Lots of Spots and Lots of Hair

Download game today
Die prematurely tonight!

Advanced search

If you registered for membership on this site but have not yet received the confirmation activation email, there are 3 main reasons.

1. It ended up in your junk or spam folder, please look there to see if it's in there.

2. You did not enter your correct email address.  Please register with a new username and the correct email address and try again.

3. Your IP address and or your Email Address is listed in the Stop Forum Spam (spam protection) database as a known spammer and when either your IP address and or your email address appears in that database, your account can not be approved.  As such if you are a spammer, please move along, our community is too small for you to bother with.  If you are NOT a spammer, contact the owners of Stop Forum Spam and get your information removed from their database and register a new account.

[katmandu2]

I wrote this for all animal lovers, but especially for CB, who has a special appreciation and affection for Dalmatians.    I hope all of you enjoy hearing about this incredible story of my Dalmatians.

When I was in my twenties, I wanted to get a Dalmatian (before they really became popular).  I watched the newspapers, and finally found pups in a litter for sale.  I went to look at them, and I can't tell you how cute they were.  I couldn't make up my mind between two in the litter…the one that wanted to just cuddle on my lap…or the one that was just plain ornery!  Which one did I get? ...I got both! … And named them Abby and Libby!

What a handful! … And what a mistake!  They have even more energy than they have spots or hair!  Every day, when I'd get home from work, I'd find more mischief that they'd gotten into that day (an understatement).  I quickly learned to restrict them to one room while I was at work.  One day I got home to find that the pups were missing.  How could they escape…they were locked in the room?  I finally looked under my loveseat to find a huge lump on the bottom…and yes, it was warm.  The pups had torn open the underside and jumped inside to cuddle.  How can you be mad at that!?

Another day I came home to find that they had TOTALLY demolished my leather recliner!  The only thing that was left was the skeleton of the chair!  It truly looked as though it had snowed in the room…there was stuffing EVERYWHERE…even hanging out of the mouth of one of them!  I guess it would be accurate to say that I was not at all happy, and started my quest to find a good home for one of them (two pups, at once, is an impossible task for anyone, let alone a young single woman).

I was finally able to find a great home for one of them…the one causing the majority of the problem (it was the “cuddly” one, not the “ornery” one)!

I'd love to be able to report that the “ornery” one, Abby, and I lived happily ever after…but that is NOT THE END OF THE STORY!

About 8 months later, I had to have emergency surgery, and was hospitalized.  My parents picked up my beloved Abby and took her to their home to care for her while I was in recovery.  To make a much longer story a little shorter, I’ll just say that when I went to pick up Abby three weeks later, she wasn’t there.  Instead, she was now living with a farmer in the area who’s Dalmatian had died recently.  As a hobby, this farmer also had a “coach” and Clydesdales, and would travel all across the US to be in parades, county fairs, etc.

Now, for the END OF THE STORY!

Abby and her new master led the parade in President Ronald Reagan’s second Inauguration in Washington DC.  Unfortunately I don’t have any pictures of that, but I do have a picture that was on the front page of the local newspaper, where my parents lived, that shows the farmer, his Dalmatian Abby, his coach and his horses.  Abby lived out the remainder of her life with that farmer, riding in the air conditioned combine, catching rats in his barn, playing with the ponies and Clydesdales, and yes, traveling and riding with her new master in parades and fairs across the country.

And that is the END OF THE STORY!

Hope you enjoyed hearing about my experience with Dalmatians! 

Kat
 

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Lengo]

That's a nice story. It has a happy ending too!   

Never ever get two puppies. Get one older and one younger. Otherwise they'll be hell-raisers and you won't be able to train them.  Same with cats. Get one older and a kitten. The older one will help teach the younger one what is expected of him.

My Niece and her husband got two border collies. They were INCORRIGIBLE! Border collies love to run and in two weeks they had that place a mess! They got rid of one a couple months later, and everything settled down.

…the one causing the majority of the problem .... was the “cuddly” one, not the “ornery” one!

See there! I'd make a great lover! Nobody's more ornery (ornerier?) than me!  But Max.... He'd be more than a handful! I can just see him tearing up the sofa and everything in sight! He'd probably even chase the postman!

[City Builder]

Very nice story.  When we got Jessica we almost took her brother too.  She came from the animal shelter in Los Angeles, and her and (presumed) her brother were there and nobody had come to claim them in 7 days so they were both up for adoption.  We soon found out why nobody had come to claim them.  She was a right mess when we got her and nurotic (which she still is) and wasn't house broke and would tug at your arm to get into a trashcan on our evening walks, she was a true nightmare of a dog.

Just the other night she growled at me when I told her to move (she was laying on my swollen feet) and she actually had the nerve to growl at me.  I looked over at Samantha and tried to give her that look of "I think it's time, what about you?" to which she tried her best to ignore my look.

Anyway, nice story Kat, thanks for sharing.

