Now that February 14 has come and gone, we might be a little tired of seeing things that are heart shaped. It seems that everything finds its way into that shape when this time of the year arrives and sometimes, it can be a little much. Even if you are a person who loves hearts, you might be tired of seeing them by now. That is, of course, unless it comes in a package as adorable as a puppy.
Have you ever noticed that sometimes, things come along that are so adorable, you just can’t ignore them? That is sure to be your reaction when you see the nose on this little dalmatian pup. It is so cute, you will just want to hug this little guy and never let go.
This little bundle of joy’s name is Wiley and he is the latest thing to hit Instagram. When you see his heart-shaped nose, you will know why.
The pup is only 1 year old and he quickly gained over 120k Instagram followers once he got his own account.
Lexi Smith is his 26-year-old human mom. She describes Wiley as, “54 pounds of goofy, clumsy, sassy, hungry, cuddly, curious, wild, crazy, silly, happy love,” and that, despite his Instagram fame, “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.”
Lexi got Wiley last year on St. Patrick’s day. His unique markings make him popular but that is 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.”
I can understand.
Wiley isn’t a puppy now but that just means there is more to love.
“Wiley has more personality bundled up into his little body than any dog I have ever met,” she said.
Wiley might not be a pup but he has a lot of energy. Fortunately, he lives in an area where there is plenty of space to roam.
Smith says that he really loves hiking. “We are so lucky to live in Colorado and have the biggest most beautiful places to play in and explore. He loves hiking or going to one of the many massive dog parks here. ”
“He also enjoys car rides and sits where he can look out the front window like a true copilot. But when he gets sleepy, he really, really LOOOOVES to snuggle.”
Dalmatians are known to be stubborn and Wiley fits right in.
“Wiley’s truest dalmatian traits are constantly making me laugh. Usually, it’s a giggle paired with shaking my head, laughing off total frustration from his stubbornness, but that’s part of owning the breed. If you can’t laugh it off and be creative in finding a solution and training the naughty traits out of them, life with a dalmatian would be such a challenge.”
Smith said she wouldn’t trade his stubbornness for anything. “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.”
He’s also a local celebrity and people recognize him on the street.
“Some people recognize him as “that dog from the internet,” a lot of people notice the heart nose, but mostly it’s just people shocked to see a dalmatian. “I haven’t seen a dalmatian in so long,” or “I’ve never seen a dalmatian in person,” are the most repeated comments I hear when I am out and about with Wiley.”
You don’t often see dalmatians in public, especially one this cute.
Smith loves photography so she decided to share Wiley with the world. “Photography has always been something that I have toyed and experimented with, and suddenly I had an adorable puppy who made the perfect model,” she said.”
“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.”
There are thousands of people who are happy she did.
“It truly started as something meant for just me and maybe some of my friends to see his growth and keep the memories of every stage and event with Wiley. When the account first started growing I remember thinking ‘Wow, what if he hits 5,000 followers!’ I never in a million years could have imagined it would be what it is now. And it’s STILL GROWING. I am constantly amazed, shocked, but mostly so grateful. It has been a fun little adventure, that’s for sure.”
Wiley is winning the internet in 2019.
