The Back Story

The back-story. A conversation I had with Sue yesterday made me think of a good topic for this blog. Or, it might bore you to death and make you gag. Either way, here we go.

As far back as I can remember, I have wanted a Dalmatian. When I was a kid there was no possible way we were having one. “Too big” and “They shed” was the response from my parents. So, they purchased a toy poodle, painted his nails, and decorated him with bows. Cute you say? Not even close. It was a male. This event scarred me for life. Small wonder I didn’t end up a cross-dresser.(Poodle people, no offense)We actually had two of them, and in all fairness, I really loved my dogs, despite the fact they were drag queens.

Skip ahead to when I purchased my first home. I would have visitors, and friends come over and comment the place was decorated in “Early Dalmatian.” Knick Knacks, plates, a few photos, you know. The kind of things that over- run your home if your not careful. “Where’s the dog?” was the usual question. “Don’t have one.” Was the response. I think back to this time, and with all the dumb decisions I made at this time in my life, this was quite possibly the only SMART one I made, NOT getting the Dal. (Actually, when I think back to this time in my life, it’s a miracle I am here to write this blog.) I was simply not home enough, and not ready for the commitment of a dog.

Skip ahead a few more years and here I was, married. (We will put this one in the bad decision column) I was old enough and settled down enough to get the dog of my choice. Somehow, I knew enough to go to a dog show and talk to a breeder. I usually went to the show in downtown St. Paul, simply because I loved dogs. But this time I went with a purpose. Someone pointed me in the direction of Sue, who told me about the process of getting one of her dogs, the interview, and the litter that she had planned, and so on.

So I got my dog, and all was good. (Well, not ALL. The marriage was a train wreck) I was contacted by Sue when my dog was approximately six months old. The Holly Dazzle parade was looking for 101 Dalmatians as an entry for one night of the parade. This thing goes on for about two weeks, every night around Christmas. Naturally, I went. And naturally, my dog barfed in the front seat of my brand new, new car smell Silverado. Great. This was going to be a riot. I have dog barf on my lap, my wife is yapping about something in my ear, I am going down a one way street the wrong way in downtown Minneapolis, and it’s about Eighty below zero outside.

Anyway, my wife was busy snapping pictures the entire time I was walking in the parade. When I look back at these photos, who might be in them? Sue, Tim and Sandy Kopet, and Dawn. (Among others) If someone would have told me this night that some of these people would be among my closest friends 11 years from now, I would have accused them of being drunk.

When my marriage went south, my wife and I split the house. She got the inside, and I got the outside. I also got the dog that I had waited years for. What was I going to do with nowhere to live, and a dog in tow? I contacted the breeder, Sue. I explained my situation, and she found someone to board my dog until I got where I was going.

Enter Tim and Sandy Kopet. They have a littermate to my dog, CH. Paisleys Masked Marauder Am/Can. CDX. (L) “Killain” They agreed to board my boy Zeus. I moved back in with my parents, (An adult male in his thirties living with his parents is real impressive on the dating scene) and would visit my boy a couple times a week, and usually leave there in tears. Boy. This was NOT in the playbook.

Once I settled into the home I am in now, my dog was returned to me, in great shape, and I was ready to get on with things. I don’t know if I ever have ever told the Kopets about how grateful I am to them for what they did for me. They never asked for a single thing in return for this act of kindness.

All I can say is THANK YOU. If I can ever return the favor, in any way, I will.

Once I got settled in this house, my Zeus was in desperate need of some obedience training. So I enrolled him at the Animal Inn. (Where I now work one night a week) We went through the beginner obedience class with Dave Slattum instructing. He wondered if I might be interested in joining the local Dalmatian club. (I am now the treasurer) It sounded like a good idea. There were a lot of people there with a LOT more knowledge than I had about Dals.

So one day, I am need of some dog food and I stroll into my local pet store, and there is this woman working there with a liver Dal, flopped down on the floor, eating a bone bigger than my leg. “That’s Madison” she said. So, being the social, charming, individual I am, I told her I had a Dal also, and was attending the Animal Inn for obedience. She not only knew of the place, she went there herself. “My name is Dawn”

“My name is Dawn” The rest as they say, is history.

So now you have the back story of how I ended up with 13 dogs in my house. I warned you, it was gonna make you wretch…….

C YA