Many people still believe that this breed of dog originated from Dalmatia, in keeping with its name, yet this is not the case, although its origins are ultimately not well known. England would be his country of origin a priori, but nothing is certain. However, it remains very well known around the world thanks to Walt Disney’s cartoon “101 Dalmatians”.
The Dalmatian was a sought-after breed during the days when the postal services provided mail convoys in horse-drawn carriages. This dog had a particular aptitude for moving between horses without ever getting hit with his hoofs. He therefore had the task of guarding the carriages with disconcerting ease, running easily between the legs of the horses, even at a gallop. Dalmatian owners, if they have experienced it, must have noticed that their dog is comfortable with the horse, unlike many other breeds frightened by this gigantic mount equipped with sturdy hooves.
Table of content
1 Morphology of the Dalmatian breed
2 Activities
3 Skills
4 Character of the breed
5 Caring for Dalmatian Puppies and grown Dogs
6 Health
Morphology of the Dalmatian breed
The Dalmatian is a large dog (from 58 to 61 cm for the male at the withers), very finesse since he weighs only 20 to 25 kg. Very elegant, both by her dense, short-haired white dress dotted with black spots and by her presence, her posture is noble. Its head is pretty and powerful, its ears are medium in size and drooping. If you are lucky enough to see a Dalmatian baby under 2 weeks old, you will be surprised to see them all white. But this is normal, as the spots appear later, starting at approximately 3 weeks.
Activities
Dalmatian is a dog which needs exercise, to run every day. It also has quite exceptional endurance skills. Athletes appreciate this dog, which is able to accompany them for several hours while they pedal on their bikes. The apartment is to be avoided as a home, but if he is allowed large spaces at least 2 hours a day, he will be able to cope with it.
Skills of Dalmatian dogs
His genetic skills relate to custody. He’s incredibly efficient at this registry, and doesn’t fail to sound the alert quickly as it does to act on it if an uninvited intruder shows up. He is very pleasant to live with and loves to be in the company of his master.
Dalmatian character
The Dalmatian is naturally quite “mad”, with an aptitude for doing stupid things (eating the sofa, the slippers, putting the mess in the trash, etc.). It is imperative to train it from an early age with great firmness. If he knows the limits that must not be crossed, he proves to be a remarkable gentle companion, especially towards the children he is particularly fond of.
Caring for Dalmatian Puppies and grown Dogs
Brushing once or twice a week is enough to keep it looking clean and shiny. When it comes to food, it is not difficult. However, he has a very good appetite and can devour quite impressive portions. Feed him accordingly to the exercises he does so that he does not become overweight, and only plan on lean meat. If you want to feed him some ready-made food, that’s fine. However, choose from the register of top quality junk food in order to keep it healthy as long as possible.
Health
One of the genetic deficiencies in the Dalmatian happens to be skin allergy. Even though this is not a problem for him on a daily basis, the itching can lead him to bite his skin until it bleeds and at the same time pull out his hair. It is quite easy to treat this kind of allergy with specific treatments. Also it is a breed predisposed to bladder stones which should alert you if you detect blood in its urine, or if you notice that it urinates very often but in small quantities (excluding territory marking when it is out walking of course) .
