Sam & Susie's Blog

CBS's Early Show "SAM" video

Check out Sam & Susie's interview on CBS's The Early Show. Scroll down to the Video section, Hairless Pooch Ugliest Dog.

Sam comments

Following are a few of the comments I've found on the web regarding people's reaction to seeing SAM:

“to the hand-wringing do-gooders that are chastising people for commenting on the dog's looks: the dog is ugly. he won an ugly dog contest!it's ok to say he's ugly, you're not hurting his feelings, you're not hurting the owner's feelings: she entered him in an ugly dog contest...SHE ALREADY KNOWS! People are commenting on the dog's looks because it's funny. Please trust me on this: it's OK to have a laugh.  Meanwhile, discuss this with your therapist, and have another Prozac."
-> Posted by craig williams /

Jul 20, 2005

"Damnnnnnnn your dog looks like it got hit by an SUV and survived. Then by bad luck it got trapped in a fire that burn 110% of it's body. It got tired of looking at itself so he scrached himself blind with those killer claws. But under all that crustiness it's beautiful creature. LOL. CAUTION!!! be careful in your sleep because he's not to happy about that close up in the front page of the Express news paper."
-> Posted by 2bad4you /

Jul 19, 2005

"Reminds me of a woman my Mom told me about named "Mrs Kelch". Mom said this lady was very unattractive but had the sweetest personality and kindest heart of any person on Earth. Maybe that's Sam. Ugly little bugger but if he's pushing 15 years he's doing something right. Go Sam!"
-> Posted by Fred /

Jul 15, 2005

"I`m sure he is a lovely dog , but a face only a mother could love ."
-> Posted by nicky /

Jul 13, 2005

"At first a friend and I looked at it and screamed. . . but after taking a closer look, well still ugly, but probably the sweetest thing."
-> Posted by Janice /

Jul 10, 2005

"its was the craziest looking thing i ever saw outside of the movies cross freddy cruger with austin powers and turn it into a dog and you will get sam its awesome he has a loving owner i certainly couldnt keep him"
-> Posted by eviltwin / Jul 09, 2005

"Only a caring individual with love in his/her heart could see the beauty inside! Sam is well cared for and adored. He was Susie's saving grace through her radiation treatments for cancer and he means more to her than anyone could ever know. I think he is fabulous! Long live Sam!"
-> Posted by Stephanie /

Jul 08, 2005

"He's ugly, but he's got moxy! I like him."
-> Posted by Louis /

Jul 08, 2005

"True beauty is in the eye of the beholder!!!! Like only a mother could love!! I bet he has a heart of gold....to live to be 15..WOW....you go guy!!!!!"
-> Posted by Kurlin from VA /

Jul 07, 2005

"That is most certainly a real dog. I wouldn't have believed it either if I hadn't seen this "Sam" thing on TV morning talkshow. <shudder>"
-> Posted by NickB /

Jul 07, 2005

"woah. talk about true beauty"
-> Posted by patti /

Jul 07, 2005

"if they remake the movie "The Omen", Sam will have a career!"
-> Posted by Joanna /

Jul 07, 2005

"I think he's cool. He's now on the background of our computer. He should hold his title proudly. He earned it. He should be excited."
-> Posted by Colly /

Jul 06, 2005

"If Satin had a dog, this would be it! He is Ug-ly!"
-> Posted by Lisa /

Jul 05, 2005

"I think his owner should have a calendar shot professionally, if the dog poses. I'd buy one. I bet he's great for Halloween!"
-> Posted by DL /

Jul 05, 2005

"I heard that it was so ugly that the owner had to tie a steak around his neck so other dogs would play with him."
-> Posted by justin /

Jul 04, 2005

"no way that can be a real dog"
-> Posted by doglover /

Jul 03, 2005

Bandwidth trauma!

