute I might faint from going AWWWWW too much


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

Such a roley poley fur ball! So adorable!


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## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

AWW too cute!


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## hueyeats (Apr 2, 2013)

2 cute, 2 cute!!!
Just have to say it again.

Roman


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

More pics. 

We're still working on potty training and bite inhibition...check back with me in 6 months on those! However, he is getting better AND is getting better on his crate and pen already! Soooo proud of this little guy!







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He just wants SO badly to play with the kitties...and they just ignore him. 







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More nappin'!


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

He is soooo adorable!  I love that last photo!


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## Vicky88 (Jan 29, 2012)

He is soooo cute!.


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

Love that photo with the cats (we have 3 cats)...Cats are sooo clickish arent they poor little Sammie.... He is too amazingly cute and such a good boy to not try and pounce on the kitty (yet)....


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## Spirit_of_Cotons (Jun 21, 2009)

Your Sam is so adorable! I have to keep on remembering his breed because I keep thinking your dog is a Sarplaninac or Karst Shepherd puppy (I know he isn't).


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Spirit_of_Cotons said:


> Your Sam is so adorable! I have to keep on remembering his breed because I keep thinking your dog is a Sarplaninac or Karst Shepherd puppy (I know he isn't).


I googled both those breeds and the pups do look a lot like our Sam.  I'm really looking forward to seeing how he grows up! My foreman at work grew up with 2 GSD/St. Bernard mixes and says they looked exactly like our boy as pups and were great dogs.

I'm so happy we ended up with this little guy!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

BernerMax said:


> Love that photo with the cats (we have 3 cats)...Cats are sooo clickish arent they poor little Sammie.... He is too amazingly cute and such a good boy to not try and pounce on the kitty (yet)....


LOL...you can tell, he SO misses having furry friends to play with and keeps thinking maybe, just maybe, he'll entice the cats to play. He'll probably be glad when he's old enough for puppy class!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

More pics. 
















I'm SO looking forward to puppy classes...he just wants someone furry to play with him SOOO bad. 








Closeup of the new development...a triangle of black on his tail?








Poor sleepy boy!








That puppy face.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

I don't have pictures, but Thud had that triangle on his tail. It was only SUPER visible when he shed and most of the dark fur came out. Now his entire tail is black/dark sable. which is a bit of a contrast to the blonde he is everywhere else.

As always: PReCIOUS puppy.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

So precious! I see he also has the same raccoon my guys and gals have.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

He loves that raccoon. I suspect he will soon love it to DEATH. 

Oh...and we took him out to the vet, as part of his socialization, and had him weighed again. He has gained 1/2 pound since Monday, bringing him up to 12lbs at 6 weeks.


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## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

Such a cute boy! Can't get enough of these photos.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

We've had an epic case of the stomach flu at our house, but here are more pictures!








This is Sam guarding our little sickly girl. 








A close up of the cuddle pup.








Sam looking spooky!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Just thought I'd drop a note in here so that I don't forget. Sam is 7 weeks old and weighed 14lbs today.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

Sam is adorable!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Thank you all. He keeps us smiling every day and it's wonderful watching him grow and learn. 

He'll be 8 weeks next week and get his first puppy shots. We're really excited for him to get his second set and start puppy classes as well as begin to be able to be socialized with other dogs.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Our little boy is getting bigger and bigger!!! I have pictures from last weekend and this weekend, both included small hiking trips into the mountains to stretch our legs and work out a little of that puppy energy. We're driving ourselves nuts finding ways to work out that energy that aren't so hard on developing bones and joints AND don't get him near other dogs until after his second round of puppy shots.









Sam out hiking, just a week ago.








Sam this weekend, in his "big boy" harness. He outgrew his first one, a small, and is now in a medium. 








More hiking yesterday in what is left of the snow in the mountains. This boy LOVES the snow now! He will jump in it, dig in it, and loves to eat it. It's a shame it's all almost gone and we may have to make some trips higher up in the summer just to find him some.


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

Great photos-- All of your babies are adorable-- glad he likes the snow (you guys being in AL and all) -- I love seeing my guys laying out in the snow, sometimes with snowflakes coming down on them-- its 85 degrees here these days though so snow is but a memory for us!
Its interesting too-- as he ages he looks more like a GSD- St bernard mix! (but hes a lab - St bernard right?)....


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

BernerMax said:


> Great photos-- All of your babies are adorable-- glad he likes the snow (you guys being in AL and all) -- I love seeing my guys laying out in the snow, sometimes with snowflakes coming down on them-- its 85 degrees here these days though so snow is but a memory for us!
> Its interesting too-- as he ages he looks more like a GSD- St bernard mix! (but hes a lab - St bernard right?)....


