Dalmatians
Dalmatians are noted for their unique white coat marked with black or brown-colored spots.
This breed originated as hunting dogs but was also used as carriage dogs, in their early
days. Dalmatians are loving, energetic and athletic.
This breed has high energy levels, and thrives with an active lifestyle.
While this breed does not tend to be aggressive, they are excellent watch dogs, and will warn
their owners of an intruder, if the occasion arises.
It is thought that early ancestors of the breed were certain breeds of pointers, and
a spotted Great Dane. Today, the Dalmatian is a popular family pet, and many dog enthusiasts
enter Dalmatians into kennel club competitions.
HISTORY The FCI recognized Croatia as the Dalmatian’s
country of origin. The first documented descriptions of the Dalmatian
trace back to the early 18th century, and the archives of the Archdiocese of Đakovo.
During the Regency period, the Dalmatian became a status symbol trotting alongside the horse-drawn
carriages and those with decorative spotting were highly prized. For this reason, the breed
earned the epithet 'the Spotted Coach Dog.' The breed was also used to guard the stables
at night.
In 1890 with the formation of the first Dalmatian Club in England, the standard became official.
When the dog with the distinctive markings was first shown in England in 1862, it was
said to have been used as a guard dog and companion to the nomads of Dalmatia. The breed's
unique coat became popular and widely distributed over the continent of Europe beginning in
1920.
The roles of this breed are as varied as their reputed ancestors. They were used as hunting
dogs, dogs of war and for guarding the borders of Dalmatia.
Dalmatians have a strong hunting instinct and are an excellent exterminator of rats
and vermin. In sporting, they have been used as bird dogs, trail hounds, retrievers, or
in packs for wild boar or stag hunting. Their dramatic markings and intelligence have made
them successful circus dogs throughout the years.
Dalmatians are perhaps best known for working for the firefighters for their role as firefighting
apparatus escorts and firehouse mascots. Since Dalmatians and horses are very compatible,
the dogs were easily trained to run in front of the carriages to help clear a path and
quickly guide the horses and firefighters to the fires.[
Dalmatians are considered to make good watchdogs, and they may have been useful to
fire brigades as guard dogs to protect a firehouse and its equipment. Fire engines used to be
drawn by fast and powerful horses, a tempting target for thieves, so Dalmatians were kept
in the firehouse as deterrence to theft.
The Dalmatian is also associated, particularly in the United States, with Budweiser beer
and the Busch Gardens theme parks.
The Dalmatian breed experienced a massive surge in popularity as a result of the 1956
novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians written by British author Dodie Smith, and later due
to the two Walt Disney films based on the book.
APPEARANCE
The Dalmatian is a medium-sized, well-defined, muscular dog with excellent endurance and
stamina. When fully grown, according to the American Kennel Club breed standard, it stands
from 19 to 23 inches (48 to 58 cm) tall. The outline of the dog should be square when
viewed from the side: the body is as long from fore-chest to buttocks as it is tall
at the withers, the shoulders are well laid back, the stifle is well bent and the hocks
are well let down.
The Dalmatian's feet are round with well-arched toes, and the nails are usually white or the
same color as the dog's spots. The thin ears taper towards the tip and are set fairly high
and close to the head. Accepted eye color varies between brown, amber, or blue, with
some dogs having one blue eye and one brown eye.
Dalmatian puppies are born with plain white coats and their first spots usually appear
within 10 days; however, spots may be visible on their skin from birth.
They continue to develop until the dog is around 18 months old. Spots usually range
in size from 2 to 6 cm (1.25 to 2.5 inches), and are most commonly black or liver (brown)
on a white background.
Liver is the recessive colour in dalmatians, meaning that both parents have to "carry"
liver to produce this colour of pups. If both parents are liver, then all puppies will be
liver-spotted.
Other colors that occur occasionally but are not desired include blue (a blue-grayish color),
brindle, mosaic, orange or lemon (dark to pale yellow), or tricolored.
None of these colors are within breed standards.
Another coloration fault is a larger solid patch of color, which appears anywhere on
the body, but most often on the head, ears, or tail. Patches are visible at birth and
are not a group of connected spots; they are identifiable by the smooth edge of the patch.
The Dalmatian coat is usually short, fine, and dense; however, smooth-coated Dalmatians
occasionally produce long-coated offspring. Long-coated Dalmatians are not acceptable
in the breed standard, but these individuals experience much less shedding than their smooth-coated
counterparts, which shed considerably year-round.
The standard variety's short, stiff hairs often weave into carpet, clothing, upholstery,
and Weekly grooming can lessen the amount of hair
Dalmatians shed, although nothing can completely prevent shedding. Due to the minimal amount
of oil in their coats, Dalmatians lack a dog odor ("dog smell") and stay fairly clean relative
to many other dog breeds.
HEALTH
Like other breeds, Dalmatians display a propensity towards certain health problems specific to
their breed, such as deafness, allergies, and urinary stones.
Reputable breeders have their puppies B.A.E.R. (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response) tested
to ensure the status of the hearing on their pups.
The Dalmatian Club of America lists the average lifespan of a Dalmatian at between 11 and
13 years, although some can live as long as 15 to 16 years.
Breed health surveys in the US and the UK show an average lifespan of 9.9 and 11.55
years, respectively.
In their late teens, both males and females may suffer bone spurs and arthritic conditions.
Autoimmune thyroiditis may be a relatively common condition for the breed, affecting
11.6% of dogs.
Deafness A genetic predisposition for deafness is a
serious health problem for Dalmatians;
Hip Dysplasia
Even though there is no evidence nor statistically relevant data to suggest that Hip dysplasia
is another disease that affects dalmatians, some blogs say that it affects nearly 5% of
purebred Dalmatians, causing those to experience limping, fatigue, moderate to severe pain,
and trouble standing up. Even though, this data isn't available, it is believed that
Dalmatians who eventually develop hip dysplasia are born with normal hips, but the soft tissues
surrounding the joint grow abnormally due to their genetic make-up. The disease may
affect both hips, or only the right or left hip, leading afflicted dogs to walk or run
with an altered gait.
Hyperuricemia Dalmatians, like humans, can suffer from hyperuricemia.
Dalmatians' browns have trouble breaking down uric acid, which can build up in the blood
serum (hyperuricemia) causing gout. Uric acid can also be excreted in high concentration
into the urine, causing kidney stones and bladder stones. These conditions are most
likely to occur in middle-aged males. Males over 10 are prone to kidney stones and should
have their calcium intake reduced or be given preventive medication. To reduce the risk
of gout and stones, owners should carefully limit the intake of purines by avoiding giving
their dogs food containing organ meats, animal byproducts, or other high-purine ingredients.
Hyperuricemia in Dalmatians responds to treatment with orgotein, the veterinary
BREEDING
Dalmatians usually have litters of six to nine pups.