Tournament of Pets 2007: First Round, Red vs. Samson

Everyone's heard the jokes that make fun of people who don't know about sports but they bet on them anyway, picking the Bears to beat the Dolphins, for example, because a dolphin wouldn't stand a chance against a bear.

You haven't heard that joke?  That's because you don't hang around me enough.

Today's second matchup presents just the sort of quandary presented by that joke.  Can a color beat a mythical figure?  Let's find out, as the East Bracket gives us #4 Red vs. #13 Samson:

Red

Owner: Anne Weaver Hart

To be honest, I didn't want a pet. In fact, I wanted to be pet-free. I had enough on my plate, with three children, a husband, and full-time engineering school. It was my daughter who insisted on having a dog.

I was so determined not to participate that I stayed home while they went to the pound and picked out a dog. I had more important things to do. It was my daughter's birthday present, and her dog. Boy, was I confused.

They came home with a red dog. A year-old golden retriever-lab mix. They called him Red. I was not impressed. Then Red came into the house. He sniffed everything and everyone, and promptly pushed his way under my desk and lay down on my feet. Meet my new best friend. My heart began to thaw just a little. What's one more being to love, anyway?

Red tried to stop me from going in the day I surprised a burglar. That was the last day he stayed chained outdoors. Once he became an indoor dog, I never felt frightened again.

Red and I worked on obedience training. It soon became apparent that he was smart, perhaps smarter than I. I started taking him to the university with me at different times. If you want a dog to be good around people, you have to take him around people, right? I learned that Red was an exceptionally good natured dog. I watched him allow my 6-year-old to dress him in her clothes, put him in a stroller like a doll, and generally manhandle him, always without complaint. I began to love him.

Dogs need exercise. I need exercise. Eventually, the two came together, and I started to get out of my desk chair for an hour or so each day, for Red's sake, of course. One day out walking, Red tore away from me, and chased across the street to confront and chase a charging pit bull back from whence it came. That day, I learned that Red loved me.

Red is 12 now, and gray, arthritic and epileptic. When I look at him, I see all the lessons he taught me, just by being himself. If I can be half as good as he thinks I am, I'll be a good person, since he thinks I'm God (or a pretty good imitation). I try to remember to love my family the way he loves me: unconditionally. I try to have his lousy memory for the bad times and his enthusiasm for the good ones. And I try to be grateful that he chose me. Having Red has been like getting a hug from God.

From: Ann Weaver Hart (socialcritic.gather.com)

Samson:

Owner: Paula L.

Samson was bought from a breeder at 5 weeks old. I personally bottle feed him and gave him baby cereal until he was able to eat dog food. He was the biggest nuisance I have ever had to deal with but he was my baby. I have never seen a dog destroy so many things in his short 3 years he was with us. He was bought just weeks after our Doberman was. My husband had Great Danes when he was growing up but had never had a fawn colored one. I seen them advertised and sure enough he wanted one still, even after getting his other dream dog for his birthday just weeks previously. So, we went from a golden behaved pup to one golden and one terror. We dealt with him and loved him as much as you could love a pet but he just got so monstrous and so independent. I could no longer control him and after injuring me twice in one week to the point of me not being able to even walk for a few days... hubby said that's it. I contacted a rescue place for Great Danes only and they found him a new home shortly there after. I felt like I had failed Samson, but after checking with the rescue foundation they put my mind at ease by telling me his new family has done wonders with him and they love him too death.

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The Shaws could use your help. By commenting on my Gather spot, you add to the points I'm donating to their honeymoon. But help more by going to Caring Bridge, clicking on "Visit a Caring Bridge Site" and typing "mateoandmchale".

It didn't make the cut as The Best Painting, but Red Yellow Blue featured prominently in the discussion over on The Best Of Everything