We're thinking the mom's owner was confused on who the dad was. I'm betting he's a GSD-St. Bernard mix. There is nothing about him that seems to say lab. Whatever he is, though...he's all Sam. 

Our snow is almost all gone. We have a small pile in the backyard and a couple of piles in the neighborhood, but most of it is melted and things are beginning to green up.


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

packetsmom said:


> We're thinking the mom's owner was confused on who the dad was. I'm betting he's a GSD-St. Bernard mix. There is nothing about him that seems to say lab. Whatever he is, though...he's all Sam.
> 
> Our snow is almost all gone. We have a small pile in the backyard and a couple of piles in the neighborhood, but most of it is melted and things are beginning to green up.


Also I guess a litter of pups could, techn, have diff fathers (it is possible right) - so maybe some of them where lab crosses as well-- he sure looks GSD to me, and gorgeous- it will be so fun watching him grow up- and for more AL scenery too as summer approaches!


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

He is ADORABLE. 

And his nose is doing The Thud Thing.


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## CrimsonAccent (Feb 17, 2012)

Aww. Really cute pup and kids  honestly its like Thud's long last sibling.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

Adorable family human and canine alike!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Thanks, guys! And, yes, he does look SO much like a long lost cousin of Thud's. I still think the theory that there is an alien race of Thud-dogs poised to take over the world has merit. What is the nose thing, though? I mean, besides the trait of getting his nose into everything? 

All of Sam's siblings had the same coloring and coat, although a few had different markings, some with a white patch here or there that seemed to have come from the St. Bernard side. I'm seriously convinced that the owner had no real idea who the father was and picked lab because it sounded adoptable. As it was, he was a bit "confused" in the "I'm living out in a one room cabin in the mountains with several bongs laying out" way that is not uncommon up here.

We have considered a wisdom panel, but it's actually pretty fun speculating on his parentage and making up new names for what he could be.


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## Sako (Apr 15, 2013)

Hey, I'm glad someone directed me to your thread so I can watch and compare Sako to Sam's progress. Your boy is as adorable as mine and it looks like you're having just as much fun with him as I am with Sako!


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

packetsmom said:


> Thanks, guys! And, yes, he does look SO much like a long lost cousin of Thud's. I still think the theory that there is an alien race of Thud-dogs poised to take over the world has merit. What is the nose thing, though? I mean, besides the trait of getting his nose into everything?


Sorry, I thought I answered this. 

I just mean getting longer and more GSD like, for lack of a better descriptor.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

CptJack said:


> Sorry, I thought I answered this.
> 
> I just mean getting longer and more GSD like, for lack of a better descriptor.


Yep! We keep joking that we'll end up with a GSD the size of a St. Bernard. LOL! It really is striking how much Thud and Sam look alike and now we have another Thud lookalike. 

His behavior also reminds me a lot of GSD puppies. You can see the wheels turning all the time and he is always looking to solve problems...like us keeping him from getting into mischief, which in his mind is a problem. His protectiveness (nothing serious, just liking to know where everyone in the family is at any given time) also reminds me of GSD's as well.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

packetsmom said:


> Yep! We keep joking that we'll end up with a GSD the size of a St. Bernard. LOL! It really is striking how much Thud and Sam look alike and now we have another Thud lookalike.
> 
> His behavior also reminds me a lot of GSD puppies. You can see the wheels turning all the time and he is always looking to solve problems...like us keeping him from getting into mischief, which in his mind is a problem. His protectiveness (nothing serious, just liking to know where everyone in the family is at any given time) also reminds me of GSD's as well.


We originally joked that we were going to have a pyr-sized GSD, but I don't even begin to know what he's ultimately going to be. Right now his fur is half in, and his ears are flopped fully back over. I think I'm going to hold off another 6 months and then develop an opinion  he's done a lot of changing. His personality is... I don't even know. HE's 6 months old and still prone to (gently) mouthing, he herds (seriously), he's ball, fetch, tug and water CRAZY. He is a total DOOFUS with us, at home, but for all that he's not particularly high energy. Other people outside the house he is developing a very serious, watchful demeanor which is kind of nice. 

He's just a good dog, who is a bit contradictory in ways.


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## reynosa_k9's (Dec 14, 2007)

Sam is so feakin' adorable! Despite being so young he is a very big boy....downright cuddly looking. 

Yup, he does have a Thud thing goin' on there in the face.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

reynosa_k9's said:


> Sam is so feakin' adorable! Despite being so young he is a very big boy....downright cuddly looking.
> 
> Yup, he does have a Thud thing goin' on there in the face.


He is SO cuddly...when he's tired enough that he's not being a brat and nippy.  I torment him endlessly in the later evenings when he's worn out, cuddling him, playing with his ears, and generally enjoying his soft fuzz. He gives me dirty looks and grumbles at me half-asleep, but I figure it's payback for all the nips when he's wide awake and it does make him appreciate it when I tuck him into his crate for the night.


