Jim & Pat Bugay got their first Dalmatian in 1977. Her name was Dottie. This Dalmatian started a lifetime love affair with Dalmatians.

Although the usual meaning of “puppy love” is an adolescent crush, in dogs it can mean that immediate feeling when you know a puppy is the perfect one for you. That’s how I reacted in Orlando when I saw Connie Wagner bring puppy Beatrice (now GCH Spotlight Beatrice Shadow Run) to the ring for her first shows in December, 2017. Just days over six months, this girl was the picture of pure joy: gorgeous black markings, stunning movement, and the sweetest, most outgoing personality one can imagine in a Dalmatian.