It was October and my ninth birthday was approaching and my uncle was visiting from the Philippines. But in the few weeks he was here, he affected the lives of everyone in the family.

It all began on an ordinary fall evening. It was just my mother and I in the house, I was on the couch watching the living room and she was preparing for dinner. My father and my uncle were out as usual sightseeing or doing other things. Normally, they came home in time for dinner, however this night my mother and I had dinner first and waited for them. Finally they came home. When my father and uncle came inside, my dad told me to get something that he had left in the passenger side of the car.

While I walked to the car, I felt slightly annoyed at my dad for making me get it. But this changed when I opened the door. When I opened the door, I saw a small black labrador retriever. I became speechless, I took the leash that was already on him and I slowly walked back to the front door. My dad and uncle were there smiling at me from the open front door. I walked in and I asked “Who’s dog is this?” They told me it was mine and I became extremely happy. My mom became slightly overwhelmed and wondered how we could take care of this dog. We had not had a dog in five years and had nothing to take care of the dog. This made little impact on my mind, all that mattered was that I still had the dog. I happily played with my new dog and completely forgot about my homework. After a few hours of playing with him I reluctantly finished my homework and went to bed. Over the next few days and weeks, we gradually bought things in order to take care of our newly named puppy Sam. Sometime after getting Sam, I learned how my father and uncle had bought him. In preparation for my ninth birthday, my uncle and aunt contacted a breeder in northern New England. They arranged to buy a puppy and when my uncle visited from the Philippines, he drove up with my dad to pick him up. This explained why they had taken so long that night to get home.

As Sam has grown and the years have passed. He has played a big role in my family’s life. He has become a source of happiness and joy to us. His intelligence has also shown to be humorous to the family. For example, without us realizing, we had taught Sam to recognize the words “excuse me”. Now, whenever we need him to move, we say excuse me and he moves out of the way. Another example is “go to bed”, whenever we say it he will go straight to bed. Our dog is also a source of companionship. In the occasional times that I am home alone, Sam provides a sense of comfort and companionship as I am an only child. Sam has also taught us to be more disciplined.

Cleaning,brushing, and keeping him fit are now part of our routines in life. In a way, Sam has given us more structure to life and a way to add time management. Sam has been the greatest thing that has ever been gifted to me. His kind heart and his gentle spirit have made him to the best dog I have ever known. His companionship has made him an priceless dog and made all the ups and downs of raising him worthwhile. My first night with him will always stand out as one of my most cherished moments.