From its name alone, the origin of Dalmatians is from Dalmatia of Yugoslavia. Aside from its unique, black-spotted coat, this breed was chiefly developed in England in the early days as a carriage dog. During that time, it was not unusual to see them as a part of the carriage entourage among the aristocrats.
These dogs were found to be agile and could work well with horses.
In the 1800s, they have become useful in clearing the way for horse-drawn water dragons of the fire departments. Still, later, they have become dogs of war used as border patrols.
Because of their stamina and energy, they have evolved, eventually, as cart pullers, sheepherders, dogs of the hunt, circus performers, coaching dogs, and house pets.
Traits and Behavior
Being developed as a carriage dog, its kind carries much energy and stamina. And for this reason, it cannot stand idle with nothing to do all day.
Such bearing needs constant monitoring on the owner’s end and a routine schedule of exercises, training or coaching, as well as socializing must be rendered by the owner to prevent the dog from being unstable.
Dalmatians are known to be intelligent dogs so much so that they can sense if their owners are passive to them or are not skilful in communicating to them. They are trainable and obey with no difficulty to commands.
Because they are sensitive to how they are managed, it is highly recommended that owners become firm with them and must assert leadership for these dogs to remain obedient.
Pet Care and Diseases
Dalmatians possess fine, smooth and short coats and they are perennial shedders. Pet owners must take necessary steps to prevent these dogs from roaming in the house as their hairs are difficult to remove from carpets, clothing or fabric, upholstery.
Weekly grooming may be done but, generally, these dogs are fairly clean and do not give an odorous smell, so bathing them can be given only when necessary.
Because of their nature of being very energetic, keeping them in apartments is not recommended as these dogs need long walks and daily running exercises.
Due to their genetic, breeding disposition, deafness, among 30% of their kind, is the main concern.
Dog researchers discovered that albino dogs or those with light pigmentations, one of which is the Dalmatian, lack melanocytes in the inner ear.
This genetic defect is the main cause of deafness among Dalmatians. Therefore, special training must be rendered if deafness is detected at an early age.
Other common ailments are seizures, kidney stones, bladder stones. Caring for these dogs includes proper nutrition, hygiene, and regular visit to the vet.
Appearance
Dalmatians are famous for their spotted coats, in black or liver color, on a white background. They are well-balanced, muscular dogs which could be a good contributory factor why they move and run in long, powerful strides.
The facial built of this dog is such that its skull is wide and flat at the top part. The muzzle has almost the same length measure as that of its upper skull. The nose color varies from the typical black to brown, blue or gray. Its ears are structured at a high level but gradually tapering to a rounded tip.
Concerning its body structure, the weight is between 16 – 32 kg and with a height of 19 – 24 inches, the males usually larger than the females. Its body length is long from chest to buttocks and that it is tall at the withers. Its feet have round, well-arched toes with nails bearing a white color or that of its spots.
General Information
The Dalmatian can live about 11-13 years. The average litter size is approximately 9-13 puppies. Other names include Carriage Dog, Spotted Coach Dog, Firehouse Dog, Plum Pudding Dog and Dal.
Breed Club
Visit these dog club websites dedicated to Dalmatians. Click these links: