Aku (eagle in Finnish) was a Samoyed who changed our lives for the better in so many ways in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. I flew to Missouri and drove three hours south of St. Louis to get him from a farm. We locked eyes in that barn and he was ours. Except for his needle-like puppy teeth, he was a gentle soul in just about everything in life. Even when he caught a bird one time, he just gently held them in his mouth and then let them go unharmed. It turns out this might be in part due to the fact that he had significant pulmonic stenosis that was apparent from puppyhood onward. If we thought we were going to get exercise, this was not the dog to make us go running. What he lacked in athleticism, he more than made up for in smiles, happiness, love for treats, attention to his family, and beauty. Watching Aku trot down beaches, dig holes in the sand, ride in the boat, or explore the forest was the best. He was my first mate in the boat and even learned to come down off the side rail when he saw waves from approaching boats. If there was any strife in our family, he would get in the middle of it and eagerly eye anyone involved until everything was copacetic again. His only enemy in life was his brother-in-spirit Nebby, another lovable Samoyed across the street. Aku would have liked to annex Nebby and the whole neighborhood as his subjects so that all treats and adoration could be redirected to him. Aku's jealous streak was born out of devotion to his family who he loved even as his heart failed him. We'll always remember you Aku!