For more than a decade, Nate road alongside drivers and greeted thousands of guests in downtown Chattanooga.
The spotted Dalmation rode with Horse Tram carriage rides from 1998 until he retired in 2015. The dog died in June at about age 16, said Mark Neal, owner of Horse Tram.
"He was an ideal dog for the public," he said. "Friendly, he loved children, and he caught on to his job real quick."
Nate was a fixture of the carriage ride, Neal said, and now that the dog has passed, he felt it was time to honor him for his service to the city.
"He learned that his job was to keep kids happy, give mom and dad a break," he said. "That's what he was there for. He knew that and he did well at that."
Keely Gilliland, a carriage driver who played with Nate at the horse barns in Apison and near the Chattanooga Choo Choo, called Nate the happiest dog she ever met and a great guard dog.
"He was always wagging his tail as soon as you walked up," said Gilliland. "He loved to be around people and was very protective of his horses. He took his job very seriously, just a great carriage dog."
Thom Benson, senior marketing and communications manager at the Tennessee Aquarium, said he'll always remember seeing tourists' faces light up when they interacted with the dog as they boarded the carriages at the circle in front of the aquarium.
"The [driver] let people pet the dog and take pictures, so even for people who didn't ride the carriage, they fell in love with the dog," Benson said.
Having a Dalmatian ride in carriages is a tradition that started because carriage operators once used Dalmatians to run ahead and scare off other dogs that might spook the horses, said Neal.
The dog rode with retired carriage driver Beverly Neal and her horse, June Bug, for most of his life, she said through tears Wednesday.
Tony Peoples, owner of another local carriage business, Chattanooga Charm, gave the dog to Neal in 1998.
Nate started riding with Beverly Neal around that time until both of them, as well as June Bug the horse, retired in 2015.
Mark Neal said he decided to retire Nate after the dog started losing weight and it became more difficult for him to ride long hours without food and water.
Beverly Neal spoke through tears while reading a written statement about the dog.
"He loved people and they loved him," she said. "Many of them came back to ride with him over and over again. He became something of a local celebrity and he will definitely be missed on the streets of Chattanooga."
Contact staff writer Yolanda Putman at yputman@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6431.