The dog was given treats and was thoroughly rinsed and dried between takes.
The shampoo was a no-tears formula and a traction mat lined the bottom of the tub. The dog was accustomed to getting baths and the water was comfortably warm.
For scenes in which the car simply drives down the street, the actor drove slowly and the dog was secured by a waist line attached to a harness and leash held by a backseat trainer.
The dog, who seemed to enjoy the movement, was secured in the car and held by the trainer. For shots in which the car spins around, crew members propped the special car up onto rotating dollies and manually spun it for the short take. High-speed chases were filmed in separate shots without the dog - she was never actually in a high-speed chase or jolted around in a sudden stop. A stunt car was used for the part of the scene in which Neville drives erratically. The backseat trainer gave the dog commands, and a trainer just outside the car door occasionally held food out to get the dog to stick her head out. When Sam is seen in a moving vehicle, a foam mat covered the car seat for traction, and the dog was tethered to the seat with a waist tie, which was held by a trainer hiding in the backseat. The trainer walked the dog down the stairs immediately after filming. Several trainers surrounded the area as a precaution. The trainer hid in a nearby box where he maintained the dog’s eye contact and cued it to stay. The trainer walked the dog up custom-made stairs and put her in a “down/stay” position on a platform with special traction on top of the wing. This scene was filmed on an actual airplane with especially large wings.
Sam is on the wing of an aircraft while Neville drives golf balls. When the dog appears to eat human food, it was a mixture of kibble, chicken and baby food. Indoor stages were secured and quiet, and outdoor sets were thoroughly inspected for debris and surrounded by several dozen production assistants. For the mild actions, such as sitting, walking, lying down with Neville, hiding under a desk or looking in certain directions, trainers placed the dog on her mark and used hand signals and verbal cues to get the dog to perform the action. Robert Neville’s (Smith) dog, Samantha (“Sam”), appears throughout the film, performing various actions.
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