Letter from Dal Owner

I received the following email the other day. I replied and asked if she could send a picture of her Perdy so I could share a photo with the letter on my blog.

Hello Wendi,

I lost my Dalmatian in July of 2011. She was 14 and had Cushings Disease. I miss her a lot, some days more than others. On my really bad days I go to YouTube and look at videos of Dalmatians. That is how I found your wonderful clips of Scrubs and Isaac. They have become my "go-to" videos when I need a lift. The other day I was looking to see if you had posted anything new. I was excited to see not only the new videos but a link to your blog. I spent a few hours reading and looking at pictures. Knowing how Scrubs came to you and the part he plays in your family makes the clips even more enjoyable. My life has not been touched by infertility or adoption, but it HAS been touched by Dalmatians. Until I find the right Dal to fill the empty "spot" in my life I will continue to enjoy Scrubs and his adventures. Please give him a big hug for me and tell him to keep those videos coming. Take care and thanks for sharing.

I love receiving emails like this. I especially love knowing that my life can in some small way touch someone else's. I love seeing that all people are, at our core, the same.

I have mentioned before what Scrubs did for me from July 2007 until May 2008. I truly believe he kept me from falling into a pit that I may not have been able to climb back out of. I was so down. Feeling so alone. I worked 40 hours a week from home and my husband was a resident. I lived on military base (aka a breeding ground) and I was floundering.

And then 15 pounds of spots (which quickly became 20 and 25 and 30) entered my life, and I was smitten. He gave me a reason to get up in the morning, a reason to exercise, and a way to meet people. And then when the babies came, surprisingly, back-to-back-to-back, Scrubby was right there. The moment we brought Isaac into the house, he laid down next to that crib like it was his mission in life.

So while I have never lost a dog, I can feel this reader's heart -- her sadness from losing her dear friend. I never had a pet growing up. I thought it a bit much when people signed cards from their pets or fell into grief when they passed away. Never again. I totally get it now. Scrubs is a part of our family. He is an integral member. When we first moved to the island, he was sneaking out of the yard a bit, and one day I really thought we might have lost him. I was nearly sick. I realized that as crazy as he drives me, I'd be LOST without his presence. He is our guard dog. He is our floor cleaner. He is our ear knibbler. He is our foot-stepper-onner. He is our playmate. He's a great dog.

Dalmatian owners do feel connected a bit. Dals often get an incorrect reputation of being mean or dumb. They are neither. They can be aloof and stubborn but they are incredibly loyal and nearly person-like in their facial expressions and attitude. Scrubs has an incredible amount of personality.

Thanks for the note new friend! What a beautiful girl she was. I can see a bit of Scrubs in her and can see why you have adopted my Scrubby as a surrogate doggie.