Dalmatian Breed Information

Dalmatian Dog Breed Photograph

As you know, the star of 101 Dalmatians is, in fact, a Dalmatian and is what this breed is usually associated with when talked about!

This breed of dog is extremely unique because of the spots the dog has on their coat. This is a one of a kind dog coat that other dog breeds don’t have.

This breed was once bred for the sole purpose of chasing horse-drawn carriages for miles and miles! Eventually, this breed started helping firefighters clear a path to get the fire truck to the emergency!

The Dalmatian is a very intelligent dog breed who loves to please its owners. They live to please and live to be praised.

They have such a sweet romantic personality that will make you and your whole family fall in love with this dog breed. Check out the wonderful article below all about the breed, the Dalmatian.

Please leave any comments at the end of the article, letting us know if you have a Dalmatian!

Dalmatian’s History

The Dalmatian has such an interesting background dating back to centuries. There is no specific history on the origin of how the Dalmatian got its amazing spotty coat, but we do know that even back in the 1300s, there were Dalmatians sitting beside rulers!

Historians have found paintings in Italy of Dalmatians and different rulers throughout history.  So it’s safe to say these dogs were across Europe during this time.

The Dalmatian got its great popularity in the 19th century by riding along coachmen. What they had to do was run alongside the carriage making sure people would get out of the way.

They also would alert the coachmen of any highwaymen that may be around. This dog breed was excellent at running and having stamina, and they were also great hunters.

That’s how they were able to track the highwaymen because they are excellent hunters!

Dalmatian’s Appearance

As you probably already know that this breed is a medium size and almost large dog breed. This breed is also very muscular and strong, and you can basically see the muscle definition on the dog.

The ears of the Dalmatian are usually flat on the sides of their face. The muzzle is long, and the eyes of the dog can usually come in brown, black, or even amber.

Dalmatians usually almost always have a white coat with black spots. The coat of the Dalmatian is very short and fine. This breed does have a shedding issue and will shed every day.

When you see a big looking dog with floppy ears and black spots with a white coat you can infer that you have just seen a Dalmatian.

Dalmatian Dog Breed

Dalmatian’s Size

The size of any dog breed can vary from dog to dog. The Dalmatian whether it is a female or male usually ends up around the same weight and the same height.

Other breeds have so differences in size when it comes to male and female dogs. The Dalmatian runs around 20-15 inches in height, which is fairly big for a dog.

The Dalmatians can weigh between 50-70 pounds. It really depends on their parent Dalmatians and how big they were. So the Dalmatian would fall in the large dog category.

Dalmatian Personality

This dog breed got raved over after the release of the movie 101 Dalmatians, and many people starting gushing over these adorable pups. This breed is much different from the dogs in the movie.  The Dalmatian is extremely active and full of energy.

They really are high energy dogs that could play for hours! This dog breed is also very intelligent when it comes to training and tracking.

They are very eager to please their owners so they will be easy to train. Remember, when training to use treats and praise to reward positive behavior!

Another great thing about the Dalmatian is they love to be where the people are. If you’re in the kitchen, just say then your Dalmatian is right there with you!

They don’t like to be alone in a sense, so they will try to go wherever you go if they can. They are really gentle and loving to young kids and will play and play with them.

I like to call that your own personal babysitter. They get along with children of all ages; just supervise your toddler around big dogs like the Dalmatian.

Dalmatian PictureDalmatian’s Temperament

The Dalmatian’s temperament dates back down to generations and generations of Dalmatians. Not all Dalmatians will have the same temperament; we are just saying it is a possibility of them having an average Dalmatian temperament.

They are extremely protective of their owners and loved ones who live with them. They are indeed a watchdog that dates back to their coachmen days. They really want to protect their owners from strangers, so it keeps them on alert.

In public around people, they don’t know they are quiet and more reserved than most dogs, but they usually aren’t ever shy. They will walk right up to you and smell you and your other dogs and check you out.

It’s their watchdog motility that makes them investigate everything. They want to make you feel safe, and they are also extremely curious about things. This dog breed will also stop at nothing to make you laugh. They have a great sense of humor, and they love to make you smile and your loved ones!

Dalmatian’s Coat                                                                                                                    

The Dalmatian’s coat is an interesting topic to talk about! The Dalmatians coat, as you know, is white with black spots on it, but what you might not know is that Dalmatians are born completely white with white hair.

They grow or inherit their spots later in life as they age. The spots can come in all sorts of sizes, usually bigger spots on their back with smaller ones on their feet and legs. They can even grow spots around their facial features such as around their noses or eyes.

The Dalmatians usually have a very soft short coat with black spots applied to their white coat. Their hair is usually wiry with a velvety touch!

Now there are Dalmatian’s that have tan spots instead of black spots. These are called tricolor Dalmatians where they can have black and tan spots or even just tan spots. It’s quite rare compared to the regular black and white Dalmatian.

What Colors Do They Come In?

There are only a couple color combinations that your dalmatian can come in, they are;

  • Black
  • White
  • Brown
  • Pied (black and white hairs)

Dalmatian’s Grooming

Grooming can be a thing to discuss because grooming can honestly be different with every dog or every dog breed. The Dalmatians are definitely a dog breed you will need to groom often.