Thanks again to the wizard, Doc Searls, my website (this is Sam speaking) has gone from oblivion to shutting down the server!!  I need more bandwidth...Hey!  I'm just a dog but I'll get my owner on it right away.  PLEEEEEEEEEASE try again soon for the website  samugliestdog.com  Grrrrrrrrrrrrr, Sam

Golden Years

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Local News

GOLDEN YEARS | Sam has won the ugly dog crown for the third time, but will it be his last? 7/1/05 By ANNA DAVISON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER       Local celebrity is "winding down," though his star is still on the rise         Call him the Lance Armstrong of aesthetically challenged canines: Sam has won yet again -- but possibly for the last time. For the third year in a row, he's taken home the trophy for ugliest dog at the Sonoma-Marin Fair -- one of the premiere lineups of less-than-lovely dogs in the country. Unfortunately, his mom, Susie Lockheed of Santa Barbara, said Sam's win last weekend in Petaluma and his appearance in this Monday's Santa Barbara Fourth of July Parade might be his swan song. Sam, who's pushing 15, is "winding down," she said -- even as his celebrity is peaking. At last year's Independence Day parade, gaggles of squealing onlookers mobbed Sam and Ms. Lockheed. They marveled at his naked, thickly freckled back, his clouded, blind eyes, and the straggly hair that erupts from his dark, wrinkled forehead. Every so often, he growled and revealed a clutch of crooked teeth -- like a demented Austin Powers. "People took videos and mailed them to me," Ms. Lockheed said. "So many people have told me they've got his picture on their refrigerator. . . . He certainly has a little cult following. . . . I did years of professional musical theater and never achieved the fame Sam has." Sam's not your average celebrity, though he does have a modest tuft of blond hair, a personal chef at his disposal and the benefit of professional exfoliation treatments because Ms. Lockheed runs a facial business. Nonetheless, she said that when she and Sam arrived at their hotel in Northern California, ready to take on the other heinous contestants in last weekend's World's Ugliest Dog Contest, "the light was blinking. People wanted to meet Sam." A crowd of about 400 gathered for the event, many chanting in support of a newcomer named Munchkin. Ms. Lockheed wanted the judges to drink in Sam's finest features. The fatty lump pushing out of his chest, the line of warts marching down his snout and his knobby, drawn-out paws are best viewed up close, so, "I went over, plopped him on the judges' table and they sort of recoiled." In the end, Sam triumphed again, though Munchkin did beat Ms. Lockheed's other dog, Tater Tot -- an unfortunate meeting of Chinese crested and Chihuahua -- for the title of ugliest mixed breed. Ms. Lockheed, by the way, doesn't open her home to ugly dogs in particular. Sam's actually a pedigreed Chinese crested; Ms. Lockheed has two others that are more attractive examples of the breed.   SAM: THEN AND NOW "The other dogs are a little envious of Sam because he gets so much attention," she said. "In town, I take him out and people say, ÔIs that Sam?' " Reflecting on his notoriety, Ms. Lockheed said, "I probably should have run with it a little more, like Mr. Winkle." But any comparison to Mr. Winkle, the pint-sized, pouffy and frankly freakish-looking pooch beloved by children the world over, only serves to emphasize Sam's striking hideousness. "People are always horrified when I kiss him," Ms. Lockheed said. "He may turn into a prince yet. He's definitely a toad. "I always thought he'd be great on greeting cards," she added, "or on a commercial for Rogaine." But this year's competition win and parade appearance could be a farewell tour for Sam, who's hobbled by failing health. Earlier this year he had to turn down an opportunity to appear on "The Jane Pauley Show" -- as a kind of counterpoint to the blow-dried prissiness of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show -- because the trip east might have been too much for him. The last couple of months have been rough. Sam has been coping with congestive heart failure, lung problems and kidney troubles. Although he's become a bit less cantankerous lately -- "a kinder and gentler Sam," Ms. Lockheed said -- he doesn't take kindly to having pills stuffed down his throat, so Ms. Lockheed has resorted to burying them in tasty treats. It started with cheese balls; later there was buffalo meat and top sirloin. She tried roast chicken skin, "mac and cheese was another one," and "then he was into flan," Ms. Lockheed said. "The only way he'd take his pills is flan. "He's having a gourmand experience in his old age. Sam's diet is really incredible." Despite the luxury meals, Sam has lost weight. Ms. Lockheed demonstrates this by gently pulling a handful of elderly skin away from his neck, then letting it go, leaving a wrinkled peak. "There's like 20 feet of extra skin down there. . . . He has a lot of dangling flesh. . . . Now he needs a lift. A body lift." Still, Sam is having a pretty good time in his golden years. "Days on the sofa, nights in the bed with occasional fabulous gourmet meals in between," Ms. Lockheed said. And there are weekends at her boyfriend's Gaviota ranch, where Sam enjoys riding on the back of an ATV, his mostly toothless jaw sagging open and his few remaining hairs wafting in the wind. Ms. Lockheed credits Sam with bringing her and her boyfriend together. She posted a photo of her and Sam on an Internet dating site. "He e-mailed and said, 'What is that?' " -- and a romance began. "Sam's also been Cupid," Ms. Lockheed said.   e-mail: adavison@newspress     RAFAEL MALDONADO / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS Sam, a 14-year-old Chinese crested, has picked up another award for exceptional ugliness -- and quite a few fans. "He certainly has a little cult following," says his mom, Susie Lockheed. Sam will be appearing in all his hideous glory on Monday in Santa Barbara's Fourth of July Parade, which begins at 1 p.m. at State and Micheltorena streets and ends at Cota Street.

