As Buck struggled to handle Eddie leaving the 118 in 911 season 8, he adopted a dog. Of course, that meant bringing the dog to the firehouse, which led to a conversation about why dogs were brought into the firehouse in the past.
Well, it wasn’t just any dog. Dalmatians were the dog of choice, and we got to see a Dalmatian at Firehouse 51 in Chicago Fire for a few years (RIP, Tuesday!). It turns out that Dalmatians had an important job in firehouses, and Hen was able to tell us why in 911.
Why Dalmatians were firehouse dogs in the past
Hen explained that Dalmatians could run at the same speed of the horses when they would pull the firefighters to their destinations. They would help to keep the horses calm, while also creating a path for the horses to get through in the narrower streets.
When back at the firehouses, the Dalmatians would protect both the equipment and the horses, making sure that people didn’t come in and steal anything. They made the perfect companions for the firefighters of the time.
As times changed and horses no longer pulled the carriages, some Dalmatians still stuck around. They no longer run at the side of the fire trucks into the danger, and instead, have become the mascots and the companions of the firefighters.
Will 911 season 8 bring a firehouse dog into the story?
It looked like the 118 would end up with a dog of their own, although not a Dalmatian. To deal with Eddie leaving, Buck adopted a dog that he’d rescued from an animal shelter earlier that episode. However, his apartment didn’t allow dogs and this dog was a nervous one, so he ended up bring brought into the firehouse, much to Bobby’s dislike.
The dog’s owners turned up, sharing that this dog had ran away during fireworks one night and ended up in the pound accidentally. The family and dog were reunited, and Buck hasn’t got another dog just yet. That’s not to say he won’t, but that dog probably won’t join the 118. Bobby really didn’t want a firehouse dog!
Chicago Fire has been the show to bring a firehouse dog. Tuesday was Ritter’s dog, who had separation anxiety and was better at the firehouse. Chief Boden didn’t have a problem with this, and Tuesday ended up becoming a fan-favorite. However, she did disappear for a while before the dog’s death in real life. This could have been explained by changes within the firehouse rules, as dogs had been causing some problems in some areas. It could be the reason not to bring a dog to the firehouse in 911.
911 airs on Thursdays at 8/7c on ABC. Catch up the following day on Hulu.
Stay up to date with the latest TV news with Hidden Remote.