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## Tylerthegiant (Apr 5, 2013)

Love this pup! Can't wait to see him all grown up, I just have this feeling he'll be super handsome! He looks SO pettable!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

9 1/2 weeks old and 22lbs.  Our "little" puppy is growing fast!


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

Look at those ears! Hes a cute "little" baby moose!!! Awwwwww....


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

Awwwwwe .... Look at Sam! He is getting taller .... and those ears!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

You never know where those ears are going to be. The one on the right really wants to stand up, but most of the time is halfway up. Part of the time, it is down in the middle of his forehead.  And yeah...that face is terribly hard to resist and not spoil rotten!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

More Sam-ness! He had his 10 week checkup this morning and is weighing in at 27lbs! He was pronounced healthy and ready for puppy classes!








Sam with his "big" sister keeping him on the rock before our first hike of the long weekend. 








At the end of the trail, after surviving the huge lab pup on the retractable leash. It was gorgeous! 








In the backyard, before the fun with the sprinkler!


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

Awww everyone looks so happy and healthy! And puppy class will be so great for everyone (you are bringing the kids right?)!...


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

On yesterday morning's hike. That one ear is determined to go up!








Hiking dog!








Conquerer of the trail!








Worn out and relaxing in the backyard, watching the kids run in the sprinklers again. 

I hope everyone else had a Memorial Day weekend just as awesome as ours. We also did several mountain bike trips, although poor Sam napped through them back at home in his crate. Maybe in a couple years, he'll be skijorring with me!


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

Gorgeous Sam! Puppy class will be a great deal of fun!


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## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

Wow he's getting so big  his ears are really starting to stand up and look german shepherd-y (I guess you would say) lol he's getting more and more adorable everyday.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Thanks, guys! He really is the love of our lives.  The kids were so sad when we had to leave him during our short bike trips, but, honestly, I think he really needed and appreciated the rest. They'd rather be with him than do anything without him, as would we.

We had some ups and downs before we got him with some disappointments along the way, but I think it was because we were meant to wait for him specifically.


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## Sako (Apr 15, 2013)

What a handsome boy, and a big boy too! For some reason I thought that Sam and Sako were the same age. Sam is definitely gonna be the big 'twin', lol. Sako will be 12 weeks this Friday and has his first check-up then. I'll get an official weight then as I've just been weighing him with me on the bathroom scale so far. My Sako is the love of our lives too so I know how much Sam means to you all!


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

I just found your thread and had such a fun time going through his last month with you guys. What a beautiful boy. And huge! I can't believe he's only 10 weeks old and almost 30lbs. Crazy. And I love the ear that is already trying to stand up. Other than his size I don't see a lot of St Bernard, but I definitely seem him turning into an extra large GSD lookalike.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

More pictures from the past week. 








Samwise Gamgee, Vampire Hunter!!! 








Watch out, team Edward! (He found these under the deck...thanks workmen! )








Sam from above.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Oh, he is going to be gorgeous. 

And I totally agree he's going to look like a giant german shepherd at the rate he's going. A really gorgeous one.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Serious Sam








I bought this toy yesterday afterwork. Within 2 minutes of Sam having it...it was ripped and eventually shredded. Still, it was fun! 








Happy Sam the blue toy destroyer!


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## SDRRanger (May 2, 2013)

I love his ears! I think it's so cool they're starting to go up. He's going to be such a striking adult.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

Look at him grow! ... and his ears standing!  What a handsome pup!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

CptJack said:


> Oh, he is going to be gorgeous.
> 
> And I totally agree he's going to look like a giant german shepherd at the rate he's going. A really gorgeous one.


I went to a Schutzhund practice, just to check it out, and was showing a woman there his picture and her female GSD pup licked the screen. LOL! We won't tell her he's off the market.  But yeah, I'm so stinking proud of this dog, it's pretty ridiculous.



SDRRanger said:


> I love his ears! I think it's so cool they're starting to go up. He's going to be such a striking adult.


I love his ears, too. They're mostly up now and are very expressive.  I think he is going to be a very handsome adult and I'm excited to see how he turns out.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Abbylynn said:


> Look at him grow! ... and his ears standing!  What a handsome pup!


Thank you! Those ears don't miss anything. LOL!


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

Wow, he is a handsome puppy. He's going to grow into one good looking dog.


