To paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld as interviewed in the Errol Morris film, “The Unknown Known”, there are things we know, or rather understand, that we do not know about KiKi. There are too, things we think we know about dogs, about Dalmatians, that will be tested in the coming months. The test starts now. It’s Sunday morning and we have two dogs again. In the past few weeks Leica and I have altered our routine and our route on our Sunday walks. Today we all go, and we go back to our past habits, heading down to the river and the park where so many Sundays had seen us with Flash and Leica. Both dogs are wearing harnesses and are on a leash. Leica really doesn’t need either, she’s not inclined to wander far less bolt. KiKi is in an entirely new situation, geographically and otherwise, so it seems best to keep them close by.

We pass a few people as KiKi tugs this way and that excited in her exploration of new places sights and smells. Some other Sunday walkers approach with their dogs off leash, and as we begin to greet them KiKi lunges towards the nearest dog. Having reached the limit of her leash, she arcs in the air as the harness attached between her should blades acts like a pendulum.

The transformation is startling. KiKi is almost uncontrollable in her determination to rush at the other dogs. I use the harness straps like a suitcase handle and lift her bodily off the ground.

We stand, baffled and shaken as the walkers move off. In the rest of our walk we will meet more dogs and each time KiKi will show us a dog we do not know.