Day 101

After 101 days, it's probably time to tell you a little more about the Dalmatians. We got our first Dalmatian on Easter Sunday in 1987. Spot was an amazing dog. He transformed me from an elitist, art collecting architectural snob into someone who didn't even flinch when sharp little puppy teeth chewed up an expensive Paolo Uccello "Tomasa" chair in the dining room. Spot lived for over 14 years and filled our lives with love and adventure. As he grew older, I wrote a book about him and subsequently an obscure publication called The Dalmatian Quarterly asked if I would be interested in writing a regular column for their magazine.

I wrote stories about Spot for over seven years, right up until the day he died. After Spot passed away, I didn't know what to write about any more, so I went to a local Dalmatian Rescue meeting, thinking that this might give me a story for the magazine. Not only did rescuing stray and abandoned dogs give me something to write about, it gave me a purpose I had never found in advertising. Janet and I have been rescuing Dalmatians ever since. I hadn't really thought about how many dogs have touched our lives until I started putting a Dalmatian that we had helped rescue on the blog every day. There were hundreds of them! I haven't even come close to showing you all the rescued Dalmatians I've been lucky enough to get to know over the years.

Dot and Dash were both rescued from animal shelters and you couldn't ask for a better pair of ambassadors for animal rescue. Dash loves people and is always a hit at public events. Dot is the commensurate diva, and has been the photo model for countless public relations efforts. Right now she is trying her best to raise money for the rescue group in a photo contest on the web. If you've got a second, go vote for her right now. If she wins this pet fashion contest on the BaxterBoo website, Dalmatian Rescue will get $250 to help the dogs.

I've got the cameras, lights and backdrops all packed and ready to go for the Dalmatian Rescue Easter pet photo event tomorrow at Unleashed. Since Saturday also happens to be the first anniversary of the indoor dog park, we ought to get a good crowd. I have a feeling that somebody's dog will eat the rabbit ears we got for them to wear and I'm almost certain that one of the larger dogs will think the pastel eggs are balls to play with instead of photo props. As long as nobody poops or pees on the backdrop, I'll be a happy camper.

Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day