Dearest Carmela,
  I always love to read your notes to the group...you keep them stirred up.
I THINK  I actually know the answer. Not being a scholar, of course I cannot
remember the source( It might  be DANGEROUS WATERS by Ron Powers), but I
remember reading that young samuel was often punished for his many
transgressions and misadventures by being locked up with the hunting hounds
overnight. I feel the reference was  for the summers he spent at the
Quarells Farm( his uncle, i believe). The dogs barked  all night and he
hated it( little wonder). It is just a theory of  mine . There are pictures
of at least one family dog but many more with cats and with Samuel holding
and petting the cats.
I do not share this affection with Samuel, I am not fond of cats and in fact
I am a dog...or have beeen in past reincarnations. I absolutely love dogs
and usually have really good empathy with them. How is your new  "working"
dog?  You see my memory is so poor I cannot at the moment remember the
wonderful name you came up with.
Take care- with great fondness...David