Dalmatian: character, health, breeding and price : | Origin| History

Sometimes it has a slightly moody character, but never aggressive: we are talking about the Dalmatian, one of the most loved breeds on the planet.

The Dalmatian is a canine breed of Croatian origin. It belongs to the group of hounds and blood trail dogs, but is also a companion dog. It is very famous for its coat with black or brown spots. A hypothesis aimed at explaining the name of this dog breed saw the association with the leopard, symbol of Dalmatia, due to the spotted coat.

Some argue that its ancestor is the Bengal hound, others that belong to the family ofgreat dane harlequin. Based on written references, this dog breed seems to have arrived with the invasions of the Slavic peoples on the south-eastern coasts. Further on we can find them on the canvases of 17th century Flemish painters in the role of hunters.

This is also the role this dog played in the past. In this role, in fact, we also see him in Great Britain at the beginning of the 19th century. But not only that, in 1912 the Dalmatians were also trained as “relay dogs” during the Balkan wars.

Fast and powerful, today it has become, as pointed out earlier, mostly a companion dog. Moreover, it is currently considered as the mascot of the firefighters, since in the past it was used to drive the floats carried by the horses of the firefighters.

In recent decades the Dalmatian has become famous thanks to Walt Disney, which made him the protagonist of the film 101 Dalmatians and its sequel, The office of 101 II. This success has been both good and bad for this breed.

A good thing because he managed to make it a well-known and appreciated breed, a bad thing because he was the victim of “commercial” breeders who were concerned about riding trends and not preserving and protecting the breed.

Dalmatian: character

When we say Dalmatian we can be sure that this dog breed is synonymous with joy and play. Because he is just like that, behind his spots, his elegant and clean bearing hides a real playful. Not for nothing is it considered one of the most suitable dogs for playing with children. As moody as he may be, he is absolutely never bad.

Behind the elegant appearance hides a dog breed with character energetic, lively and very playful. All this combined with a marked sensitivity and intelligence. Has a meek character although in some situations it can be unpredictable. This is a dog that develops a strong possessive and protective attachment towards its owner and family, and suffers if separated from this.

It is a dog that loves to feel at the center of the owner’s attention. It is certainly not easy to educate and needs constant and firm education, especially when it is a puppy. It is however an affectionate dog with other people, even if initially it appears suspicious. It also gets along quite well with other dogs and is the ideal playmate for children.

The Dalmatian he can get restless if he doesn’t get enough exercise. He might be unpredictable and moody but he’s never bad. The ideal would be to take him for long walks. Relegated to the house, the Dalmatian gets bored and annoyed, thus favoring a destructive attitude.

Considered today a companion dog and very famous thanks to Walt Disney who made him the protagonists of the film “101 Dalmatians”And its sequel: the characteristic that is undoubtedly exclusive to this dog are the spots present in its coat. Black or brown spots that give it a very nice look.

And if the spots scattered all over his body are not enough to conquer you and make you want to pamper him, his character will certainly do so. Yes, because he is not only a playful dog, he is also a very affectionate and sensitive dog.

Very close to his master, this is a dog who wants to be part of the family and constantly requires attention and cuddles. Gestures that he reciprocates with absolute fidelity.

Dalmatian: appearance and physical characteristics

As we have already mentioned in the previous paragraphs, a characteristic of this dog breed is the coat which has black or brown spots distributed throughout the body. The general appearance is that of a muscular but well balanced and elegant dog.

The head is quite long, with a flat and broad skull. The stop is pronounced and the muzzle is long but not pointed. The nose is black in dogs with black spots and brown in those with brown spots. The Dalmatian’s eyes are round and of medium size, they appear quite distant from each other.

The color is dark brown in subjects with black spots and up to amber in those with brown spots. The ears are of medium length and set high. They are hanging and fall adherent to the head. Wide at the base, they gradually narrow into a rounded tip.

The neck is long and arched, while the thorax is not very wide even if it is still deep. The tail has a broad base and tapers at the tip. It is preferable that it also has stains.

At rest it is carried hanging with a slight upward curvature. In movement it is carried just above the topline but never too high. The forelegs are straight and sturdy while the rear ones are muscular and powerful. Movement is free with elongated strides and strong rear propulsion. Overall the Dalmatian is a dog breed that looks very elegant.

As far as the hair is concerned, it is smooth, short, dense and must appear shiny. As for the coat, the base color is always white while the spots can be black or brown. The spots are round in shape and well delineated. They are about 2-3 cm in diameter. Those placed on the head, tail and limbs must instead be slightly smaller. The spots must be evenly distributed throughout the body.

As for the size, we can say that the male is around 56-61 cm for a weight ranging from 27 to 32 kg while the female is around 54-59 cm for a weight between 24 and 29 kg. It is therefore included in large breed dogs. It is an athletic breed that needs a lot of movement and needs outdoor spaces to be able to move.

Dalmatian: average life and pathologies

The Dalmatian has a average life of 11 years but there are specimens that easily reach 15 years. It is a robust and healthy breed even if it is subject to some pathologies:

• Congenital deafness: cAbout 8% of dogs belonging to this dog breed are in fact deaf in both ears and 22% are deaf in one ear.
• Autoimmune thyroid: afflicts 14.4% of specimens.
• Kidney stones: they are genetically predisposed to it, due to a defect in uric acid metabolism. These issues have led to a major collapse in the Dalmatian population in the United States.
• Hip dysplasia, even if it is relatively uncommon. It affects only 4.6% of these dogs.

The Dalmatian moreover, it does not have an undercoat so it would be good to never expose it to temperatures that are too cold or too hot.

Dalmatian: farms and price

It is a dog that costs around 700-800 euros, which enjoys overall good health but also has rather typical pathologies of its breed, such as congenital deafness. For this reason it is always good to contact certified breeders, who can offer you all the documentation and pedigree of the puppy you intend to buy.

Better not to turn to proven if not when these are trusted friends, but in any case a dog historian is always essential to have him. It is not suitable for lazy bosses, because he just doesn’t know how to stay still. He is a dog that needs exercise every day or he may practice his teaching skills as well.

But if you, like him, are active and a little moody, this is definitely the dog for you. The Dalmatian is one of the blood trail hounds and dogs, so you may also be interested in: