SAMSON & DELILAH BLIND DOG HAS OWN CANINE CARETAKER.

Byline: Martin Kuz Staff Writer

VAN NUYS - The biblical story of Samson and Delilah might seethe with betrayal, but the tale of Samson and Delilah, two stray dogs taken in by Barbara Fiero, is a testament to canine loyalty.

Delilah, a small, blind Lhasa apso and Shih Tzu mixed breed, and Samson, a German shepherd and chow mix, wandered into Fiero's Van Nuys neighborhood Sunday.

The pair made for quite a sight: As they shuffled along Wyandotte Street, Samson played the protector, nudging his blind buddy toward the curb to make sure she didn't wander out into traffic.

``It's the most amazing thing you've ever seen,'' said Fiero, who gave the dogs their names. ``The big one wasn't going to let the little one get hurt.''

Fiero's neighbor June Malecek, who lives across the street, first spotted the two dogs Sunday afternoon. She noticed that neither animal wore a collar or ID tag - and also that both looked, well, dog tired.

``You could tell they had been walking for a while,'' Malecek said. ``Their tongues were hanging out and the big one, he seemed really weary.''

Malecek set out a bowl of ice water for the dogs, but Samson wouldn't go near it until Malecek backed away. Then he used his snout to guide Delilah to the bowl and let her drink first.

As the dogs slurped away, Malecek managed to get the attention of Fiero, an unabashed animal lover who already owns a dog, five cats and 13 birds (including two named Felix and Oscar), plus a tank full of fish.

Talking in a low, soothing voice, and being careful to keep a safe distance, Fiero eventually coaxed the dogs into her fenced-in back yard.

There they have stayed the past few days, taking up residence in the plastic igloo doghouse that belongs to Sparky, Fiero's Lhasa apso, who now lives inside the house to avoid any canine confrontations.

When Delilah lies inside the doghouse, Samson lounges outside the entrance, keeping guard while he tries to catch flies in his mouth.

Without ID tags, determining who owns the dogs or where they came from is almost impossible.

They apparently traveled some distance side by side - another neighbor saw them at a gas station along Sepulveda Boulevard earlier Sunday. Fiero and Malecek can only guess at whether the dogs once lived together, or struck up a friendship as they wandered the streets.

Delilah's eyes are clouded black by cataracts and ringed by dark layers of rheum, and she suffers from ear mites. The time on the road dirtied her white fur, and Samson's black-and-beige coat grew a bit unkempt.

Fiero took Delilah to a veterinarian Thursday, both to get her eyes and ears checked out and to see whether she had an ID chip implanted beneath her skin that would reveal her owner. She will take Samson to a veterinarian in the next few days.

No chip was found on Delilah, and Fiero doubts that Samson will have one, either.

Much as she's disturbed by the dogs being neglected and apparently abandoned, the 58-year-old Fiero, who works at the Los Angeles Pet Memorial Park, is relieved that Delilah lacks ID. She admitted that she ``sort of'' hopes both mutts are homeless so she can keep them.

``You know how it is with animals - you kind of get attached to them,'' she said. ``Working at a pet cemetery, you always see animals when they've died. It's nice to see a couple of dogs up and around.''

Fiero has gained Samson's trust to the point where he now allows her to pick up and carry Delilah around the back yard. But the big dog never goes far away, prancing at Fiero's heels as she holds Delilah, and sometimes rising up on his hind legs to get a better view of his pal.

He also remains wary of strangers, watching them closely and letting out a few deep barks if anyone other than Fiero or Malecek approaches. It's evident that this Samson will always be devoted to his Delilah.

``Now that's a friend, isn't it?'' Fiero said, watching the dogs walk around her yard. ``They're some couple.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Strong, husky Samson walked hot Valley streets alongside petite, blind Delilah, making sure she stayed out of traffic.

(2) Samson and Delilah, with no tags and apparently no owners, seem to have found a home with dog lover Barbara Fiero.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer