Monday, March 16, 2009

What I knew about dalmations I could fit in one of their spots


Besides being the stars of adorable movies, I didn't know why they're often seen at the firehouse. This is something I learned from Audrey. Isn't it great when you learn something interesting from your kids?

She has to do an optional project for school and she chose to do it on "dogs with jobs". She's doing sheepdogs, german shepherds (police and/or drug sniffers), bloodhounds, St. Bernards, retrievers (hearing ear, seeing eye) and of course dalmations. She wondered why you always see them at the firehouse and asked me. I (as usual) was mystified so I told her to google it.

Then we both learned something new. Supposedly in Merry Olde England when they used the pumper truck (well, more like a wagon), they used horses to pull it. Dalmations were sent out to run ahead of the truck and clear the way for the horses to run. They were fast enough to keep up with the horses, highly visible and at ease around horses. So that's why they are the firehouse mascots. Isn't that cool?

And I owe that little nugget of trivia gold to my 10 year old daughter. Score!

kxx

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