Sam Trammell stars as Sam Merlotte on HBO's True Blood.  Sam is the owner of Merlotte's, the bar where Sookie Stackhouse works.  Sam is in love with Sookie and is a shapeshifter that often takes the form of a collie that protects Sookie.

He hooked up for awhile with Tara and was then targeted by Mary Ann on season two, a Satantic-like creature with a vendetta against Sam. But he came out alright.