"A book is the best of friends, the same today and forever." ~ Martin Tupper

Sunday, September 3, 2017

Seeing Spots 2

Better known as Firehouse mascots, Dalmation dogs are easily identified by their spots (even in their mouths!), though they are born without any.  It takes about 4 weeks for spots to appear on their little snow-white bodies.  Dalmations are excellent companions for hunters, or as trail hounds, and are energetic retrievers with exceptional memories. While a great many Dalmations can’t hear very well, their good looks and friendly personalities keep them in spotlights such as circus acts, movies and TV commercials. You might never guess that coaching is their favorite thing to do as they run alongside teams of horses pulling coaches. They’re quite good at keeping stray dogs and other obstacles away. And it’s easy to see that Dalmations are very good friends with horses, such as the Appaloosa.

Definitely show-worthy horses and one of the most popular breed in the US (State horse of Idaho), Appaloosas have appeared in old Western movies, cartoons for children, and TV commercials. Their vision is not good at night but that has not stopped the beautiful Appaloosas from racing and even winning in Kentucky Derby races.


While they might not win any races, Spotted Turtles are incredibly active during the day and their shiny black shells with bright yellow spots (females have yellow chins!) are always amazing to look at. The Spotted Turtle can be found in swampy regions of Florida and similar areas in Canada. They enjoy foraging in leaves on land sometimes, though most of their hunting is done underwater where swamp mud is also a great place to hide from predators or when hibernating.


Are you seeing spots at your house?