wonder dog

We did it by instinct to change the dog's name from Buddy to Samson, the reason why we did it because Victor noticed the dog does not response well when we called his old name, sometime it turns its head away if it wasn't looking at you. We just did it without thinking too much, by start calling him a new name --- Samson, and everything around this name is positive and happy. Yesterday I was flipping on this book named "Adoptable Dog" about dog training or education to a shelter dog. It mentioned as followed:

"Naming or Renaming your adopted dog, does it matter what you name your newly adopted dog? And do you have to stick with the name he came with, if you know it?

Dogs are adaptable creatures. You can feel free to choose a new name for your adopted dog if you like. After all, you are giving him a new life - one where he won't roam and where he will get nutritious food and regular health care, appropriate training, and lots of love. These may be much bigger changes for your dog than the name he once knew!

It's also possible that an old name has lots of unpleasant associations for an abused or neglected dog. You may not know what those associations are, of course. A new name is actually an excellent idea for a dog of this sort. It will be one of many signs that a better, happier life has just begun.

Be sure to make only positive associations with your adopted dog's name. A common mistake is to correct a dog by yelling his name. Your dog's name should never be used in this way. It will only teach the dog to ignore you when you use his name appropriately - to get his attention or call him to you."

A day before thanksgiving, I was busy with grocery-shopping. I came home after 2pm and was hungry so I started the stove in high heat to reheat some chicken soup for lunch. After I did that I went back to the car to unload all my shopping bags, totally forgot the stove was on with a small pot of chicken soup.

While unloading from the car, I noticed the fountain was running low, starting to refill the water ... and doing other things at the front yard. Suddenly Samson was barking like crazy behind the door, I thought he was just barking because our next door neighbour's landscaping crew is working around the yard. So I opened the door to gave him a quick yell "stay", he still bark but in a lower tone.

After awhile, I opened the door to walk inside the house; Samson was barking un-controllable, I tried to discipline him to tell him "no barking crazily"! He ran into the kitchen and sat by the stove looking up.

I then realized my pot of chicken soup was boiling all over the place, it was over-flowing on the stove along with the heat that creates a burning smell. Good news is I wasn't using a Gas stove with real fire, that the soup could put off the fire and the gas may just leak into the air, a trace of spark could light up the house with an explosion!

Now I understand Samson was trying to get my attention that something in the kitchen is burning! He wanted me to go take a look of it and I ignored him and tried to discipline him, what a silly me!

Well, I gave him a big piece of dog treat afterward, to award his excellence in smelling the difference!