I "Spot" a Dalmatian

Hi Lil Dog Whisperer Reader ~

This week I have decided to feature a lively, playful and loving family dog... the Dalmatian!
I hope you enjoy learning about the Dalmatian as much as I did.

Dalmatians are large dogs with even larger personalities.  They are playful and easy-going, though they are high energy.

They were bred to be a working dogs, so they have abundant stamina and energy.  They love to play and due to their high energy, they are not good with young kids, but are a great family dog for older kids.   

These dogs are people-oriented and thrive in a family environment. They will want to follow you from room to room and cuddle with you at night. Dalmatians who are kept away from family activities frequently become barkers, chewers or diggers.

They were bred to run along-side horse and coach.  They were also used to guard the coach and the horses.  

To guard, they required an intelligent nature.  Dalmatians were later used to clear paths for horse drawn fire engines to travel and to help calm the horses while at the fire.  Thought firehouses no longer need Dalmatians for this purpose, the affection remains.   

Early training is essential with this breed. Dalmatians can be dominant, and if they are not shown early on who the pack leader is, they will try to take on the role. Dalmatians will certainly take advantage of a master who lets them get away with bad behavior. They are, however, quick to housetrain.

They enjoy hiking, agility, rollerblading, running and they love to play!!  They also usually love the water.  They need to be kept on a leash and in a fenced yard because they love to run and they are fast and they are not very car smart.

They are instantly recognizable as the unofficial mascot of firehouses with their white coat with black spots.  Dalmatians are born all white and their spots develop later. They are more commonly known for the white coat with black spots, but they come in many colors! 

The spots on a Dalmatian can be black, brown lemon, dark blue, tri colored, brindled, or sable.  Dalmatians can have brown, blue eyes and sometimes a blue-brown combination.

They require little bathing, The Dalmatian is an average shedder and sheds heavily during spring and fall. Its short and smooth coat is easy to groom. Daily brushing is needed during the shedding season to maintain a healthy looking coat. It should be bathed only when necessary using a mild shampoo. 

This breed is sensitive to synthetic fibers usually found in upholstery items and thus, should be adequately protected. It is also sensitive to extremely cold temperatures so care should be taken when taking them out. 

Here are some famous Dalmatians (Pongo is one of my favorites)

• Pongo, Mrs. Pongo/Missis, Patch, Lucky, Perdita, Prince (Perdita's mate), aponnd their puppies in The Hundred and One Dalmatians and its derivative works (The Starlight Barking, etc.).
• Sparky the Fire Dog—mascot of the American National Fire Protection Association.
• Major League Soccer (US) Chicago Fire team mascot of Tugger/Humo.^[34]
• Louie (Lou Dog), the mascot of the band Sublime, owned by singer Bradley Nowell
• Pongo, the pet of Nicholas I of Bolivia
• Spottie Dottie, a Sanrio character
• Friar Boy, a series of Dalmatian mascots for the Providence College Friars (the Dalmatian is also the mascot of the Dominican Order)
• Smokey and Blaze from Krypto the Superdog
• Pudgey from Betty Boop
• Radar from Fireman Sam
• Silverdene Emblem O'Neill (Blemie), owned by American playwright Eugene O'Neill, well known for his last will and testament^[35]
• Bottomley Potts from the Hairy Maclary series

Cute Dog Photos That I Love

Hi Lil Dog Whisperer Readers ~

One of my favorite things to find are cute dog photos!
So here are some that I wanted to share with you.

I hope you enjoy!

Basset Hound

My Aunt has had many Basset Hounds over the years and they are a great family dog and are so fun to hang out with so I have decided to feature them.  I hope you enjoy learning more about them as much as I did.

Known as the clown of the canine world, A Basset Hound is sure to bring you lots of laughs.  They are a terrific family dog, because they are easygoing, sociable, loyal and loving.  They are also easily recognizable, low to the ground with their long ears for pulling a scent towards their nose, their sad eyes and don’t forget their wrinkles. 

Even though the Basset was bred to be a hunting hound, they are more made to be an over-sized lap dog.  

They are great with kids and other dogs, and are friendly with strangers.  They love to be a part of the family and will want to go everywhere with you.  They love going for car rides, hang out on the couch with you and play in the yard.  They are a pack hound and don’t like to be left alone for a long time.  If no humans are available, they would love to have another animal in the home to keep them company.  They are also prone to mischief.

The Basset Hounds are famous for being stubborn and strong-willed.  He is a master of getting his own way.  So early obedience and leash training and patience are a must.  Like most Hounds, they love to "sing," which your neighbors might interpret as baying or howling.  

A Basset needs to be kept on a leash or in a fenced yard because they will follow their nose, being a scent hound, and tends to lead them into dangerous situations, like a road.  (There are two main types of hounds, sight hounds like the Greyhound, and scent hounds, like the Basset Hound.  The main difference is their eye placement.  The Greyhound has a long narrow face with the eyes close together and used their eyes to spot their game and scent hounds use their nose and ears to pull the scent of their game.)

Even though they are not high energy dogs, they are capable of impressive bursts of energy.  While Basset Hounds can be lazy and love to sleep in the sun, they love to go on long un-hurried walks.

If you want to own a Basset you must be comfortable.  Bassets love to eat and will beg for and steal food any chance they get.  They are not opposed to climbing on a table to lick a plate clean.  They are also good for cleaning up food spills, but are infamous for snatching a cracker out of a kid's hand. 

It's not safe for a Basset to do much jumping, so be prepared to provide them a boost now and again, like into your car or your bed, which is where they will more than likely want to be.   

They are heavy shedders but only requires an occasional brushing. They come in many colors like Black & White, Lemon & White, Red & White, Black & Brown, Brown & White and their more commonly known Tri-color.

Here are some famous Bassets:

On February 27, 1928, Time magazine featured a basset hound on the front cover.^[23] The accompanying story was about the 52nd annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden as if observed by the basset hound puppy.

Many cartoon dogs are based on the basset, such as Tex Avery's Droopy, with several Bassets appearing in animated Disney films. Syndicated comic strip Fred Basset has been a regular feature in newspapers since 1963. There is a basset hound character named Fred in the Smokey and the Bandit movie series.

In the early days of television, Elvis Presley famously sang "Hound Dog" to a basset hound named Sherlock on The Steve Allen Show on July 1, 1956. Lassie had a basset friend named Pokey early in the Lassie television series. Other famous TV bassets are the wisecracking Cleo from The People's Choice, Columbo's dog Dog, and the sheriff's dog Flash in The Dukes of Hazzard.

Basset hounds are often used as advertising logos. The logo for Hush Puppies brand shoes prominently features a basset hound whose real name is Jason.^[24]Basset hounds are occasionally referred to as "hush puppies" for that reason. A basset hound also serves as the companion to the lonely Maytag Man in Maytagappliance advertisements. Tidewater Petroleum advertised its "Flying A" gasoline using a basset hound named Axelrod.

• Lafayette in The Aristocats
• Toby from The Great Mouse Detective
• The Dog (The musicians from Bremen)

                                                    Lafayette in The Aristocats