Character

All Sewn Up

It has been a while since I've updated the site with my Dalmatian moans. Maybe I'm starting to like the spotty little tyke after all. I've been meaning to comment on Rolf's social life for some time so, by way of introduction, this little incident was a bit of a shock.

Last Sunday week, during his evening walk, Rolf had an unremarkable bottom-sniff debacle with a short-legged dog with a big head. Afterward, Rolf seemed to be favouring one of his hind legs. We noted the oddly tufted fur around his stomach and had a closer look when we got him home. A visit to the emergency vet and 13 stitches later and Rolf was looking very sorry for himself, and we are looking £170 poorer. 'Dalmatian!' in our house, is a swear word.

Rolf, like most dogs, will mask any injury until he's well out of danger, then milks all the sympathy he can once he's home. So, gone is the chance to catch up with the owner of the other dog to suggest an appropriate muzzle. The vet also seemed to be annoyed that we didn't get a proper look at the 'small' dog. She speculated from the level of damage caused that it might be an unlicensed Pit Bull Terrier. It was some sort of terrier, but not that; too fluffy. It could have been a cross, I suppose.

Now, wearing a huge buster collar, Rolf blunders around the house chasing his food bowl. Well, he's keeping the kids entertained at least.

Barking

Earlier I mentioned the endearing (not) growl Rolf uses to defend his dinner. He saves the full-blown snarl for other dogs and small children: with me and my wife he usually gives an obligatory grunt to save doggie face, but knows it cuts no ice. Recently he returned from a week in kennels and guess what? The first time I put a bowl in front of him, he does his "Hound of the Baskervilles" impersonation.

It is important to affirm a Dalmatian's place in the pecking order of the family so I pick him up by the collar and hold him about two feet from his bowl. I tell him to wait, and then loosen my hold on his collar. Rolf lunges for the food and I pull him back and repeat the instruction. After a few more attempts, I can walk away and he sits and waits until I tell him it's OK. Discipline-wise, Rolf is fickle. It's frustrating retraining him each time he returns from a week away. I'm probably missing something, so I'd be grateful to hear from anyone with any advice about Dalmatian discipline. here.

After trawling Amazon for books, I'm going to give this one a go; " Dalmatians (Complete Pet Owner's Manual) ". I hope to have a review of it whenever. Warn me now if you can recommend a better one.

I popped into the garden soon after Rolf's little dinnertime incident and saw my neighbour over the adjoining wall looking a bit pale.

"Are you OK?" he asks.

I'm confused. Then Rolf appears and my neighbour is transfixed.

"It sounded as if he was tearing your throat out!"

Perhaps familiarity breeds contempt, but to me Rolf seems like a big bag of wind. It's reassuring to know that outsiders perceive him differently. It's even more reassuring to know that he probably perceives strangers very differently as well.