A trio of furry favorites

12/3/2025

Jennifer Schmit has been a dog-lover her whole life. Fortunately, it didn’t take much to convince her cat-loving boyfriend, Sam, to share in her love of dogs.

Today, the now married couple has three dogs. 

“I had cats, but I liked the idea of a dog. Cody (Jennifer’s dog) was my heart dog,” Sam recalls.

The pair also began fostering dogs. Scott, a husky malamute mix, was a rescue foster dog they ended up adopting. 

As a rescue, Scott didn’t know how to be a dog. 

“He didn’t want to be petted. But now, he’s a big marshmallow and came out of his shell,” Jennifer explains. “He loves to get hugs and kisses.”

Shortly after that, they rescued a puppy mill dog from a shelter. They traveled to Cedar Falls to obtain Keeva, a Samoyed with white, thick fur.

Keeva was hesitant and resisted affection due to how she was raised as a puppy. 

“She was so nervous. It took a few weeks before we could touch her. It took years before a guest in our home could touch her,” Jennifer recalls. “We gave her years to learn how to love. It was rewarding to see her blossom, as it took almost five years for her to approach people.” 

After Scott and Keeva, the pair got a third dog — Zuri, a Bernese mountain dog. When the couple were in Breckenridge, Colorado, last Christmas, they brough Zuri to a Bernese mountain dog parade. 

“It was so fun. She was still a puppy. My aunt and uncle’s dog wore matching outfits,” she says.

All three dogs get along and often nap next to each other. Scott is the “protector” and looks out for the younger dogs. 

“Zuri can be rowdy. They have separation anxiety when they are apart and have to be with their pack,” Jennifer says.

As the dogs all have thick fur, they are cold-loving creatures. 

“They love winter,” Sam says. “We can’t get them to come inside. The colder, the better.”

Sam takes Scott on runs with him near their home in Ankeny. They avoid dog parks and instead take walks on nearby Saylorville Lake paths.

Jennifer says Scott is an empath. 

“He feels people’s energy. If people are excited or nervous, he is, too,” she says.

The couple say their three dogs have all bonded and are like one big family. 

“We don’t have kids, so they are like our kids,” she says. “Dogs are instantly happy and always want to be with you.”
Despite constantly cleaning up dog hair, the love and companionship is always present. 

“They give us so much. I feel like I don’t give enough,” Sam says. “They are always happy to see you.”♦