Puppies as we all know are usually the very epitome of adorable. Samoyed puppies have to be on the list of MOST adorable puppies. Izzy, the 14 week old Samoyed here proves that point. On this night he accompanied his humans to The Whelk, well-known restaurateur Bill Taibe's upscale Saugatuck dining hot spot for an al fresco fine dining experience. He became a magnet for dinner guests passing by and for people enjoying an ice cream treat at Saugatuck Sweets, just across the plaza. Izzy, who was dapperly attired in his red harness and matching leash, reveled in the attention and enjoyed feeling the love from his new admirers.

The Samoyed dates back to 1000 BCE, and he hasn't changed much in appearance or temperament in all that time. The breed is named for the Samoyede people, a nomadic tribe that lived on the tundra of northern Russia and Siberia, near the Arctic Circle. The tribe used the dogs they called bjelkiers to herd reindeer, pull sledges, and occasionally hunt bears.

Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com  Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.