Time For Interviews

Now things get busy. It's time to meet the people who have been patiently waiting. Because most are previous Dal owners, we really just need to be sure their expectations are reasonable, and that they have the time and patience to take on a new puppy. When people lose a beloved older dog, they tend to remember only the good times and how "easy" the dog was to own. They forget how much work that dog was as an untrained puppy and a silly boisterous adolescent. I need to be sure they will not be disappointed when they realize that this dog will have its own distinct personality, and will be much different (at least at first) than the dog they are grieving for.

Two new groups to interview too. One that is not actually on the list yet, but just considering a Dalmatian. They need to meet my silly dogs, see the noseprints on the patio door, and the hair on the sofa, be mugged by Argus, leaned on by Watson, have Josie drop a toy in their laps, be smiled at by Coral (who shows all her teeth when she smiles!), and probably be mumbled at by old Sid who would rather not have any disruptions to his life. Because Indy-The-Puppy is still here and is jet-propelled, they will also see how lively these silly beasties can be at 4 months.

The other couple knows they want a Dal and have been waiting patiently to add a puppy to their new household. I've placed many puppies with young couples, and most have worked out exceptionally well. What we need to concentrate on is whether or not they have the time for a puppy. The first 18 months will determine whether or not their pup will grow into a wonderful companion or a problem child. Puppies are a lot of work, and like children, they need to be molded into responsible adults.

I try to impress on all my buyers that THEIR dogs are the ones the public sees, family pets who walk in the parks, wait in the car at the supermarket, share a cone at the Dairy Queen, and attend obedience classes with people who own other breeds of dogs. Dals got a bad rap during the 90s, following the popularity crash, and are just rebounding from that. It is important that all Dal owners consider how their dogs are viewed by the public. It's important that dogs who go out in public have appropriate leash manners, are well socialized with other dogs, and are friendly to both adults and children. Displays of aggression, even if only for show, are absolutely not acceptable, and mean that the owners have not done their job.

By the same token, we are all at risk of anti-dog legislation. There are a lot of people out there who resent the time and money we spend on our pets. Well behaved dogs with responsible owners are our best weapon to fight restrictions on our rights to own dogs and have them in public places.