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## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

His ears are HUGE!!! lol compared to him they look so silly with him because they are so big, looking more GSD everyday


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

We had a GREAT weekend, with more beautiful weather. Sam's highlights of the weekend included a hike in the woods complete with some splashing in a mountain stream and some rather fresh bear scat. (Ewwww!) Then, a trip to a favorite local place where he laid very nicely under my seat and was perfect the whole time in exchange for some hamburger and halibut burger and watching a goose family navigate down the stream next to our table. (Yay for outdoor seating!) We got him a baby pool, which I've started getting him used to and he worked on the halibut trimmings from the freezer in the backyard. A perfect doggy weeeknd!









A few wet hiking dog pictures!








The ears go up, the ears come down, the ears flop over and around...you just never know what his ears are going to do on any given day! 








He was NOT liking that I was on a lower rock than him and dh! When hiking, he does NOT like anyone not being with the group! He is definitely our park ranger.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

I didn't know that dogs could grow overnight, but apparently no one told Sam he couldn't, so last weekend, he did! I got these pictures a couple of days ago, playing in the backyard and hopefully they show a little of his growth spurt.








That's a giant mosquito on his nose, but he was having a good time.








And here's the horse dog in his natural habitat. I know it's hard to tell scale with nothing next to him, but right now he's over knee high on me and weighs around 35lbs.

The nipping is getting better and he's really getting more personality.  He gives the best hugs of any dog I've ever had.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

Sam is so gorgeous!  I see a ton of Shepherd in him.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

We had a great weekend, relaxing and doing a little bit of hiking. Sam definitely enjoyed stopping and smelling all the wildflowers!








Sam and his kids.








Stopping to smell the flowers.








Flower dog!

We met 2 fully grown GSD's (one was a GSD border collie mix that was huge, black, and bear like...are they sure that BC wasn't a Newfie?!). Sam hid from the first and the family politely kept their dog leashed away and cooed over our "baby Shepherd." The second (the big black bear dog) politely ignored Sam despite Sam's barking. He still is nervous around other dogs and strange people, but seems to do fine as long as they mostly ignore him. The two children belonging to the bear dog wanted to pet Sam, but he wasn't having it and ducked behind me and I didn't push the issue.

On the plus side, the nipping has gotten a lot better.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

More Sam-y goodness from the 4th of July, but first a pic from a week or two ago...








So, for our 4th of July, after some romping in the backyard which was impossible for me to capture on camera (who knew Sam knew how to play football?! He got a small football away from all of us and was the best running back ever!), we went to Thunderbird Falls, which looks like this now:








I got a cute picture of Sam and dh sharing a moment. 








Then an itch happened...


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

And those EARS! 








And finally an attempted family shot, with me hiding behind the camera, as usual...








Ack...Sam...stay still...








Now everyone looks goofy! Ok, one last try!








LOL...that's as close as we're going to get...no idea why ds is making that face at Sam.


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## BrittanyG (May 27, 2009)

Wow he grew fast. I guess most puppies do.

I agree with the GSD/Lab guess, he looks stockier than the average GSD pup of that age.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

He sure is growing! He is just so handsome!  Good try with the pics ...... they are great!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

This is from Saturday's hike. 








This was his first time wearing a no-pull harness and it was like a magic switch. He didn't fight it or throw a fit and he was actually very calm with us putting it on. He just didn't pull. We'd previously tried a gentle leader head collar and he fought that like you wouldn't believe. I'm very happy with how well he handles this harness and how much it saves my shoulders while I'm teaching him loose leash walking!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

BrittanyG said:


> Wow he grew fast. I guess most puppies do.
> 
> I agree with the GSD/Lab guess, he looks stockier than the average GSD pup of that age.


That stockiness is likely the St. Bernard in him. If I hadn't seen his mother myself, I'd wonder where that came from. To me, besides his bone structure, he looks nothing like a Saint, but he is 1/2 that.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

And more Sam and kid pictures. He is getting to be so good with his kids! He still will avoid pets from other kids, but his? He's all over them with the licks now!


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## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

He is getting so big  and he looks more GSD than st. Bernard lol so cute though


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## momtolabs (May 27, 2012)

Those ears.... I think mia may be like sam. She loves us but strange kids and people she tolerates being petted but would rather just watch them.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

The salmon are running! And, Sam decided it would be fun to splash with them. He didn't catch any, but he did try to jump on them with his paws, which was fun to watch.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Mom...I'm all wet...it's almost like a...BATH!!! 
















I love that one droopy ear, still hanging on there.


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## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

OMG he's getting so huge  and that ear is adorable  He looks like a GSD instead of a saint bernard though lol


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Yeah, if I hadn't seen his mother myself...I'd wonder about there being any Saint in him at all. I think all he got from her might be size.


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## hueyeats (Apr 2, 2013)

IMHO.
I may see the St. Bernard from base color (brown) and his shorter muzzle maybe???
GSD grow to be over 100lbs too... So unless Sam will be over 130/140 plus(st. Bernard's size) when he is 1-2 years old....
He is still very GSD with a "short" muzzle... But I don't see any muzzle droop typical of SB.