This dog breed sheds a lot, and I mean a lot! Just like when they say humans lose a thousand hairs a day well dogs loose double that! You will definitely need to brush your Dalmatian twice a week; they will still have a lot of shedding, but at least this way, not all of it will be on your floor.

You really don’t need to bath your dog for a few months, but since the Dalmatians coat is white, they will get visibly dirty faster, so I would suggest once a month or when they look very dirty that they need a bath.

Like every article says on the internet, you will want to brush your dog’s teeth to keep them free of plaque and trim their nails when they get long.

That is a job I suggest you let your vet take care of because we do not know where the dog’s nerves are so we could really hurt them.

Dalmatian’s Life Span

The life span of the Dalmatian can range from 11 to 13 years. Remember that your dog’s health will ultimately determine the life span of your dog.

If at any time you are worried about your dog you should always consult your local veterinarian.

Don’t forget to keep your dog well by getting your dog checked out by a veterinarian every year.

Dalmatian’s Health Issues

We talk about health issues in our articles just to give you an idea of what medical conditions could happen in this type of dog. Of course, this in no way means your puppy will grow into an adult dog and have these conditions.

These are just common conditions this breed could get. Remember to check with the breeder you bought your dog from on the dog’s parent’s health information.

Urolithiasis: this condition affects the uroliths, which will cause to many crystals in the dog’s urinary tract. This is pretty much a urinary tract infection but on a dog.

Iris Sphincter Dysplasia: this is a condition in the Dalmatians eye where the iris muscles are poorly developed. Usually, it makes the dogs unable to see well in sunlight, so they have to squint most of the time.

Hip dysplasia: hip dysplasia to keep it short and simple is just really arthritis in dogs. It’s where their joint bones ache from pain from rubbing back in fourth.

Hereditary deafness: this is just something in the genetic makeup of some Dalmatians that they can inherit from their ancestor Dalmatians.

Allergies: some dog breeds are just prone to getting more allergies than other dog breeds.  These can be food-based or even fabric based. Anything can cause an allergy. Just look for signs of itching or redness on your dog.

Dalmatian’s Exercise

The Dalmatian, just like other larger breeds of dogs like the Labrador retriever, need a lot of exercises. The Dalmatian is a fast dog breed, and they can run for great distances with a great deal of stamina!

So this breed can hold a lot of energy, so it’s very important that you take them outside every day to burn off that unused energy. If you have a dog park nearby its best you go there to let your dog play in a secure fenced-in area with other dogs.

It’s also great to teach your dog how to be leased trained that way you can go on walks without your dog walking you!

Dalmatian Puppy

Dalmatian’s Living Conditions

Remember that Dalmatians need exercise multiple times throughout the day. If your dog does not get enough exercise it will become bored and actually develop a destructive behavior.

So you will need to take your dog outside to play a lot, so if your interested in this breed, you will need to be able to do this. Also, this breed is very large, so it will not have much room to roam around in a small apartment.

Try having a single-family home with a nice size yard that your dog will be able to play around in. Remember to early socialize your dog from a young age that way, they do not form those aggressive tendencies.

Dalmatian’s Training

You will want to train your Dalmatian when it is a puppy. If you buy an older Dalmatian, you will want to start training them as soon as you get home.   Your pain priority with this dog breed type is to socialize with them early when they are young!

The Dalmatian dog breed can be very shy, so it’s good to socialize them early at an early age.  Some people take their dogs to puppy training classes to learn obedience and tricks, but you can do this at home honestly.

Unless your dog is experiencing bad behavior, try training at home. The first thing you should train your dog for is crate training!

Dalmatian’s Feeding

The recommended daily amount of food a full-grown Dalmatian should have a day is 1 ¾ cup to 2 cups of premium dry food a day. This food should definitely be split into two equal meals during the day, preferably on in the morning and once at night.

Remember to go to your local pet store and do research on the best dry dog food you can buy. You want your best friend to be able to eat great food just like you.

Remember, if you have a puppy, they will need to eat less food a day, and they will need soft dry food, which will be easier to chew on their teeth.

Dalmatian PuppiesDalmatian Puppies

Dalmatian puppies will make your heart melt by the first sight of them! They are just the most loveable dog around and their coat being all white makes you feel like you’re holding a little white bunny.

They are very energetic and playful, even at such a young age! They love doing the normal puppy things like running around, getting into everything, chewing on shoes, and, most of all, playing with you and your family!

Remember, this dog breed is one of the larger dog breeds around, so as a puppy, they will grow up fast! Maybe not maturely, but physically they will grow. You will need to make sure they are getting plenty of exercise because they will start storing energy that will need to be burned off during playtime.

Dalmatian puppies are very smart and curious about the world around them. You will be surprised just what kind of messes these puppies can get into.

Lastly, the Dalmatian puppies can get very stubborn if they don’t get their own way or if they want to do something, but you won’t let them. It is important to start obedience and crate training your puppy as soon as possible.

Whether it’s you training your dog or even a dog trainer it is crucial you start them on a good path while they are young.

Dalmatian Litter Size

Dalmatians usually have around six to nine puppies at one time. Sometimes this breed can even have more puppies. One Dalmatian was known to have 15 puppies.

Close Relatives of the Dalmatian

There are a couple of breeds that costly resemble the Dalmatian they are:

  • German Shorthaired Pointer

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