happy birthday puppy!

Happy Birthday to my Samardzija! (Pronounced SA-MAR-JA)

She is an Indiana girl, I named her after the muti-talented Notre Dame football & baseball player, Jeff Samardzija. click here for more info on Jeff Samardzija #83 She is a loving, cuddly Siberian Husky with icy blue eyes.

I adopted Samardzija full grown. I worked for Key Bank in Elkhart, IN at the time and found out about her while I was at work one day. One of my favorite clients, Jeff Norman came in to the branch telling me about a "Husky dog" that was dropped off on his property. Jeff had several acres of land and his property had involuntarily become a sort of animal rescue. People would just pull up to his driveway and let their dog out, or he would go to get the paper and a kitten would be sitting on his doormat. Jeff had a big heart and he would take care of them until he could find them good homes. He loved little dogs and most of the little dogs he kept as his own. But this new husky he was telling me about was bigger than any of his other dogs and he didn't know what he was going to do. The woman who brought him to Jeff said they removed her from an abusive home, she was under fed and obviously physically abused. Jeff told me all about the puppy while I counted his money and I said that Siberian Huskies were adorable and that he should have no problem finding her a home. Jeff told me I should come visit the dog.

I knew that you do not just "go visit" a puppy in need of a home. If you go see a dog you better be ready to bring them home because one look from  puppy dog eyes in need, and you are hooked. I thought about it all day and then decided to go see her after work.

I fell in love instantly. Jeff had her in his garage by herself. She ran away from me at first and then zoomed around me, doing laps at turbo speed as if to show me how fast she was. I sat down on the garage floor and finally she came up to me, cautious at first and then she pounced, jumping all over me and licking my face. I felt much better after she did that. It made me feel like her previous owners hadn't totally broke her and that there was still happy spirit inside those gorgeous blue eyes. She was coming home with me and she was going to be treated like the princess that she is.

5 years later we are living in New Jersey. Princess Samardzija has lived as a city dog in Hoboken for 3 years, rubbing elbows with the other privileged pups at the dog park with panoramic views of New York City and loved her weekly Sunday walks to get herself a bagel. She is currently living in a posh apartment in the Meadowlands, barking at geese, chasing squirrels, and staring at turtles, wondering just what the heck kind of dog they are! She is my amazing adventure dog, and she loves cuppy-cakes! (wonder where she gets that from?)

If you are thinking about bringing a dog into your life, please consider a rescue puppy. They will be forever grateful! 

My frosting face cutie... 
Happy Birthday Samardzija, I am so lucky to have you in my life!