Both hubby and I wanted a full blood GSD (dh family had one, my Timothy is half GSD) till we fell in love with that 1/2 pyr...
Then went to all Pyr in Roman.

Anyhoo... Glad to see Sam's pics on this thread.


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## HicktownJuliet (Aug 26, 2012)

Oh my gosh! Sam is such a cute boy, I have enjoyed watching him grow!  I hope you keep us updated.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

Not only is Sam adorable but he likes water too! I wish my dogs did!


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## cookieface (Jul 6, 2011)

Somehow I've missed this thread. Sam is gorgeous! Can't wait to see him all grown up.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Thank you guys! I'm really excited about the dog he's growing up to be. It is a lot of fun seeing their personalities just begin to peek through. 

He was nervous about water at first, but I think it was the salmon in this particular stream that got him over his fear. He now jumps in the water pretty quickly, but hasn't yet gone deep enough to need to swim. I think it's a great start and will help us keep him cooler in the summers! He mostly loves splashing and making those deep "gong" sounds with his big paws! 

This stream is not too far from our house where the kids have been having day camp and has salmon spawning in it, which is pretty neat to see. There are also musher's trails, bike, trails, and other trails in that area, so it's a lot of fun!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Yesterday in the same area, near a musher's trail.


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## Sako (Apr 15, 2013)

Great pictures! Sako and Sam still look like they could be brothers but Sako's ears are droopy. How heavy is Sam now? Today Sako is 20 weeks and I haven't weighed him yet but last Friday he weighed 53.5 lbs. He is also becoming the dream dog I hoped he would be.  So nice to see you and your family enjoying adventures with Sam.

ETA: I just stuck a few pics of him on the 'Your Dog- Then and Now' thread in the General Dog Forum if you wanna take a peek...


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## Toabster (Nov 16, 2010)

Too cute for words!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Sako said:


> Great pictures! Sako and Sam still look like they could be brothers but Sako's ears are droopy. How heavy is Sam now? Today Sako is 20 weeks and I haven't weighed him yet but last Friday he weighed 53.5 lbs. He is also becoming the dream dog I hoped he would be.  So nice to see you and your family enjoying adventures with Sam.
> 
> ETA: I just stuck a few pics of him on the 'Your Dog- Then and Now' thread in the General Dog Forum if you wanna take a peek...


I'll definitely have to go take a look!  I need to weigh Sam. I'm guessing around 50lbs.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

I didn't get any pictures of us tracking this weekend because we were...busy tracking! However, I did get pictures of the aftermath, which was a tired, happy pup!








And Sam looking his most deer-like. I can almost hear him saying, "Mom, that was fun, but now a nap...please?!"


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## BellaPup (Jul 7, 2007)

I LOVE Sam!! (I feel I may have said that before....sorry. lol) He is so freaking adorable!!!! 

I was kinda hoping Bella would be more shepardy looking like him....but I love her anyway. ~


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

BellaPup said:


> I LOVE Sam!! (I feel I may have said that before....sorry. lol) He is so freaking adorable!!!!
> 
> I was kinda hoping Bella would be more shepardy looking like him....but I love her anyway. ~


Thank you! And bella is definitely a doll in her own right. 

Sam definitely is a character and an interesting mix. I'm already a little wistful knowing that we probably will never have another dog like him, which is kind of sad to me since I'm really enjoying him so much. I guess I can just hope he inherited a longer lifespan from Dad and enjoy every minute of it.


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## SDRRanger (May 2, 2013)

His feet are gigantic!


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

He's turning into a really good looking dog!

And those feet are gigantic. lol


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## Kevin T (Apr 22, 2013)

packetsmom said:


> Thank you guys! I'm really excited about the dog he's growing up to be. It is a lot of fun seeing their personalities just begin to peek through.
> 
> He was nervous about water at first, but I think it was the salmon in this particular stream that got him over his fear. He now jumps in the water pretty quickly, but hasn't yet gone deep enough to need to swim. I think it's a great start and will help us keep him cooler in the summers! He mostly loves splashing and making those deep "gong" sounds with his big paws!
> 
> This stream is not too far from our house where the kids have been having day camp and has salmon spawning in it, which is pretty neat to see. There are also musher's trails, bike, trails, and other trails in that area, so it's a lot of fun!


Does Sam try to catch the salmon?


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

SDRRanger said:


> His feet are gigantic!


LOL...everyone says that, but to me, he just seems normal size and now all other dogs his age seem tiny.  I guess you get used to what you have at home?



Kevin T said:


> Does Sam try to catch the salmon?


