What You Should Know About the Dalmatian

Where should I begin? How can I explain clearly what this breed is really like, looking back over nearly thirty-five years? What I have always considered important, and what I always explain to anyone interested in the breed, is this.

It is most likely that the completely unique mutation of the harlequin gene, which gives the Dalmatian its colouring—black or brown spots on a white background—originated somewhere in the Mediterranean basin about 3,000 years ago. Finds pointing to the Dalmatian’s ancestors have been discovered in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs. One thing is certain: the Dalmatian has long been associated with the aristocracy. On the one hand, this strikingly unique coloration could only be preserved if the dogs were kept separate from other breeds. On the other hand, people living in poorer circumstances generally did not have the means to maintain the breed. If a Dalmatian is bred outside the breed, so to speak, and is crossed with other breeds, the offspring lose this distinctive colouring completely. So the harlequin gene is likely recessive in relation to other genes that determine these traits. The Dalmatian is a smart dog and learns easily. It can be taught everything we expect from it. It has very little body odour because, in the areas without spots, its skin is albino and lacks pigment. Very little odour-producing material is released from these areas, which is why Dalmatians have their characteristically mild “smell.”

The essence of the Dalmatian

The essence of the breed lies in the Dalmatian’s general appearance and its traditional use: it is a dog built for movement, supported by its physique and balanced musculature. Throughout its development, it has always had some kind of task—sometimes working alongside humans (guarding, hunting, etc.), and sometimes serving as a symbol of a lavish lifestyle among the English aristocracy of the 19th and 20th centuries, as a carriage dog—but in every era its role was based on movement. Or, in America, it became popular in the role of the “firehouse dog.”

That is why it is so important for today’s breeders and breed enthusiasts to regard this trait as the Dalmatian’s most important breeding consideration. Therefore, to maintain good movement, it would be desirable to use in breeding individuals with excellent anatomical structure, thereby providing the foundation for efficient movement.

For me, the Dalmatian has become part of my life; it shapes my everyday life. My hobby is also my lifestyle.

Besides walking them on a leash and later letting them run free, my favourite activity is exercising them by bicycle. In terms of both distance and speed, this way of exercising satisfies my dogs’ needs—and my own.

In addition, seeing a truly beautiful, well-proportioned Dalmatian moving freely in nature is a fantastic visual experience for me. Perhaps this is why I have been a devoted admirer of the Dalmatian breed for nearly thirty years, and why all my breeding activity is focused on achieving this goal.

Besides movement, the other most important and characteristic trait of the Dalmatian breed is its unique colour, pigmentation, and spotting. The placement and number of spots on an individual dog are almost impossible to control; Dalmatians cannot be selectively bred for the number or placement of their spots. Therefore, in breeding and judging, dogs with denser or, conversely, sparser spotting should not be excluded or considered inferior for that reason alone. After all, this is inherited completely at random. An even distribution of spotting (whether evenly dense or evenly sparse) may be desirable, but one should also strive for spots of roughly similar size on a given dog. The considerations described about spotting and pigmentation apply equally to both the black-spotted and the brown-spotted (liver) varieties. Dogs with unevenly distributed spotting can appear visually disproportionate, because areas with stronger, darker pigmentation appear smaller, while the whiter, spotless areas appear larger. This is why an even distribution of spots is important.

The modern appearance of the Dalmatian owes much to English breeders of the 1800s and to the tastes and whims of the aristocracy of that time. After all, Dalmatians were the so-called carriage escorts that formed part of this luxurious lifestyle. They tried to outdo one another by having more spotted dogs around their coaches during visits. It was not uncommon for 15–20, or even more, spotted dogs to surround a moving coach. The goal was to attract attention with the unusual sight of a coach surrounded by spotted dogs, and also to protect the coach. Most Dalmatians of that era had very good guarding and protective instincts, whereas today, of my four dogs, this can only really be said of one.

This created enormous selection pressure during the breed’s development. In most cases these animals had to cover distances of 30–40 kilometers, and in many cases even more, running without stopping in one stretch. Any dog that could not cope with this literally dropped out of the breeding line and could no longer pass its genes on to its offspring. In terms of height, it was important that the dog could fit beneath the coach axle while running, and that its tail did not curl much higher than the topline. Individuals whose tails curled toward the middle of the back were therefore selected against, because unsuitable height and tail carriage could simply be a hazard while running. Those that could cover such distances under these environmental and terrain conditions, including running uphill and downhill, were animals with strong bone and good musculature.

