Some time back, one of our local doctors came to
a signing and brought her Great Dane. I didn't know she was coming,
but she had emailed me in the past about Spot, the dog in my books,
and I came to understand that the character of Spot was an influence in her decision
to buy a Harlequin Great Dane.
This is something that I've worried about in the past.
What if people are influenced by the fictional dog Spot, buy a real
dog as a result, and are disappointed? I hope that I make Spot real
enough that readers understand that, while Danes are great dogs,
they're not perfect.
I went out to the doctor's car to meet the dog. Before I
even got close, I could tell two things. One, he was a Harlequin,
just like Spot in my books. He had a beautiful smattering of black
spots over his white coat. The other thing I could tell from a
distance was that he was the happiest and sweetest of dogs. He wagged
his tail so hard that his entire body shook.
As I approached the car, his head was out the window,
panting, smiling, so excited to meet a stranger.
Photo from GreatDane.ru |
“Wow,” I said to the doctor as I rubbed the dog's
head. “He is so friendly, so enthusiastic! He must be a perfect joy
to have in your home.”
“He's a great joy,” she said. “My husband and I
really love him, but I wouldn't say he's perfect.”
“Really,” I said. “Misbehaves now and then like
any other dog, does he?”
“Yeah,” she said. And then, with a grin and a
twinkling eye, she added, “and when he screws up, my husband says, 'It's that writer's fault!'”
Todd, I have a girlfriend in Arizona, who is a big fan of yours. Just today, she asked if I had inquired about Spot, when we met up yesterday. I am so glad this posting was here to share with her.
ReplyDeleteI think if this is the worst thing you get blamed for ('It's that writer's fault!'”), then life is pretty okay.
"Inside every Newfoundland, Boxer, Elkhound and Great Dane is a puppy longing to climb on to your lap." -Helen Thomson
Denise, your Thomson quote is perfect.
DeleteWhen you sit on a chair, a Great Dane will lower its head to rest it on your lap. If you sit on the floor, a Dane will lie down so that it can flop its head and part of its shoulders onto your lap. If you make the mistake of letting a Dane onto your bed, it will try to lie on top of you. And if you refuse to sit down, a Dane will stand next to you and lean against you. The breed will do anything to increase human contact.