My first encounter with the Dalmatian dog breed is back in 1996 when I watched the film 101 Dalmatians. The possibility of owning 101 Dalmatians is always a far fetched thought, but what truly strikes me is the grandeur of this majestic spotted dog that never fails to captivates my attention. From its poise to its status as a working dog, lets find out more about the Dalmatian Dog Breed.
Origins of the Dalmatians
The origins of the Dalmatian have always been contentious since they are having been spotted in parts of Europe several hundred years ago. However, it was given its official name of Dalmatian after the historical region of Dalmatia, Croatia, which is a narrow belt on the east coast of the Adriatic Sea. During the Victorian Era, they were brought into the United Kingdom, particularly England, as the English started to employ Dalmatians as working dogs. The Dalmatian officially entered into the AKC Stud book in 1888, earning its place amongst purebreds in the same list.
Indeed, the popularity of the Dalmatians increased greatly in the 1800s, when they became the breed of choice for firehouses across the United States and Europe. These dogs were trained to run ahead of the firefighting carts, clearing the way for the horses and carts to reach the fire quickly. This association with firefighting only added to the breed’s popularity, and soon the Dalmatian became a household name.
Why Dalmatians Are So special
The reasons why Dalmatians are so special are aplenty. From its temperament to its physical appearance, there is more than one reason why the Dalmatian is a much-treasured dog breed.
- Dalmatian as working-class dogs
Dalmatians have been employed as working-class dogs since the Victorian Era. Indeed, they are constantly employed as carriage or coach dogs where they will comfortably trot aside the horses as if they were best friends. This helps to quicken the pace of the carriages as the Dalmatians can help to pave the path for the carriage. Their athletic build does help the dog to keep up with the horses too. Also, their physical appearance and strength is important in this sense as they are able to ward off potential bandits from the otherwise vulnerable carriages. The Dalmatian’s calming presence helps to keep the horses calm while pulling the carriages, and this help to keep the occupants safe.
- Dalmatians are comfortable around horses
This is something that is perhaps unique to the Dalmatian. Put them beside horses, and you will see that the Dalmatian is neither intimidated by the horses nor aloof to them. Indeed, the Dalmatian will most probably approach the horse with glee, as if they are long lost relatives that share a common ancestry. And that is probably why Dalmatians can double up as coach dogs as they can run alongside the horses with ease. Indeed, even in the case of the racing fire engines where they are being pulled by horses, the Dalmatian can help to pave the path ahead for the horses as they pull the ancient racing fire engines, perhaps helping to expedite the entire fire fighting operation.
Indeed, they are so comfortable around horses such that Budweiser decided to keep Dalmatians to trot alongside the Clydesdale hitches as part of the entire entourage. The Dalmatian has since been the official mascot for the brewery since 1950!
- Dalmatians are born spotless
This is perhaps shocking to most. Dalmatians are born without spots, and the spots only starts to appear after 4 weeks! Hence, if you are an owner to a litter of Dalmatian puppies, you should not be taken aback at the litter of spotless puppies and assume that they are albinos!
- Dalmatians are used in sporting events.
Due to the Dalmatian’s high level of activeness as well as their high agility levels, they are commonly employed in shows or sporting events since they are more likely to perform better than other dog breeds.
Traits And Characteristics Of The Dalmatian
Dalmatians are known for being friendly to both humans and pets, and this can be seen from its high level of comfort when they are around horses, and this is not a norm as some dogs might feel edgy when around the horses. As a result of their friendliness, most children will feel comfortable around Dalmatians and vice versa. However, when it comes to strangers, the Dalmatian may observe before deciding if the stranger is a friend or otherwise an aggressor to the family. So for this case, if you are bringing your friend to your place for the first time, you will need to get the dog acquainted to the friend as it will help the Dalmatian to warm up to your guest.
As for the Dalmatian’s need for exercise, you have to understand that the Dalmatians were initially bred as working-class dogs, and they have been running alongside carriages since the 1880s. As such, you can safely assume that the Dalmatian does require a relatively high level of exercise, hence they are ideal for owners who are leading an active lifestyle. Indeed, Dalmatians love frequent runs or even hikes that allow them to have the freedom to run and burn off their energy. Indeed, if you do not exercise your Dalmatian enough, they may develop the tendency to be destructive at home, so you would want to bring them out for their regular walks or hikes.
Of course, before you allow the Dalmatian to run freely without a leash, or even before you bring them out for long hikes, you will need to conduct some basic training so that the dog listens to your command. This will help to keep the Dalmatian safe as there might be pitfalls along the journey that is blind to you too. Being able to control the Dalmatian lest they run across the road is a good skill to have too.
This brings us to the next trait that the Dalmatian has, which is its high level of intelligence. Dalmatians are known for its high intelligence level, which can be evident from their ability to run alongside horse carriages and their employment as fire dogs. This makes it easier for you to train the Dalmatian as they are more likely to understand and respond to your command as compared to other dogs. But having said that, the only caveat here is that Dalmatians can be stubborn, so you might need to vary your training methods of even engage the Dalmatian intellectually before the dog gets bored. In some cases, the Dalmatian might find your training methods to be feeble too.
Does Dalmatian Make Good Pets?