This is where the modern Dalmatian’s “hobby” of eating comes from! The Dalmatian is not a picky breed; anything it thinks contains some nutritional value, it eats immediately. What happened when they got from one castle to another? They were herded into the stables alongside horses and other domestic animals, and whatever they found there (mouse, rat, horse manure, feed, etc.) they ate—so that they could cover the tremendous energy requirement needed to travel such long distances. Needless to say, in those days there was no dog food—let alone the wide range of premium foods available today, with so many options that it can be difficult to choose. The Dalmatians that remained in breeding were those that could tolerate this kind of strain. This is the source of the Dalmatian’s enormous need for exercise and its toughness, which are also central to the essence of the breed. It is generally not a sickly breed; apart from routine vaccinations and occasional injuries, frequent visits to the veterinarian are not usually necessary. So it is fair to say that the Dalmatian is generally a healthy breed.

What does the Dalmatian like?

To run—definitely—any amount, any distance, tirelessly. To eat—definitely—anything, anytime; we could even say that eating is the Dalmatian’s hobby. It likes to stay close to its owner and often seeks physical contact; it comes over to ask for petting and may return the affection by “cleaning” with its tongue. My bitches do this with each other as well. The parts of their bodies they cannot reach themselves, they clean for each other. They like to clean each other’s heads, eyes, mouths, and ears. The Dalmatian is an exceptionally clean dog. Because it has only a topcoat, dirt, mud, and other debris fall off easily and quickly. It is easy to clean and keep clean, and its coat requires little grooming. It sheds constantly; its hair comes out all the time. No matter how much you brush, it still comes out. During certain periods, especially in spring, it sheds somewhat more heavily. Although my dogs live indoors with us all the time, we have become accustomed to the constant shedding and regularly cleaning up their hair—it is not a problem. Their kindness, attachment, and immeasurable love make you forget everything. As I mentioned, they have no undercoat, so they get cold in winter and can become too warm in extreme summer heat. They love spending time indoors in an air-conditioned room.

I already mentioned that it is a very greedy dog; it eats everything it finds. It can eat virtually any amount of food we put in front of it, so a Dalmatian can easily become overweight if it is overfed. One must find the right balance between feeding an adult dog and giving it enough exercise. Nowadays, feeding is one of the more delicate aspects of dog ownership, because there can be huge differences between different dog foods. Foods containing gluten can cause allergic reactions, which may manifest as increased shedding. Other things can also cause allergic symptoms, for example foods containing chicken. Hypoallergenic foods have worked well for us, basically those based on lamb and rice. The allergen-triggering potential of the hypoallergenic foods we use is so low that they have not caused any allergic reaction or sensitivity in our dogs. They regularly get fruit; they love apples, cherries, oranges—whatever I am eating. They sit down next to me in a row and wait for the bites. I cannot emphasize enough that this opinion is based entirely on my own experience; of course, others may have different experiences elsewhere.

They need to run every day. I accompany them by bicycle or on a brisk walk; we have our usual route, which is about 9 kilometres from our house to the turning point, measured by GPS. Within the built-up area, they run alongside the left side of the bicycle for two streets, while I ride with my right hand on the handlebar and hold the four dogs on leashes with my left hand. I cover 10 kilometres by bicycle; they run freely around me as they please, which means they cover several times that distance. They like to sniff around and follow scents; of the four dogs, two are real vole hunters. They sniff out the voles’ nests and systematically dig them up; they pull out clumps of grass with their teeth, and any vole they manage to catch is eaten with great relish. I have a Dalmatian that loves retrieving and can bring back an endless number of thrown sticks. They like to swim in the lakes very close to where we live; playing in the water is no problem, and they follow me everywhere. As pack dogs, they feel good together; a Dalmatian also feels safe when it is close to its owner.

A Dalmatian kept alone—forced to spend the whole day by itself—can become remarkably inventive when entertaining itself. To the owner’s considerable surprise, by the time they get home, it may have caused considerable damage, either in the garden or in the house, so I cannot stress enough how important it is to “tire out” the dog every day. If we do this, it will usually sleep until its owner comes home again.

Who is this breed really for?

Based on what has been said, I recommend the Dalmatian to a person who:

• Likes going for walks
• Likes to cycle
• Leads a sufficiently active lifestyle
• Can set aside one to one and a half hours each day to spend with their dog
• Can be calmly and consistently firm—because a Dalmatian puppy is very cute, and we are willing to forgive it everything when it is only a few months old. But time passes quickly, the puppy grows up, and one day it may look at its owner in confusion: why can’t I do what I was allowed to do when I first came here?
• Trains consistently
• Can keep the dog indoors with them. Dalmatians that are excluded from the home and kept in kennels do not feel well; they become nervous and restless.
• Is over 8 years old. This may seem strange written this way, but the Dalmatian is not a breed for small children because it is an energetic sporting dog.
• Wants a sporting dog
• Wants to receive lots of love from their dog
• Wants to take their dog to a dog school
• Is looking for a constant companion—in the Dalmatian, they can find a true partner.