Description:

The Dalmatian is a photogenic, clean-cut and elegant dog with an eye-catching white coat and dark spots. This muscular dog breed has sparkling round eyes and an intelligent and friendly expression Dalmatians have spotted ears which hang down to the side and a long tail which is carried horizontally. The Dalmatian’s coat is glossy with short, fine hairs. This breed has a white coat with either small brown or black well-defined spots. Male Dalmatians stand from 22 to 24 inches and females 21 to 23 inches at shoulder height. Dalmatians can weigh from 40 to 70 pounds. Dalmatians belong to the American Kennel Club (AKC) Non-Sporting Dog Group.
 

History:

The origins of this breed are unknown. Spotted dogs were depicted in ancient Middle Eastern friezes around 1200 B.C. The dog breed takes its name from Dalmatia in the former Yugoslavia. Dalmatians have had a wide variety of jobs including: herding sheep, hunting vermin, bird dog, carriage and coach follower, guard dog, film star, firehouses mascot and family dog. The Dalmatian was ranked 80th out of 154 dog breeds in 2004 AKC registrations.
 

Temperament:

Dalmatians are a fun loving and very active breed. The breed is intelligent and needs a lot of companionship and exercise. Dalmatians love children but young dogs are probably too exuberant for toddlers. Some lines of this breed have been known to have aggressive or protective tendencies and therefore need a lot of socialization when they are puppies. Dalmatians can be trained to a high level and advanced obedience and/or agility training is recommended. Young Dalmatians can be rowdy and difficult to control and need early obedience training. Dalmatians left alone too much can become destructive and will dig large holes in the backyard. This breed is not recommended for the novice dog owner.

Exercise:

Dalmatians require a lot of exercise. This athletic dog has great endurance and should be taken jogging, hiking, and biking on a regular basis. Dalmatians are very adaptable to city living but do need a safe and enclosed area in which to romp.

Grooming:

This breed requires regular brushing when shedding. Dalmatians are fairly heavy shedders throughout the year.

 

Health Considerations:

Dalmatians should live from 12 to 14 years. The breed has some genetic health problems the occurred then the movie ‘101 Dalmatians’ resulted in over breeding by unknowledgeable breeders. These problems include deafness, bladder and kidney stones, and allergies. Buyers should also be aware of aggressive/protective tendencies in some Dalmatian breed lines. 

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