Elaine H Giles's Blog

Lottie my 5 year old Dalmatian bitch was the best anniversary present my husband could give me.

We had both said no more dogs after our Belgium Shepherd Mishka passed away several years ago, but how I missed having a dog, it made my day if a client came into the office and brought their dog.

On Sunday 2nd October 2011 we were visiting family and discovered that Purdy (Lottie) and Dottie two Dalmatian bitches needed a new home.

Liver spotted Dalmatian Purdy (Lottie) took to both my husband Bill and myself straight away, she was lovely, full of love and affection, she was great with children and I did not believe they needed to rehome her, Bill made the comment “you have lost her to Elaine”

We started for home about 1.30, looking for somewhere to stop for lunch, after about 15 minutes of driving and talking about Purdy (Lottie), I pulled the car over and said “Do you think they are serious about rehoming her?” “yes” was Bill’s reply. When Bill said if you really want her I will buy her as your anniversary present, I had the car turned around in seconds.

2 hours later we were again heading for home, but this time with Purdy (Lottie) our new family member. It was a long long journey home, as we were not sure how she would be in a car, the normal hour and a half journey took 3 hours, with a couple of stops along the way, throughout the journey I have been reassuring her, but keep calling her Lottie, where did that come from? I don’t know – but it suits her.

We stop at my daughter’s on the way home, the grandchildren saw us first and my granddaughter immediately commandeered her lead and took her of to see the garden, my daughter could not believe her eyes, “She’s not coming in the kitchen” by the end of the visit Purdy (Lottie) was in the kitchen, my grandsons were a little bit more reserved in their greeting to her, as she is nearly the size of them.

We get home and let her of her lead, straight up the stairs!!! No No No, we had already decided on a couple of rules, no upstairs and no to getting up on the furniture, 1st rule broken on entry – pity no one told Purdy (Lottie) about it! however a quick call and she is down and looking to explore – ops the settee looks comfy and up she jumps – rule 2 broken!! Oh Well, we will have to work on them.

Time to show her the garden complete with fish and chickens – no notice taken of the fish ‘thats good – Billy’s pride and joy’ and chickens well another story – Purdy (Lottie) looks at them, they squawk and fly into their nest box – four of them trying to get through the small entrance all at once, with Purdy (Lottie) looking on in amusement.

Our son Christopher returns home with his girl friend and cannot believe his eyes, “whose dog” – “ours” needless to say he initially does not believe us, but is delighted and states “Good I can get a dog now”, our reply “Oh no one is more than enough, when you get your own home, you can get your own dog”

Time to take her for her first walk and introduce her to the local park, carrier bags in the pocket off we go. Pull – pull and more pulling on the lead but eventually she settles down a bit, it is a lovely summers evening, the sun has been out all day, a truly beautiful time to be outside (what will the winter bring – Ahhhh)

Back home and its time for her dinner, we had been given a tin of Chum, as this together with dry complete food is her normal dinner, I put the food down, she looks at it and turns her nose up. Oh dear, but rationalise that what with the complete change to her surroundings and a long car journey, so many new people and a new place to walk, its really only to be expected. She’s been drinking so that’s good.

We find her a quilt and put that down for her, and she promptly goes to it and lays down, ‘must be exhausted’ then shes up and tugging it and pawing it, making it just the way she likes it and then settles down.

I suddenly think ‘is she house trained?, she has been used to living outside, I ring and ask, not sure is the reply, Oh well, we shall surely find out in the next few hours!!!!!

Dinner is ready, Purdy (Lottie) certainly knows what is on a dinner plate and she follows me, as I give Bill his dinner and drawls at his plate!, “no titbits, she has dinner down” I state, “as if I would” Bill replies

10pm and time for another walk before bed, the evening is lovely the park deserted and Bill wants to let her off the lead, I am not happy about this, but he is adamant, she has formed such an attachment to Bill in the last few hours I can only watch and hope, as the lead come off, she runs around us and sniffs and sniffs some more and walks and runs happily around us, comes back when called, although I find Purdy really hard to get my tongue around, Lottie is so much easier and suits her. She comes to both especially when ‘Good Girl’ is added.

Time for bed, our home is really not geared for a dog, so its closing all doors, moving the shoe rack from the hall (want some shoes to wear tomorrow!), put the car shield and cd rack across the bottom of the stairs, adamant she is not coming up stairs.

What will the night bring? – Nigh Night Lottie – sleep tight

A daily diary of my Dalmatian Lottie – Elaine H Giles, owner of Bournemouth Office Services, providing UK Mailing Address and a UK Telephone Answering Service for business and personal use, http://www.mailing-address.biz