Leila, Jake & Brooke
Our Place
Hi, I'm Jake, and I'm a Dalmatian. I'm 10 years old (though I'm proud to say my vet says I have the body of a 5-year-old) and the apple of my parent's eyes. Leila will always be my buddy, she was a 13 year old hound mix. She didn't like me at first but we learned to get along great. Brooke is my other buddy, she is a Dalmatian also, and she's 9 years old. Let me give you some background on us.
A while back, in September of 2003, Leila got sick with something Mom calls a hemangiosarcoma. The vet took something called a spleen out of Leila. Mom said it was because her spleen had something called a tumor attached to it. Leila felt a lot better after that, but then in February 2004 she got sick again. Mom said she had a stroke, and the vet thought the hemangiosarcoma monster came back. And as if that wasn't enough, she damaged a ligament in her left hind leg, Mom called it a crew-she-ate ligament. She was going 3-legged for a while, but then she learned to use the leg as long as she didn't try to go too fast. Everyone was sad because they thought Leila is getting ready to take a trip soon to someplace called the Rainbow Bridge. But she said she was not ready to go, and she was going to enjoy every day she could. The vet did an ultrasound on Leila in August 2004, and they couldn't find any tumors in her abdomen. You go, girl! But then in September she started to go lame in her other hind leg. The vet said it was her spine, most likely a tumor growing on it. Then, on October 16th, she couldn't get up at all any more. She couldn't stay up when Mom picked her up. Worst of all, she didn't want to get up, she wasn't interested in anything going on around her, not even me or Brooke! Mom and Dad knew she was tired and wanted to rest, so they took her to the vet one more time and held her while she crossed over. We miss you, Leila.
Leila was adopted from the Broward County Animal Control Shelter in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, in May of 1991 as a tiny 9 week old puppy. She was smaller than the cat, and she couldn't get on the sofa by herself. Mom says she was a people lover, especially kids. She'd chase down strollers just so she could give the kid inside a kiss! Everyone thought she was going to be real big, but she only got to 35 pounds, which is what Mom and Dad were looking for in the first place. Actually, she got a bit heavier as she got older. She moved a little slower too, but she was still top dog around here. Mom wished she would like other dogs more, but she got scared by a Doberman once and after that she didn't want other dogs smelling her face. She beat me up a couple of times when I first got here!
Brooke was adopted October 25, 1998, from Dalmatian Rescue in Miami. Mom and Dad were volunteering with Dal Rescue at a PetSmart sponsored adoptothon when they met and fell in love with her. She was very shy, and very skinny. Mom worked hard to put some meat on her, but she said that was the easy part. The hard part was going to be getting her past her shyness. The nice lady at Dalmatian Rescue thinks that Brooke might have been treated unkindly by her old family. That makes me real sad. We've worked real hard to let her know she doesn't have to be afraid anymore. She's gotten a lot better, but she's still pretty scared of strange things. I like her a lot, when we wrestle or play tug-of-war I let her win sometimes. She has more spots than I do, especially on her face. No fair, I want more spots too!
I came to Mom and Dad in May of 1997 as a 4 month old puppy from my previous owner who didn't have enough time to take care of me right. I used to spend all my time on the balcony of his apartment. I was lonely, but now I've got lots of love. I'm a bit different from Leila, strange people make me nervous. It takes me a while to warm up to someone, but after I do I'm just a love machine (well, Mom calls me a love bulldozer, but that's about the same, isn't it?). I have fun playing with other dogs, it's so cool when we go to the park and I can run around with the other guys. Mom says I nearly drove her nuts because of something called Separation Anxiety. Every time she went out I would get upset and start chewing on things. But then Mom got in touch with the wonderful lady from Dalmatian Rescue, and she gave Mom some good advice about crate training. I learned to love my crate, it became my special place, I used to sleep there at night, and I would go there to enjoy my special treats and new toys. Nowadays, because Mom says she can trust me, I get to sleep out on the sofa or wherever else I want.
Okay, this is against my wishes, but Mom says I have to mention this little upstart. His name is Cricket and he's the cat my Mom and Dad rescued after Hurricane Irene blew through here in 1999. He was only a week old when they found him. They call him the Hurricane Kitty, I personally think it describes his character. For some reason he rates his own webpage, so you can read his story and see more pictures by clicking here.
I guess that's all for now, please come back again to check what we're doing. See ya soon!
For something a bit different, check out Mom's page of bird photos. There are only a few right now (she just got a zoom lens for Christmas) but she'll be adding more as she takes them. To check them out please Click here.
A DOG'S PRAYER
Treat me kindly, my beloved master, for no heart in the world is more grateful for kindness than the loving heart of me.
Do not break my spirit with a stick, for though I lick your hand between the blows, your patience and understanding will more quickly teach me the things you would have me do.
