Dalmatian

The Dalmatian (Croatian: Dalmatinski pas) is a breed of dog, noted for its white coat with either black or liver spots. Although other color variations do exist, any color markings other than black or liver are a disqualification in purebred Dalmatians. The famous spotted coat is unique to the Dalmatian breed; no other purebred dog breed features the distinctive spotted markings. The breed takes its name from the Croatian province of Dalmatia, where it is believed to have originated.

Appearance

Body

This popular breed of dog is a well-muscled, mid-sized dog with excellent endurance. Known for its elegance, the Dalmatian has a body type similar to the Pointer, to which it may be related. The feet are round and compact with well-arched toes. The nails are either white and/or the same color as the spots. The ears are thin, tapering toward the tip, set fairly high and carried close to the head.

Size

The ideal Dalmatian should stand between 54 and 61 cm (19 and 24 inches) at the withers and weigh from 20 to 32 kg (45 to 70 pounds) fully grown. Breed standards for showing sometimes call for more specific sizes; the UK standard for instance, calls for a height between 22 and 24 inches (56-61 cm). Males are generally slightly larger than females.

Coat

The coat is short, dense, and fine. The ground color is white with round, well-defined spots of uniform color, either black or one of the brown shades. Lemon, orange, blue, tricolor, and brindle spots very rarely also occur, but they are a disqualifying fault for showing, as are any areas of solid color not the result of heavy spotting.

Puppies are born with white fur, though the beginning of spots can sometimes be seen under the skin of a newborn pup. Any areas of color at birth are a "patch", and patches are a disqualifying fault in the breed standard. Common areas of a patch are one or both ears, head and neck, and rear. Large patches often result from mating with a non-Dalmatian. Spots will become evident after a week or so, and develop rapidly during the first few weeks. Spots will continue to develop both in number and size throughout the dog's life, though at a slower pace as the dog gets older. Spots should be well-defined, round, and evenly distributed over the body. Spot size may vary from the size of a dime, to the size of a dollar coin, but the more distinct the spots are, the better. Spots may be smaller on the face and tail.

Unlike many double-coated dogs, such as Siberian Huskies and German Shepherd Dogs, Dalmatians shed their short, fine coats year round. Dalmatians shed considerably more than most year-round shedders. These hairs are barbed at the ends, causing the hairs to stick to clothing, upholstery and nearly any other kind of fabric. Although they enjoy a vigorous rub down, nothing can be done to prevent their excessive shedding; new owners must be prepared to deal with an extraordinary amount of dog hairs constantly littering their households. The Dalmatian is not advised for those who prefer a hair-free atmosphere. Many (but not all) people who are otherwise allergic to the coated breeds can live with a Dalmatian allergy free. This can be attributed to their cleanliness and lack of that "doggy" odor.


Coloring

The most common colors for Dalmatians are black spotted or liver spotted on a white background. Other spotting colors, though not permitable for showing, and rare, are blue (a blue-grayish color), orange or lemon (dark to pale yellow), brindle, mosaic, tri-colored (may appear on any other colored spots), and two-toned.

Patches often occur in the breed and are a disqualification in the show ring. Patches are present at birth, and consist of a solid color. Patches can appear anywhere on the body, but are most common on the head and ears. Patches are not to be confused with heavily spotted areas on a dog, however.

According to the AKC breed standard, the eyes are set moderately well apart, are medium sized and somewhat rounded in appearance, and are set well into the skull. Eye color is brown, amber or blue, or any combination thereof; the darker the better and usually darker in black-spotted than in liver-spotted dogs[1]. While blue eyes are accepted by the AKC, the CKC faults any eye colour other than black, brown or amber[2]. The Kennel Club (UK) allows only dark eyes in black-spotted dogs, and amber eyes in liver-spotted dogs[3]. Blue eyes are regarded as a fault by many organizations because there appears to be a link between blue eyes and deafness. Amber colored eyes are more common in liver spotted Dalmatians.


Temperament

As a result of their history as coach dogs, the breed is very active and needs plenty of exercise. They are very fast runners, with a great deal of stamina and self-reliance. Given freedom to roam, they will take multi-day trips on their own across the countryside. In today's urban environment, they will not likely survive such excursions and must be contained. Their energetic and playful nature make them good companions for children and they have an instinctive fondness for humans and horses. These qualities make them somewhat "unbreakable", and forgiving of rough handling by children. However, it is imperative that they be socialized with children while still puppies, and also that children be taught the correct way to play with animals.

They have very sensitive natures and never forget ill-treatment[citation needed], and cannot be trained by using rough methods. However, their rambunctious and playful personalities necessitate constant supervision around very small children, whom they may accidentally knock over and hurt. Dalmatians are extremely people-oriented dogs, and will get very lonely if left by themselves, and should be trained to accept their owners' absence if they must be left alone as otherwise they will pine severely. A better option is to provide companions. These dogs crave human companionship and do poorly if left alone in a backyard or basement. Dalmatians are famed for their intelligence[citation needed], independence, and survival instincts. In general they have good memories and are usually kind natured (though individual specimens may vary). Originally bred to defend carriages and horses, these dogs can become territorial if not trained otherwise.