Not yet. He was curious about them and kind of jumped at one as if he was going to come down on it with his paws and then jumped back, very puppy-like. It was fun to watch.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

We were out yesterday in the backyard playing with Sam on his long line to practice recalls. He preferred playing with the line (33ft tracking line) and trying to tie dh up in it! LOL!
















In other news, Sam is developing...FLEWS! We were thinking that we'd lucked out and would only be dealing with a giant-sized Malinois, but it looks like he's also going to be a drooling, giant-sized Malinois. :doh:

It's a good thing he is so darned sweet.


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## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

He is absolutely adorable  lol flews oh no!!!


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

kcomstoc said:


> He is absolutely adorable  lol flews oh no!!!


x2 I love that look a giant, solid Malinois, I love Flewsas well!


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## reynosa_k9's (Dec 14, 2007)

SDRRanger said:


> His feet are gigantic!





packetsmom said:


> LOL...everyone says that, but to me, he just seems normal size and now all other dogs his age seem tiny.  I guess you get used to what you have at home?....


Having a large breed dog does skew your size perception. 
I had Gwendolyn with me when I went to a store a few days ago. Everyone was commenting on how big she is. I'm like "Huh?". She's the one I always refer to as my teeny-tiny pocket dane. She's only 90lbs and by far the smallest of my GD's, even smaller than one of my GSD's. 

Anyway, Sam is growing up beautifully! Do you know if any of his siblings look anything like a Saint Bernard? If you hadn't told us I would never have guessed he had any in him at all. Especially with those upright ears. 
Sam and Thud used to look so much alike. Thud is looking more pyr (in my opinion) and Sam is definitely looking more shepherdy. Such a gorgeous boy!


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## zack (May 27, 2013)

From a gorgeous puppy to a stunning boy.lol.


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## Cailin (May 2, 2012)

Sam is gorgeous! He has really sweet eyes!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

reynosa_k9's said:


> Having a large breed dog does skew your size perception.
> I had Gwendolyn with me when I went to a store a few days ago. Everyone was commenting on how big she is. I'm like "Huh?". She's the one I always refer to as my teeny-tiny pocket dane. She's only 90lbs and by far the smallest of my GD's, even smaller than one of my GSD's.
> 
> Anyway, Sam is growing up beautifully! Do you know if any of his siblings look anything like a Saint Bernard? If you hadn't told us I would never have guessed he had any in him at all. Especially with those upright ears.
> Sam and Thud used to look so much alike. Thud is looking more pyr (in my opinion) and Sam is definitely looking more shepherdy. Such a gorgeous boy!


I wish I knew how the rest of Sam's litter was doing and how they were turning out. Sadly, except for one short email a few weeks ago, the mother's owner hasn't responded to any attempts at contact.

And yes, it is really interesting how different Sam and Thud look now...as smaller puppies they looked so much alike!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

So, for this update we have Sam's story of "What I did on my Summer Vacation!" I'll narrate it as he would tell it.

My family took a week off from that thing they call work, which is really annoying and cuts into my playtime, and stuck me in a crate, driving all over the state. Occasionally, they'd let me out and I'd get to explore some of the strangest places. First, we went to something called a "glacier." I didn't see it myself since it was on a boat that wouldn't let me on, but they said it looked something like this:








Or This:








I do know it was nice and cool there and when they came back to the truck, they brought me pieces of this "glacier," which were super yummy to eat...even better than the ice cubes at home!

The next day, we went driving FOREVER to some place called Denali National Park. They say there is the tallest mountain in North America there, but we didn't see it because it was too cloudy. I heard only 30% of the humans who visit there see it, so I guess we're not that special. It still was pretty there with lots of interesting smells.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Next the humans got it into their heads that it was a good idea to do something called "camping." This involved them driving up to some place in the woods and expecting me NOT to need to inspect the place thoroughly before letting them set up a tent and sleep there. Can you imagine?! It took me a bit of barking before they got the point and let me do my job and make sure there were no bears, wolves, or wolverines in the area, which I did very thoroughly.








Can you believe they SLEPT in that flimsy thing?? In the woods??! I stuck to my trusty crate. There was also some foolishness involving fire, hotdogs (which they didn't share!), and sticky things called "s'mores." I had my usual raw dinner and gave them my best guilty looks over those hot dogs, particularly when they put them over fire.

The next day, we drove around a bit and I got a short hike along the road, not nearly long enough. It was rainy, so I helped improve the aroma of the truck considerably.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

The humans picked berries on the drive back from Denali and I stood guard. They were so busy picking berries and watching for bears (don't they trust my guardin yet?!) that they didn't take pictures.

I rounded out my vacation with tracking practice. Wouldn't you know it, the sun came out for me! Tracking is always a beautiful day to me, even if it is bad weather for humans. How can you not love hot dogs, getting COMMANDED to sniff, and a view like this?!








