Spot A Dalmatian Kennel named in honor of our family's first Dalmatian, Spot, which was a rescue watch dog and very much in need of a loving home and attention.
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Spot arrived to our home of 7 kids and a family of nine. When my dad drove up to our old Victorian style home in his 1950's rusted Ford pickup truck, chained to the bed on each side (not because he might jump out--rather he might leap out and attack) was the most muscular and beautifully spotted dog you've ever seen.
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The very first action by Spot in his new home was to raise his right leg and mark a big white column right in the middle of the living room. What Spot did that day was "spot and mark" us as his new family.
Spot got that loving home and attention but just as importantly, and the reason for falling in love with the Dalmatian breed, was Spot was very quick to return our love and his loyalty to us was one of a kind...well, sorta.
We learned through the next 50 years that ALL our Dalmatians as a breed have been quick to love and even quicker to be loyal.
Let's now fast forward to our special, happy, "Smiley" Dalmatian named Merci.
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My previous Dalmatian of 14 years, Cowboy, had passed and I was without a Dalmatian for the first time in almost 50 years. I had given a Dalmatian to one of my daughters some time ago and she loved him too.
She noticed that I was gifting to her and my other kids but hadn't taken the initiative to replace or fill my empty spot in my life or heart. See what I did there with "spot".
Anyhow, she teamed up with one of her sisters to trick and surprise me. Boy was I surprised and shocked.
My daughter called one night and said, "Dad, I'm coming down from NC to visit you and Mom this weekend. Well, it wasn't a holiday which means she was going to drive down on a Friday night through NC, SC and Atlanta, GA.
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I said to her, no way can you make that drive on a Friday night by yourself and come through Atlanta at like 1:00am. We will drive 1/2 and meet you and drive through Atlanta together.
So, that's exactly what we did.
My wife and I drove to the first rest stop in SC from the GA side as we were coming from Birmingham, AL. When we arrived, I got out to take advantage of the rest stop, but to my dismay the rest station was closed and the doors locked.
About that time, my daughter pulled into the rest station coming from the other side of NC. She parked on the other side of the parking lot, away from the building. She parked in front of some trees.
She came over to greet us and I said, I'm going to go over by those trees as it's locked up inside. I walked past her car and saw her Dalmatian in the back of her SUV walking around. It was very late and pitch dark outside.
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As I noticed her Dal pacing around I noticed his shadow too. At first, I thought that was weird. Then it hit me...that was NOT a shadow! My daughter tricked me, she had gotten me a Dalmatian puppy.
Suddenly, this thought came to my mind, "Mercy me!" This is absolutely true, and that's where Merci's name came from.
I had been overwhelmingly blessed and all that came to my mind was mercy and kindness. Merci has for sure changed my life again and reignited the love I had/have for my dog, my Dalmatian, my smiley, my Merci.
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Dalmatians have been a great and strong bond of my life since I was 10. I have loved and lost several throughout the years, but one thing that has always remained is that they loved me and my children till their last days.
This is why I can truly say "YOU" ought to have the same kind of love and loyal friendship that my family and I have been blessed with for these past 50 years.
I love my Dalmatians and you will too if you are lucky enough to get one from our Spot A Dalmatian Kennel.