June 2014 Dogs of the Month
For the month of June, we have two dogs sharing the spotlight. It is a brother and sister duo, Walter (the thinner and trimmer on the left) and Matilda (struggling with her weight on the right). As you can see, they are Dalmatians.
Thanks to Walt Disney, every child knows a Dalmatian when it sees one!
This pair will be 1-1/2 years old next month. Their human parents are Marilynn and Jerry. They joined the Central Bark “throng” in August 2013. They were two, high-energy puppies and Central Bark Day Care was the perfect outlet for their liveliness. It also allowed Marilyn and Jerry some alone time to spend with their other dog, a hound dog rescue named George.
Matilda is a social butterfly, loves everyone, and waltzes around playing with any dog or handler. (Hmmm….can we call her Waltzing Matilda?) Matilda sprints into CB every morning and cannot wait for playtime. Walter, however, is a bit more reserved. He has his favorite friends and is reserved with new dogs and handlers. Walter is a bit nervous if the routine changes.
Jerry is the doting father and calls to check on Walter and Matilda whenever he and Marilynn travel out of town. Marilynn claims that Jerry tricked her into getting the two puppies…they were just going for “a little drive” and ended up at the breeder’s house. There she saw the last two puppies. How could she leave the last one all alone?
Walter and Matilda is the perfect example of the breed standard. The only spotted breed, Dalmatians are alert, active, strong, speedy and intelligent. Their working and sporting heritage makes them suitable as both a family pet of performance animal.
A hundred years ago, these beautiful dogs were found galloping alongside a horse, or as a coach dog, sitting smartly next to the coachman. They are most remembered as a firehouse dog. The tradition of having a Dalmatian in the firehouse was because they played a vital role. Before fire trucks had engines and were pulled by horses, when the firefighters raced to a fire, the dog ran alongside the horses. The dog was there to defend the horses from other dogs or animals that could spook or attack the horses during the ride.
Their short coat is white with black or liver (brown) spots. The fun-loving, people-oriented Dalmatian thrives in a family environment. They are a high-energy breed and require daily exercise on leash or within a fenced area. Spotted dogs have appeared throughout history in Europe, Asia, and Africa, credited with a dozen nationalities and as many native names. The dog we know today as the Dalmatian has been a dog of war, a draft dog, shepherd, ratter, fire-apparatus follower, firehouse mascot, bird dog, trail hound and retriever. Most importantly, he is the original and only coaching dog. His affinity for horses remains a basic instinct to this day and the breed is a natural follower and guardian of the horse-drawn vehicle.
This is the heritage shared by Walter and Matilda. June is your month, Walter and Matilda, and we hope all your friends at Central Bark will congratulate you for being the Dogs of the Month, and will congratulate Jerry and Marilynn, too!
