Dalmatian

A quick history lesson!

There is little trace of the Dalmatian breed before the 20th century when they were brought to Great Britain. In the 18th century they were named after a region in Croatia, Dalmatia. It was believed that the Dalmatian was from Rajistan in the 11th century and known as harriers in the desert. Dalmatians became known in the united states as the fire house dog because in the time where carts were pulled by horses, the Dalmatian would run in front barking and clearing the way for the fire cart and also as a guard dog for the fire house as they would have powerful horses to pull the carts and these horses would often be something thieves would like to get hold of and Dalmatians would make excellent guard dog for these purposes. To this day the Dalmatian is a representation for fire houses and will often be associated with the fire department.



The most recognisable coat of any breed is properly the one of the Dalmatian. With its usual white coat and black spots, the Dalmatian is easy to remember. There are other variations of the typical black spots on white, there can to brown, lemon, and dark blue spots and also an all white coat has been found but usually encouraged in the show ring.


The Dalmatian is a lively breed that has a lot of energy and is not one to stay in one place for too long. The Dalmatian is part of the Gun dog breed because of their amount of energy and capability of working out in the hunting field. They are very playful and happy dogs that need company a lot or they will become down in themselves very easily. They are very intelligent and will often remember things that have gone on in the past that you may have forgotten, good or bad experiences. They have often been trained and succeeded to be good defence dogs and watchdogs. The Dalmatian bitch also has reputation of having large litters.


The Dalmatian is a very loyal breed and requires a large amount of attention to make sure the dog is healthy physically and mentally. The Dalmatian would be good with older children as they love playing but sometimes play can become a little rough so younger children may become scared or accidentally get hurt. As mentioned above, they are highly intelligent and with consistent and firm training they will be very successful in obedience training. As they have high energy levels they would need to be taken for walks on a regular basis and leaving them in your garden would not be recommended as they will not exercise themselves and they would become depressed. Grooming would not be an issue with the Dalmatian as they have short coats that would only need to be washed from time to time and only needing washing a needs basis.



The Dalmatian puppy should begin show it’s spots by the time they are ready to leave their mother, otherwise they are too young t leave their mother. They should present clean and bright eyed and full of energy and look playful as this is in their nature.

Good solid bodies, not too fat and not thin as this could indicate worms or incorrect feeding or both. They should look overall clean and be in good condition. Where they have been kept should also be clean. A bright clean and happy puppy with a wagging tail is best but don’t necessarily dismiss the pup that shy away as he may just be an observer.

On the side of caution – acquire your puppy from someone who is close by with a good reputation. It is always a good idea to view both parents and their registered papers. Inquire about their vaccinations and worming tablets but also get your own vet to look at the puppy once you have brought it home.



Other than their coat colourings, the Dalmatian should be a muscular dog that has a strong but lean structure to its overall body. The head is a strong round structure with ears that flop forward on either side of the head that can be all black or have the white with black spots or different variations of patterns concerning the colours of the rest of the body. The nose can be black or brown or blue and on occasions can be white/ grey with black spots, but this is rare.

• Deafness can effect Dalmatians and all puppies should be tested from a young age.
• Skin allergies (skin)
• various urinary conditions consult your vet.