Sorry, such a long time since an update, I know...well, here goes:

This is a story I wrote down from about a week ago.  Samson had been looking like maybe he wanted to try and solve "problems" himself, and I would much rather he look to ME to decide - and then act.  This event convinced me he is doing exactly that.

I went out into the garage this morning, like I do every morning, to get my boots on for work.  The garage door was open, usually he likes to run around inside the garage (if there are no cars in there, there was this morning), or on the cement in front of it in the sixty second it takes me to tie my boots.  This time he ran out, then right back in, and waited by me.  I didn't think this was too unusual as sometimes he does this, I think he just gets over-excited about the truck ride and forgets that I need boots to walk around outdoors, I can't (or don't want to, anyway) go barefoot, hehe.

Anyway, I walk out there with them, and about three feet away from me is a coon in the flower bed.  I think it had distemper, it was disoriented, and not acting right.  Anyway, it sort of lazily ambled off into the front yard, and Samson just stood up very straight and stared at it, but THANK GOD he did not charge in to investigate.  I said "Samson, Leave It!"  I am not sure if he heard me or not...I suppose it didn't matter too much in this case as it is not his nature to investigate something with his nose right in it.  He wanted to watch this "thing."  I quickly got him in the truck, ran back into the house, loaded the .22 semi-auto.  By that time it had slowly ran its way back into the woods, though I could still see it (especially with the scope) so I lined the rifle up and planted a round right between its front legs (it was staring right at me).  I'm not he best shot I'll admit, so I'm glad I made that shot.  Even if it was already sick, and even if it was a coon (I hate these pests!!!) I don't like to see them suffer.

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Samson does play around a little bit with Jake, now, if they are indoors, and I'm there to make sure Jake doesn't get carried away.  He doesn't know how to play around any way except "rough."  He tries for Samson, but them Samson gets his courage up and plays rough, then Jake things..."oh boy, now I can REALLY play!"  He does not back away from Jake when he hops up on my lap in the truck (just his front end, I hold his collar to make sure he can't get in entirely).  Instead, he will bark, bat his nose, jump up on him, etc - I think he is telling Jake in no uncertain terms will he ever be the boss inside "his" truck!

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He is coming along incredibly in obedience training.  He will now "stay" for someone when they turn their back, go around the corner and out of sight, etc.  We have even tried distractions in there - someone else saying come, etc.  When my mother told him to stay, >I< even told him to come (when I was between him and her, at that) - and he REALLY wanted to, he jerked forward, once even got to his feet, but still stayed put in the same spot, and waited for mom to say come - and he was waiting for that word, specifically.  I didn't imagine him being able to do this until much later, but it seems I always underestimate him and he always surprises me.