You may have heard that Dalmatians are not very smart or are too hard to train. This is simply not true. The breed is alert, active, fast, intelligent, and is happiest being around & pleasing people. They were bred as hunting and working dogs, and, because of this, they are excellent family dogs, or show dogs. They can perform in agility shows, obedience competitions, and, of course, are fine carriage or fire truck companions. Over the years Dalmatians have been war dogs, shepherds, ratters, bird dogs, and retrievers.
Dalmatians have short, glossy, and thick coats which are generally white with black or liver (brown) spots. They will usually weigh somewhere between 50 – 55 pounds. Your pet Dalmatian will need plenty of exercise, especially since they were bred to run along-side carriages. Of course, this means that having a Dalmatian will mean daily walks or runs. Due to this they don’t make very good apartment dogs unless you have a way to exercise them every day. They also need strong leadership from their family and ample socialization. Dalmatian families need to be consistent and intelligent about how they deal with their new pet.
If you can afford professional obedience training for your pet it would be a good idea. If you can’t then make sure you get training manuals and videos and follow them religiously. Don’t try training your pet Dalmatian part time or just whenever you have a little spare time because you won’t be happy with the result. Dalmatians need constant and consistent training to be the companion you are looking for.
If you plan to feed your pet Dalmatian dry food it should be of the highest quality and contain good quality ingredients like real meats instead of meat meal and have a minimal amount of ingredients such as purines, corn meal, soy meal, meat by-products and preservatives. If possible it’s best to make natural dog food at home. This way you know exactly what the ingredients are and you can include the freshest and most wholesome natural ingredients in your pet’s food. With premium food you will also have less “poop” to clean up.
It’s believed about 12% of Dalmatians are born deaf. Others may be deaf in one ear. Most of them will learn to compensate for only being able to hear in one ear. These can still make good pets. Unfortunately the ones born totally deaf don’t make good pets because they tend to be startled when touched or when they don’t expect someone to be near them. They may react by biting which would make them dangerous especially around small children.
Take your pet Dalmatian to the vet regularly as there are several of the problems that are fairly common to the breed. These include diseases and disorders such as skin allergies, hip problems, bladder stones and arthritis.
Dalmatians are naturally curious and full of energy. They are not “sit in front of the fire” or “sit on the front porch “dogs. If something is going on, they want to investigate and see what all the fuss is about. They meet the world head on and at full speed. Owners need to remain patient and calm when in the training mode.
Caring for your pet Dalmatian’s coat is relatively easy. You should brush them often, even daily, as they do tend to shed year round. They are normally an odor free animal but still should be bathed every 3 or 4 months unless they get dirty in between. Use a natural pet shampoo and keep it out of their eyes and ears. If you see evidence of fleas there are a number of natural repellents available. Be sure to get between their toes when putting in on as fleas like to hide here.
If you don’t have the time to spend with your pet, the time to train it or think that leaving it the backyard by itself is OK you should probably not get a Dalmatian because neither of you will be happy. If you do have the patience to train them and the energy to keep up with them a Dalmatian will make an ideal pet for the whole family. A well trained Dalmatian is about as good a pet dog as you will find.
Dalmatians Dalmatian Club of America
