Breed History

The breed gained popularity in Great Britain and shortly after the united states. They were used to guard stables and fire station of rats or other rodents. Other times they were used to run long side and behind horse carriages. In 1961 when Walt Disney introduced their new movie 101 Dalmatians the popularity of this dog grew and became more recognizable. 

Body

The spots on the Dalmatian make them easily known all over the world. They were originally bred to be medium sized dogs. They then started to be bred bigger to work better. The normal weight is between 40-70 pounds.

Coat and Color

The coat and the color of this dog is one thing that makes is so usually beautiful. There are two different kinds of colors. One kind can be the white body with black spots and the other kind can be the white body with the liver brown spots which are slightly lighter than the black with more brownish tint in them. All Dalmatians have short hair and are very easy to groom. Brushing twice a week keeps shedding to a minimum and keeps the coat looking glossy. Their skin and coat tends to be very dry so shampoo and conditioner are required.

Personality

Most Dalmatians are very alert and extremely energetic. They are very loyal and people oriented dogs. They make good working dogs because they have the stamina to go all day long running or jogging along with their owner. Dalmatians are not the kind of dog to be tied up in the backyard. Weather they are vicious or shy or very friendly really depends on what kind if environment they grew up in. Socialization and training are two things that are very important when raising your Dalmatian puppy. The earliest of Dalmatians were bred strictly for guard dogs and nothing else, which didn’t make them the friendliest house pet. But today’s generation are very loveable, although they are very energetic and need to let out a lot of steam. They demand a good long brisk walk every day.

Nutrition

Nutrition is very important when getting a new puppy no matter what kind it is. The one that should be looked at when picking the type of food for your Dalmatian is what kind of protein is in it. They need a very low purine diet. Vegetable diets are one of the best kinds of diets you can give your puppy.