Speak to me often, for your voice is the world's sweetest music. This you must know from the fierce wagging of my tail when your footsteps fall on my waiting ear.
When it is cold and wet, please take me inside, for I am now a domesticated animal, no longer used to bitter elements. I ask no greater joy than the privilege of sitting at your feet beside the hearth. Though had you no home, I would rather follow you through ice and snow than rest upon the softest pillow in the warmest home in all the land, for you are my god and I am your devoted worshipper.
Keep my pan filled with fresh water, for although I would not reproach you were it dry, I cannot tell you when I suffer thirst.
Feed me clean food, that I may be well to romp and play and do your bidding, to walk by your side, and stand ready, willing and able to protect you with my life should your life be in danger.
And, my beloved master, should the Greatest Master see fit to deprive me of my health, do not turn me away from you. Rather hold me gently in your arms as skilled hands grant me the merciful boon of eternal rest... I will leave you, knowing with the last breath I draw, my fate was ever safest in your hands. ~Beth Norman Harris
The Welcome HomeI hear it! I hear the car! HER car! And she's coming this way! Oh, oh. I must run in and grab a gift! I must greet her with a gift! Oh, 'BONK' missed the step. No matter, I must hurry. Move over, doggy door!
She's coming, she's coming! Gift, gift, where, what, oh, oh, oh, ah! A plastic bottle she drinks from, right here on top of the container they call trash! Oh, perfect. She's coming, she's coming! Oh, oh, oh...The door! I hear the door sound that sounds right before she comes in! Oh, it's OPENING! SHE'S HOME!
Oh, oh, 'wiggle, wiggle, wiggle' I cannot be still! You're home! And look, look, I have this nice bottle! Oh, oh, you're home! YOU'RE HOME! I have missed you so much, you've been gone hours, weeks, days, years! And so much has happened! A dog ran by and I chewed a tree and Pluto slept under the house and it rained a little! Oh, oh, oh! You're home, you're home!
And you're touching me! I can't stand it, it's so marvelous! Oh, and you're speaking! "Murble, murble, good boy, murble, murble." YES! Your happy voice. Oh, I'm about to burst! I'm so happy, happy, happy!
Yes! I want to jump! I'm not supposed to jump, but oh, oh, just a little jump! "Off." Darn. Oh, I cannot be still. I'll roll over and wiggle on my back! Oh, yes! She's rubbing me-my tummy, my head, my sides! Oh, oh, oh.
Now what? Now where's she going? Oh, oh, yes! Back to the room where we sleep at night! Great! It has the big pad we sleep on and 'L-E-A-P' I can get up here close to her. And here she comes! Oh, oh, oh!
I can stand on my legs and put my paws around her neck and-uh oh. Can't lick with this bottle in my mouth. But it's my present to her! Oh, oh, what to do? And she's rubbing me! But I want to lick her, oh, oh, I think I'm about to burst! "Off." Oh, darn. Drop the bottle.
Oh, YES! She's coming back! She took off the pieces she puts on her eyes, and I can stand and 'lick, lick' I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, 'lick, lick, lick' you taste so good, salty, sweet, I love that stuff you smear on your face every day, I love to lick it off, oh, oh, and you're rubbing me again! My back, my head, my ears, oh, oh 'lick, lick, lick' "Murble, murble, Mac, good boy, murble, murble." "Off." Darn.
I will lay here and watch her. Watch her peel her fur. It's not very warm fur, I don't think. How does she do that? And I will get that look on my face that always makes her come and rub me. The look where I roll my eyes up, and keep my head flat here and she will come... and she's putting on her play skin! YES! We will play-sometime. My tail cannot be still. I am SO happy, happy, happy.
Now she's going in the room with the wonderful water bowl! I LOVE that water bowl-always cool, clean water! She'll be out in just a minute, just a minute, just a.....yes, she's coming! She's here again. Oh, oh, oh....
Now back to the room with the box that has pictures and sounds. Ah, I know what happens now. Yep, she's laying down on the big pad there. Now she'll sleep. But that's okay. She's HOME! SHE'S home. She's home. And she smells tired. So I will lay beside her here and guard her and wait while she sleeps. And when she wakes up she won't smell so tired. And we'll play and play.
S-i-g-h. I'll just rest with her now, and smell her while she sleeps. And wait again. And then, oh, oh, zzzzzzzzz........ ~Author Unknown
Links to other sites on the Web
Dalmatian Rescue of South Florida, Inc.
Brookeside Animal Hospital
Dotters
Leilah's Laffs - Humor and Useful Information
Dalmatian Message Board
Dalmatian Information Station
So you think you want to breed your pet? Please click here to read Sam's story first.
"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion" ~Unknown
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