What's Up Doc Searls?

This is coming to you from Sam's Mom, Susie.  I spent some time yesterday in the presence of  Doc Searls and his amazing, sometimes peripatetic mind.  He educated Mark and me on getting a blog started.  By the end of the session, my brain was on overload (as I am not of the generation that grew up on computers...we did finger-painting).  My brilliant sweetie, Mark, kept up and just today, launched my new blog.  As serendipity would have it, this evening, the above mentioned Doc was giving a lecture here in Santa Barbara on the future social revolution..No, not the Russian nor French type (although a few media heads may eventually roll), but the revolution in store as "citizen journalism" emerges.  I learned SOOOO much!  I am now among the elite nine percent who can tell you what blogs, wikis, podcasting and R.S.S.s are.  My swift education is a result of hanging out with the Doc.  I suggest you read him. http://doc.weblogs.com

Sam is also a fan as Doc has helped more people to his site, and today he received more fan mail than ever!  Sam sends Doc a kiss...although..if you check Sam's photo, you may see that Doc may not accept it... www.samugliestdog.com.

Sam is a great kisser though and a wonderful bedtime snuggler.  Who needs a water bottle?  In fact...fact: Ancient Aztecs used hairless dogs as bed warmers, also to cure asthma, arthritis (the warmth) and to guide them into the afterlife.  Hmmm...I wonder where Sam will be guiding me since he has been referred to as "the demon-beast", a "devil dog" and "Cereberus, the original dog from Hell"!!!

Sam ugly dog fame

Well, there seems to be a lot of interest in Sam, "World's Ugliest Dog" and the interest is coming in from around the world!  There have been calls for interviews from Germany, Holland, New Zealand, a dozen or so U.S. states, and they keep coming in.  A film crew from a German T.V. station came to Santa Barbara to film a "day in the life of Sam"!  "Germany loves Sam!"  Sam appeared on the July 5 showing of CBS' The Early Show.

Sam has been crowned "World's Ugliest Dog" for the last three years.  His pictures confirm the admiration! 

Thanks to Doc Searls, http://doc.weblogs.com, and is wife Joyce for introducing us to this world of blog.  I have little idea what it's all about just yet, but I think it's going to be fun!

You can catch some more pictures at Sam's website, www.SamUgliestDog.com.