I was so tired from my vacation, one of my little humans put me to bed early. She read me a nice bedtime story.








And I took a much needed nap in my pen. I think I need a vacation from my vacation!!!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Pictures from this weekend. Nothing big, just some play in a stream and in the backyard.
















Those flews are growing and he dribbles more when he drinks! We've even seen the appearance of small...floogies!


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## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

Awes  you got the droolly part of a saint bernard lol what are the odds  though he looks so cute


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

He's still such a sweet boy.  I never dreamed I'd find drool endearing, but somehow he makes it work. LOL!


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## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

packetsmom said:


> He's still such a sweet boy.  I never dreamed I'd find drool endearing, but somehow he makes it work. LOL!


With an adorable face like that how can it NOT work?!!?! lol  I want to see him in person so I can pet him


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## Indigo (Mar 31, 2011)

packetsmom said:


> I was so tired from my vacation, one of my little humans put me to bed early. She read me a nice bedtime story.


LOL! That's adorable!
I like how he appears to be paying attention, too.


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## BellaPup (Jul 7, 2007)

Wow...beautiful pics! 

He looks like a different pup in every pic...funny how they keep changing at that age!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Picture of Sam from a couple of weeks ago, at Kennicott Mine, on a trip before my nose surgery. 








He's growing up so handsome.


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## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

Is that really sam? I hardly recognized him  so freaking cute


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## cookieface (Jul 6, 2011)

OMG! He's a DOG! Cute little puppy Sam is growing up. Handsome boy.


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

What a handsome boy, a thicker even more solid (a plus for me) version of a German shepherd....


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

I know I'm probably just a little bit biased, but I happen to think he's growing into the most handsome dog ever. LOL! I like the thickness of his muzzle versus a purebred GSD or Mal and I love his coloring and "stoutness." 

Of course, the moment I start talking about how dignified and handsome he is...is usually the moment he does something very puppy-like and completely ungraceful like flopping over onto his back or doing a faceplant while running. And then I love him even more.


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## BellaPup (Jul 7, 2007)

packetsmom said:


> I know I'm probably just a little bit biased, but I happen to think he's growing into the most handsome dog ever. LOL! I like the thickness of his muzzle versus a purebred GSD or Mal and I love his coloring and "stoutness."
> 
> Of course, the moment I start talking about how dignified and handsome he is...is usually the moment he does something very puppy-like and completely ungraceful like flopping over onto his back or doing a faceplant while running. And then I love him even more.


Wow - he is soooo grown up looking! Very very handsome!

Trust me - the clumsy, puppy antics never fully go away. Bella is 7 years old in Nov and it still amazes me how puppyish she can be. I hope she never outgrows it!


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## ireth0 (Feb 11, 2013)

Confession; I always get excited when I see you've posted to this thread.

Sam looks so handsome! Gah!


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

Oooh my gosh look at that GORGEOUS and ADORABLE face... Hugs for Sam! What a hunk.


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

He really is a handsome dog, which is especially impressive since most pups his age are looking very gawky! He's going to be really beautiful when he's mature.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

elrohwen said:


> He really is a handsome dog, which is especially impressive since most pups his age are looking very gawky! He's going to be really beautiful when he's mature.


Thank you guys! He's definitely my hearthrob, but it's nice to hear other dog people think he's growing up well. 

I sometimes lament that he's always going to be "one of a kind" or at least one of his litter, since he's not purebred and will never be bred, but mostly, I just try to enjoy him for what he is. Honestly, I don't think such a mix should be attempted. I doubt that many pet dog homes would have the patience and the pups would have a rough time and I doubt many working dog homes would want a mix like this and would rather have a purebred working line dog or at least a smaller mix that would have fewer potential joint issues. He's like a very specific hybrid that I couldn't see a ton of homes being a great fit for, which actually makes me glad we ended up with him. We have a big house and yard and do go out hiking a lot, so his size isn't such an issue and we were willing to change our lifestyle some and take on a new sport to satisfy this Mal side.

I guess maybe he's a good example of why intentionally breeding mixes would be a bad idea and also why you need to either manage an intact female in heat, or spay her?


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

Wow! Just saw Sam! What a handsome boy! He is growing up!!!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Most people, unless they look at him closely, think he's an adult. It makes for some interesting interactions!

We went hiking on Saturday and it was gorgeous fall weather. Today...it is snowing! Our first snow of the year. 








Sam with dh, for scale. 








Climbing Sam!


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## mashlee08 (Feb 24, 2012)

He is seriously a big boy! Wow!


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## LoMD13 (Aug 4, 2010)

So cute, I'd never have guesed St Bernard!