[katmandu2]

   My pleasure, CB...it was for you! 

How old is Jessica?  I found that the more exercise they get, the calmer they get.  Every evening after work, I'd take Abby to the local baseball field (fenced in) and let her run and chase balls to her hearts content.  When we got home, she was much calmer.  Just wondering if this might help Jessica also. 

Kat

[City Builder]

Jessica is now somewhere between 10 and 12.  We use to take her everyday to the dog park in lOS Angeles up on Mulholland Drive, but after about a month of that she developed a mean streak in her for small black dogs, and if a small black dog would enter the park she would bee line for it and go into attack mode.  So her exercise was then limited to our walks in the morning and at night.  We figured that she much older now so she might have mellowed so we took her to the dog park around us here and she still has a thing for small black dogs (and some others too).  She's really too old now for much exercise.  Her body is riddled with presumed cancer.  The vets want to do biopsies and then if it's cancerous to remove them.  We have opted not to do that at her age.  She pretty much is just living out the rest of her life now in somewhat comfort and pretty much sleeps most of the days away on her plushy bed.

Jessica is really sort of the exception to the dalmatians, she's never really been a high energy dog.  Unlike almost all other dals that weve come across she seems much more content to lie in front of the fireplace keeping warm then she does to go out running around.  Even when she was younger she was like that.  But tey are like people, some are more energetic then others.

[katmandu2]

Just the other night she growled at me when I told her to move (she was laying on my swollen feet) and she actually had the nerve to growl at me.  I looked over at Samantha and tried to give her that look of "I think it's time, what about you?" to which she tried her best to ignore my look.

Now I understand what your comment to Samantha was all about. It sounds like you've given Jessica a great home, and a ton of understanding.

Kat 

[MaxBeta]

  You guys are making me miss having a dog around... for me they were true members of the family in every way.  Their happiness was just as important as my own.

I saw an Ad for the local shelter this morning.. they were waiving the "adoption" fees for the Day..  almost...almost I had the car keys in my hand.     ..then College Basketball tournaments started for the day..  <sigh>...

[City Builder]

As much as I believe in adopting animals when possible from the local shelters, I have to say that after having a standard poodle, I couldn't go with any other breed.  It may be difficult for people to understand that have never owned a standard poodle but they are different from other dogs, they really are, and they are totally different then their miniature counterparts.

Every single standard poodle owner I've talked to over the past 2 years have always said the same thing, they couldn't go with any other breed after having a standard poodle, I completely agree with them, there is just something about them that makes them so human, I dont know if it's the eyes or if it's their manners or demeanor or personality, but they are completely different animals than every other type of dog out here.  I suspect that when Weston and Penelope go, there won't be much desire to have any more for me (which many poodle owners go through) because it truly is devastating like losing ones human child for many poodle owners.

[katmandu2]

You guys are making me miss having a dog around... for me they were true members of the family in every way.  Their happiness was just as important as my own.

  I'm really a dog person, but somehow ended up with two cats.  However, one of my cats is more like a dog..."my son" is an Ocicat.  which is a cross between an Abyssinian, a Siamese and an American Shorthair.  They named the breed Ocicat because of their resemblance to an Ocelot.

My son is truly the love of my life, and in most cases, his happiness is more important than mine.  He fetches like a dog (sometimes insatiable), he does tricks (I've taught him to do somersaults, "flip-floppers", just to name a few), he comes running when he's called, and he uses a cat box! He's verbally very expressive (understatement), and has his own language...when he talks to you, he uses different sounds for different things...and, believe it or not, it's very easy to understand his language.  He's also large and solid...although you can "coo" on him like you would a cat, you can also "roughhouse" with him like you would a dog.  I've attached a picture of my son, which I use as my screensaver. 

Being a cat lover also, MaxBeta, it sounds like you need an Ocicat.  All the pleasures of having a dog, but the conveniences of owning a cat!

Kat

"While the Ocicat looks wild, its temperament is anything but ferocious. It is a lot like a dog in that it is absolutely devoted to its people. The Ocicat is not a demanding, clinging-vine type, but is confident as well as dedicated to its owners. Most Ocicats are also quite extroverted around strangers, not at all bashful about checking out the possibilities for a few playmates or a lap to curl up on when visitors come to call."

"Ocicats are quite bright and easily trained. Many will fetch, walk on a leash, respond to voice commands and readily adapt to household rules. Because of their adaptability, they are a joy to work with and easily get used to traveling. Their sociable nature may make them less suited than some other breeds to being left alone for long periods of time, but it does make them a good choice for a household already blessed with other cats or dogs."
                                                                     Source: Cat Fanciers' Association



[attachment deleted by admin]

[katmandu2]

I suspect that when Weston and Penelope go, there won't be much desire to have any more for me (which many poodle owners go through) because it truly is devastating like losing ones human child for many poodle owners.

  Do you have a picture of you're "kids" that you can post?

Kat