Today is Riley's 8th birthday (observed). I do not know his actual birthday because I rescued him at about 3 months old in January 2002. I do know that the dalmatian rescue agency I got him from rescued him from an animal shelter in San Diego. I can't believe that someone wouldn't want my boy and send him to a shelter:( I like to joke that maybe Riley was born in a back alley in Tijuana and thats how he ended up in San Diego.
When Riley came to me he was named "Bart" by the woman who had rescued him. I remember the first time I saw him. He was in the back of this woman's SUV in a crate. She told me that he was crate trained and almost 100% potty trained. I had already bought a crate for him. The dog never went in a crate after that. He would not go in at all! So much for the crate training! The woman sat him at the bottom of the steps to my apartment and told me he had never seen steps to her knowledge, so he wouldn't know how to climb them. He was definitely big enough to climb them (25lbs) but was so clumsy he couldn't do it! He came into my apartment and immediately pulled out all the ant traps from the previous tenant.
This adoption agency always came to your place to check it out to see if it was suitable for a dog, etc. before releasing the dog to you. I remember I still had the Christmas tree in my living room and so I had been rushing to get it out so my place would look bigger (the woman only gave m about 30 minutes notice she was coming). I honestly thought the woman was just coming to look at my place, not give me the dog. After about 10 minutes of talking to me she said, "ok, that's $35!" I thought, wow, this dog is really mine? She didn't even ask me if I wanted him! Well, I guess I did (I'd been looking for a dog for a while)!
I lived on the beach so I immediately took Riley down to the sand. I am guessing he'd never seen the ocean before because he ran right out into the water and a big wave crashed over him! He ran right back to me and scratched my leg (I still have a scar to this day) and has been afraid of water ever since! Every time I'd take him to the beach after that he'd run underneath the houses to be as far away from the water as he could!
I had a game that night and I wasn't supposed to have a pet in my apartment so I figured I'd take him with me. I didn't know what to do with him so I gave him to one of Chris's friends to keep and Riley pee'd in his apartment!
Our first day together:
Some more puppy pictures
Riley after bathtime. Not happy.
Riley and his friend Brodie
We tried an automatic feeder for a while. Riley was confused.
Coming home from a trip to the desert
Riley will do anything to make his dad happy
Good cheek sugar
Riley makes people smile. When he rides in the car with me he sits in the passenger seat like a person. When we stop at red lights he always gets a smile out of people from other cars.
Riley has lived an exciting life. He has been stolen by a homeless person and run away countless times. One time, he ran about 5 miles of the LA Marathon (by himself)! If you want to hear these stories, you'll have to ask:)
He is my best friend and I love him so much!
