What I wish I knew before I got a Dalmatian
Don’t let their beauty deceive you. They are crazy. Trust me.
If you’re thinking of getting one of these fabulously crazy animals, then there’s a few things you should probably know…
1. Sometimes they can be the devil in a spotty disguise
Mischief is their middle name. They are like magicians, one minute your sandwich is there, next it has totally disappeared. Only a lick of the lips can detect the culprit. My Dally, Tilly, mastered this fine art. She successfully vanished raw chicken breasts, biscuits as they were about to be dunked, toilet rolls, even a whole box of Christmas chocolate (including the foils). Let’s just say we found metallic poop for days! Any soft toys will be attacked, with their fluffy innards spread around the house. They are also prone to the odd disappearing act themselves. Tilly was such a trouble maker and often encouraged her friends to run off into the fields with her, out of sight. She would never go too far away though and would always come back, but only in her own time of course.
2. They are too clever for their own good
Although they have a bad rep for being scatty and silly dogs, they are actually insanely clever. Tilly knew the time of day and would wait at the window for us to come home from school. She knew everyone by name. All you had to do was ask ‘where’s Lucy?’ and she’d come running up giving me a slobbery kiss. They can do tricks. Paw, leave, lay down- you name it, they can do it (as long as food is the reward of course)! Tilly even got excited when the word ‘car’ was mentioned, she knew it meant she would see her doggy friends.
3. They think they’re human
They can sit like a human, they try to talk like a human, and some (like Tilly) even have their own dressing gowns! To be honest, they might as well be human. Tilly definitely took this one step further. She could sing. She had a whole repertoire of her favourite songs. As soon as George Michael’s Careless Whisper started playing, she was ready, howling out of the window. She scared our neighbour once, who thought that Tilly was in pain. I guess we must have looked just as mad when we explained she was only ‘singing’.
4. You will be stopped EVERYWHERE you go
It’s like being a celebrity. People you don’t even know will know your dog. You’ll get pointed at, stared at and hundreds of “look it’s Pongo!” or “where’s Perdy?” But you get used to it and the dogs LOVE the attention. Dalmatians are so friendly, all they really want is a fuss. You will never have to worry about them escaping, everyone on the estate will know exactly where you live and bring them straight back. Tilly really should have had her own star on the Walk of Fame.
5. They love to bark
If it’s time for a walk, they’ll tell you. If its dinner time, you’ll know it. If they’re bored, you’ll hear them. Yes, Dalmatians are barkers. Don’t fall into the trap of teaching them to speak as a pup- they will continue to talk to you every… single… day! It’s not just a small bark either, its deep and its loud and they’ll carry on until you give in!
6. Losing them is like losing a sister
They become your best friend. They are always there through good times and bad, at your side like a loyal companion. But when the inevitable time comes to say goodbye for good, life is never the same again. Losing Tilly really was like losing a member of the family. No one is there to greet you at the door, no one is there letting you know it’s dinner time. In a way the world becomes silent. But, we have so many amazing memories of our beautiful, silly dog. So many reminders of the joy that she brought to our lives. It is these wonderful memories that make you realise how special Dalmatians are and how lucky we were to have Tilly as part of our family for so long.
So go on, get a Dalmatian. You will never regret it!
If you want to see more pictures of Tilly’s adventures, then please visit her Instagram Page: Tilly_dalmatian.
