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Dalmatian

dignified / outgoing / smart
Non-Sporting Group >>

Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.

Height

19-24 inches

Weight

45-70 pounds

Life Expectancy

11-13 years

Breed Traits & Characteristics

Affectionate With Family
  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    100% 100%
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    60% 60%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    60% 60%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    80% 80%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    40% 40%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    40% 40%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    80% 80%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    80% 80%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    80% 80%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    80% 80%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    80% 80%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    80% 80%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    60% 60%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    80% 80%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

Affectionate With Family

  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    100% 100%

How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.

Good With Young Children

  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    60% 60%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.

GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS

  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    60% 60%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    80% 80%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    40% 40%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    40% 40%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    80% 80%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    80% 80%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    80% 80%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    80% 80%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    80% 80%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    80% 80%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    60% 60%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    80% 80%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

About the Breed

The distinguished Dalmatian, known for his spotted coat and distinctive work description, is Dogdom’s global citizen. These “coach dogs” have ridden alongside horse-drawn rigs used by royalty, gypsies, and firefighters throughout their long history. One of the most unusual coats in the animal kingdom is adorned by the lovely, eye-catching spots of black or liver that characterize the Dalmatian. A sleek, nicely proportioned trotting dog measuring between 19 and 23 inches at the shoulder can be seen underneath the markings. Dals have powerful hindquarters and are built to run long distances; this force is what gives them their graceful, fluid gait. Some of Dal’s innate protective instinct still exists because it was initially developed to defend horses and coaches. Dals are dignified and reserved dogs who are good watchdogs but can be distant from strangers. Dals are intelligent, devoted, and affectionate home dogs when living with their favorite humans. They make excellent running and hiking partners since they are powerful, athletic, and very durable.

 

What To Expect When Caring For a Dalmatian

Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.

Health

You will have proof of the parent's genetic health testing if your Dalmatian originated from a reputable breeder. Deafness is common in the breed, thus ethical breeders would have tested the parents and the entire litter to make sure that everyone can hear. A dog with unilateral hearing loss (deafness in one ear) can typically have a pretty normal life, but a dog with bilateral hearing loss (deafness on both sides) frequently cannot and will need special precautions. Dals include kidney stones as well. What you should feed to prevent the issue might be advised by your breeder or veterinarian. Dalmatians are generally pretty healthy, don't have particular food preferences, and don't need a lot of supplements to stay in shape.
Recommended Health Tests From the National Breed Club:
  • Hip Evaluation
  • BAER Testing

Grooming

With its colorful spots on a brilliant white background, the Dalmatian's coat is absolutely stunning, and maintaining it isn't difficult. The Dal will look his best with occasional washes and weekly brushing with a horsehair mitt or rubber curry comb to remove dead hairs. His nails should be cut at least once every month. His ears should be checked frequently because they flop down; your breeder and veterinarian can recommend a good routine and cleaning supplies, and they can also show you how to care for them.

Exercise

To keep healthy and content, all Dalmatians require frequent exercise. Running alongside a jogger or cyclist, chasing a ball thrown across the backyard, or going on a leisurely trip through the woods are all examples of this activity. Be cautious while vigorously exercising the dog until the age of two because a puppy's bones and joints won't be at their full strength until then. If given insufficient opportunities for both mental and physical exercise, Dalmatians, who can be very high-energy dogs, may become easily agitated and may even do harm.
 

Training

It is crucial that you introduce your puppy to as many brand-new, strange, and enjoyable circumstances as you can during his training. He will be happier, and it will be lot simpler for you to live with him if he realizes that there is nothing to be afraid of in unfamiliar environments or people. He needs to be trained to behave from the start, but Dalmatians are often quite sensitive, so positive, incentive-based teaching is essential. Your Dal will develop into a well-adjusted, well-mannered companion with the help of early socialization and puppy training sessions.
 

Nutrition

All the nutrients required by the Dalmatian will be included in high-quality dog food that is suitable for the dog's age (puppy, adult, or senior). Keep an eye on your dog's calorie intake and weight to prevent tipping the scales. Treats can be a valuable training tool, but offering them in excess might lead to obesity. Give table scraps infrequently, if at all, and steer clear of cooked bones and items with a lot of fat. Discover which foods fit the bill for canine consumption and which don't. If you have any worries about your dog's weight or diet, consult your veterinarian.
 

History

Researchers have used ancient artifacts and writings to support theories placing Dal’s birth in the British Isles, Europe, North Africa, and Asia. There is no doubt, however, that by the early 1800s, the breed was closely associated with a swath of Central Europe along the Adriatic Sea, the region once known as Dalmatia.

Their usual job was to trot beside horse-drawn coaches and watch over the animals and equipment when they were left alone. Dals traveled with the Romani people’s caravans as they perpetually roved across Europe. This connection to the nomadic Romani helps to explain why it is so difficult to pinpoint Dal’s beginnings since, like the travels, the Dal considered the world to be their home.

Dals were often used by British nobles to provide attractive accents to their livery. The Dalmatian breed held a special place in the hearts of the English, who dubbed it the English Coach Dog, Spotted Dick, and Plum Pudding Dog because of its markings, which resembled the candied fruit and nuts that fleck Britain’s traditional Christmas dish. Dals first were associated with firefighters in the 1800s, when horses hauled fire trucks. Nowadays, Dals march with the well-known Budweiser Clydesdales.