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## CrimsonAccent (Feb 17, 2012)

Never seen that angle/position captured before (second photo) makes him look strangely bony compared to the first lol I think it's a competition between Sam and Thud...who will stop growing first??


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

CrimsonAccent said:


> Never seen that angle/position captured before (second photo) makes him look strangely bony compared to the first lol I think it's a competition between Sam and Thud...who will stop growing first??


Thud is a year old in a little over a month, to Sam's 6ish months. 

Thud had BETTER stop growing first.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

CptJack said:


> Thud is a year old in a little over a month, to Sam's 6ish months.
> 
> Thud had BETTER stop growing first.


You HOPE! LOL!

He actually is a little on the thinner side, on purpose. We're keeping him pretty lean for the sake of those joints of his. I forget how lean he looks because we have a lot of lean dogs in the club, so he just kind of fits in with them.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

And speaking of growing...









Sam says he thinks we might need a new dog bed! LOL!

This is the largest crate we could find and the dog bed is a medium that he outgrew a long time ago. We just decided to put a pad in there for him since it's getting chilly and he looked SO pitiful trying to fit on this one! We're going to get one to fit his crate this weekend.

Poor fella!!!


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## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

packetsmom said:


> And speaking of growing...


 lol he's like I can still fit on this dog bed  I love it he's adorable


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

As of this morning, Sam weighs 72lbs. That is all.


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## Gethenian (Oct 3, 2013)

WOW! What a gorgeous pup! And may I say, I just LOVE your choice of names.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Gethenian said:


> WOW! What a gorgeous pup! And may I say, I just LOVE your choice of names.


Thank you!  We figured, who was a better or more loyal friend than Samwise?


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

More pictures from about a week ago. We went for a short hike up in the mountains and found some beautiful Fall scenery. Sam found a creek to play in. 








That face!








The top view. 








Playing on rocks.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

More playing!








Striking a pose after his splashing!

I wish I'd gotten a picture of it, but I was too busy enjoying it. Up in the pass there was some leftover snow and the kids tossed him some snowballs, which Sam was happy to catch in his mouth. Then he kept trying to find a way to ONLY walk on snow, but there were only small little patches of it. It was adorable watching him try to fit his big paws and walk daintily so that he could stay on the snow! LOL!


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## BubbaMoose (May 14, 2013)

Look at this big boy! He is so darn handsome. Those ears get me every time. He looks like he had a ton of fun in the water! Wish we had something even remotely similar to that here. But that just ain't happening in Arizona! Beautiful pics!


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## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

OMG he is so handsome  I love his jowels...probably the only thing that looks st. bernard on him


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

I thought it was about time I updated this with Sam's latest pictures, from this weekend. He's growing up so handsome and the main reason I haven't been taking many pictures is the lack of light in the winter makes it really hard to get good ones. 








































He's not a baby anymore, but at 87lbs+, he's still MY baby.


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

What a handsome young man he's become! How old is he now? His face doesn't seem to have any puppi-ness left.


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## ireth0 (Feb 11, 2013)

yay Sam! Such a handsome boy he's become!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

elrohwen said:


> What a handsome young man he's become! How old is he now? His face doesn't seem to have any puppi-ness left.


He's just over 10 months old and yes, his face definitely looks all serious and grown up in these pictures, although he definitely has some maturing to do! You can also tell he still has some growing to do with his paws and ears a bit out of proportion and it looks like he's going to fill out quite a bit more. The vet is predicting he'll top out around 125lbs at 2 years. We've been doing a good job keeping him lean to help his joints. 

The only place I really see the St. Bernard is his heavy bones and those jowels, which are definitely a point of affection.


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## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

AWES!!! he looks like a grown up now  but he turned out to be such a handsome dog  congrats on his outcome he's quite the looker


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## RabbleFox (Jan 23, 2013)

So handsome!

Romping in the snow is vry srs bsnss.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

RabbleFox said:


> So handsome!
> 
> Romping in the snow is vry srs bsnss.


Of course it is. The funny part is that, just before I took each of those pictures, he was doing something absolutely ridiculous and derpy and it's like he suddenly stopped and got all serious when he saw the camera come out. I guess he is working to start protecting his tough guy image.


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## momtolabs (May 27, 2012)

He's handsome!

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## BellaPup (Jul 7, 2007)

Wow....beautiful boy! From his early years I thought there's no way he has St. Bernard in him....NOW I can see it! Very very handsome


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

More Sam pictures from hiking this past weekend!


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

I love love his looks, he really has developed into a handsome boy!


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## cookieface (Jul 6, 2011)

Nice looking boy!


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## SDRRanger (May 2, 2013)

It just goes to show that what you see as a puppy can change so much. He's so handsome!


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Thanks! I'm really happy of how he's turned out.  I get compliments from people all the time on my "good looking shepherd." LOL!


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