To be honest, whether or not Dalmatian make good pets really depends on your needs as well as your expectations. If you are expecting a good that is meant to be ferocious guard dogs, then Dalmatian will not be suitable. But if you are expecting to have a dog that is warm, friendly, sociable and active, then the Dalmatian will make an excellent pet in your household. Other factors to note is the presence of other dogs in your house or if you have children in the house, as all of these will affect your decision in the choice of a dog breed as a pet.
Are Dalmatians Good Around kids?
Absolutely! Dalmatians adores children and they are fiercely loyal to them too. When you couple it in with the dog’s high level of energy levels, you can expect the Dalmatian to be the best playmate that the children can have. But note that since the Dalmatian is probably much larger than the children itself, you might want to put in extra supervision to ensure that the dog is not accidentally hitting your child as well as to prevent your children from mishandling the dog. Once all of these are in place, it can be fun watching both the kid and the dog tire each other out.
Are Dalmatians Mean?
If you are thinking along the lines of the Dalmatian being mean towards humans or even dogs, then it is safe to say that they are only mildly mean towards strangers, so this is something that you can be assured of. Dalmatians are not overbearing, so they will not be mean towards other animals too, and that is perhaps the reason why they can be close to the horses.
Are Dalmatians Aggressive?
Dalmatians are not aggressive by nature. They are only mildly aggressive towards strangers, and that is part of their nature of being protective towards their family. But having said that, you should note that dogs are not born to be aggressive. Rather, their aggression is usually nurtured or inculcated from how it is being treated. For example, if the Dalmatian is subject to abuse and aggression when it was younger, then there is a higher tendency that it will be aggressive in nature as it has probably developed the natural instinct to protect itself. On the other hand, if the dog is brought up in a nurturing and positive environment, the odds of the Dalmatian being aggressive is close to zero. So always aim to show love, care, and concern to the Dalmatian and not to show aggression to them at all.
Are Dalmatians Born With Spots?
As mentioned earlier, Dalmatians are interestingly not born with spots. They are born spotless, and the spots only start to appear about 4 weeks after they are born.
Are Dalmatians Good To Be Left Alone In The House?
As Dalmatians are social dogs, we do not recommend you to leave it alone in the house for long periods of times as they can develop separation anxiety, and you would not want this to happen since it can cause the dog to be destructive at home.
Health Concerns Of The Dalmatian
Dalmatians are regarded as a healthy dog, but they are still susceptible to diseases or health conditions. It will be important for all owners, or prospective owners, to be aware of this as you wouldn’t want the shelters to be filled with owners who cannot keep up to the Dalmatian.
- Deaf Dalmatians
Unfortunately, one of the most common conditions that most Dalmatians will encounter is deafness. That is a genetic problem that causes 8% of all Dalmatians to be born deaf, and 22% to 24% of Dalmatians could be born with hearing ability in just one ear only. Note that this is a genetic fault, hence the problem is universal to all variants of the Dalmatian. Typically, breeders will test the Dalmatian’s hearing before sending them to their new owners.
- Hip Dysplasia
This is a heritable condition that causes pain and lameness to the dog. Specifically, this occurs when the femur doesn’t fit perfectly at the hip joint, and this imperfection causes friction when the dog most around, and this is painful for them. It is estimated that up to 5% of all Dalmatian will have this condition. Since this is a heritable condition, you should ask the breeder to show proof that the parent is free of this condition before you purchase the puppy from them.
- Skin Allergies
This is perhaps another common problem that plagues most dogs, especially so for the case of Dalmatians. The Dalmatian can be allergic to either of the three broad allergic types, namely food-based allergies, inhalant allergies, or contact allergies. These allergies are be tested when the dog is young, but in most cases, the allergy test can be rather expensive. Most of the time, skin allergies are non-fatal, but it will still be good to know which are the food types, or even plant types, that the dog is allergic to.
- Hyperuricemia
This is a condition that is not unique to the Dalmatian as can affect humans too. For some Dalmatians, their liver will be not able to break down uric acid in our blood, and this causes of build up in the blood serum. As a result, urinary tract stones are formed this causing gout. When these stones start to clog up the unitary tract system, it can be potentially fatal for the Dalmatian. To avoid having this problem, we will suggest that you bring your dog to the vet for checkups at least once every few months. Also, the problem can be further mitigated by providing adequate water to the dog as well as to provide food that is low in purines to them.
Why Are Dalmatians So Well Loved (In The Past)
There are several reasons why Dalmatians have become so well-loved, particularly in the past. Firstly, their association with firefighting has made them a symbol of bravery and heroism, which has only added to their popularity.
Another reason why they have become so popular is their friendly and energetic personalities. These dogs are great companions, and their love of play makes them great pets for families with children. Furthermore, their trainability and intelligence make them easy to train and care for, which has only added to their popularity.
Finally, their distinctive black and white spotted coats have made them easily recognizable, and their unique appearance has made them a popular choice for families looking for a unique and eye-catching pet.
Conclusion
The popularity of the Dalmatians can be attributed to their unique combination of history, personality, and appearance. From their association with firefighting to their friendly and energetic personalities, and their distinctive spotted coats, it’s easy to see why these dogs have become so well-loved in the past, and even till now!
