Wiley the Dalmatian Was Born With A Heart Shaped Nose

Dalmatians are a dog breed with a truly iconic appearance. Their place in history is very long-standing, as proof of their existence is seen in paintings from the early 17th century! Over the decades dalmatians have become pop-culture phenomenons (101 Dalmatians, anyone?) and it’s not hard to see why. Their unique appearance and friendly disposition has made them a beloved work dog and family dog!

No two dalmatians are created equal, take Wiley for example! The sweet dalmatian rose to internet fame courtesy of Instagram when the heart-shaped spot on his nose was obviously irresistibly adorable! Today, Wiley the Dalmatian has his own Instagram following over over 122k!! Beloved by his human mom, 26-year old Lexi Smith, Wiley is, “54 pounds of goofy, clumsy, sassy, hungry, cuddly, curious, wild, crazy, silly, happy love.”

In an interview with Bored Panda, Lexi said

No amount of pictures on could ever fully capture all that he is and all that he means to me, he’s my best friend.

Dalmatian litters are usually 6 to 9 pups. Wiley was born in Oklahoma and Lexi, who lives in Colorado crossed paths with the precious pup on Saint Patrick’s Day of 2018. Dalmatian puppies are born all white, by the time they are ready to leave their mama dog they are full of their iconic spots.

He heart-shaped spot on Wiley’s nose definitely stood out, but Lexi says that’s not why she chose him!

He came from a litter of 11, and 8 of them were boys, so I had a tough choice in choosing him. The heart was there, but not fully formed to the point where I believed it would stay since dalmatian spots change so much as they grow. I chose him because the breeder told me that all he did was sleep, snuggle, and eat, so we already had a lot in common.

Snug as a bug in a rug.

Dalmatians are often described as being a very active breed, great for people who love adventure and outdoors. According to Lexi, Wiley is bursting with personality, too!

Wiley has more personality bundled up into his little body than any dog I have ever met.

While Wiley is a snuggle bug for sure, true to his Dalmatian nature he is very active. Thankfully, Lexi says they live in an area where it’s easy to get Wiley out to exert all hat wild energy!

Boop or Blep

“Anyone can be cool, but awesome takes practice.” Wiley

Another common Dalmatian trait that rings true for Wiley? According to Lexi: he is quite stubborn.

Don’t get it mixed up though, Lexi is not complaining about Wiley and his stubborn disposition:

I have been really lucky with Wiley, though. He has the best heart, and I’m not talking about the one on his nose. He loves everyone he meets and is always so excited to make new friends. He has been relatively easy to train and has made the best little adventure partner I could ask for. He requires so much attention and he’s basically attached to my hip, but that’s what I love about him.

That ear flop, though! Insert heart eyes, am I right or am I right??

Now considered a full-fledged Instagram sensation, it’s not just the precious pup’s heart booped nose that gets him attention when the pair goes out in public together, which they do frequently!

It’s not just the heart-shaped nose that made Lexi decide to share Wiley with the willing world, her love of photography definitely propelled them forward:

Photography has always been something that I have toyed and experimented with, and suddenly I had an adorable puppy who made the perfect model. I have a personal account, but creating a separate one dedicated specifically to Wiley seemed like a great way to kind of store all my photos of him and keep a running timeline of his life.

Nom the stick.

Now this is what I call an irresistible face.

Wiley deemed this weekend a “good weekend.” He has good taste!

Isn’t he a dashing and majestic dog?

Dalmatians are an intelligent breed, according to their Wikipedia page:

The roles of this ancient breed are as varied as their reputed ancestors. They were used asdogs of war, guarding the borders of Dalmatia. To this day, the breed retains a high guarding instinct; although friendly and loyal to those the dog knows and trusts, it is often aloof with strangers and unknown dogs. Dalmatians have a strong hunting instinct and are an excellent exterminator of rats and vermin. In sporting, they have been used as bird dogs, trail hounds, retrievers, or in packs for wild boar or stag hunting. Their dramatic markings and intelligence have made them successful circus dogs throughout the years.

Wiley is wild and bursting with energy on any given day! (But only until 9pm, apparently.)

A dalmatians spots will continue to grow and change throughout the entire duration of their lives.

Dalmatians are friendly and social dogs!

Wiley and Lexi have a special bond, unique to the dog-human relationship.

There’s nothing better than snuggling up with mom next to the warm fire during the holiday season. Unfortunately, not every animal has that ability. That’s why mom got this super cute bracelet (it’s not a treat. I tasted it to confirm). This rescue bracelet funds the rescue and rehoming of pets on death row at kill shelters