Dog breeds: Dalmatians
Narrated from: Dog BreedsWho hasn’t heard of the Dalmatian? These famous dogs have their own movie, their own book, and a world-wide fan club!
History
It is believed that Croatia is the homeland of the Dalmatian, named after the province Dalmatia, they became really popular in England, and the breed was recognized in 1888.
The unique spotted coat of the Dalmatian is its main feature – and it even suggests that they may have been around from way back. Ancestors of the Dalmatian have probably hunted in the sands of Ancient Egypt, and other spotted dogs were often used as hounds during the Middle Ages.
In the 20th century, Dalmatians spread all over the UK and the USA, and due to their unique character they were often picked to accompany carriages, and for fire brigade duty. Dalmatians gradually became more and more popular, and nowadays the American National Fire Protection Association, the Dominican Order, Budweiser beer and many colleges boast of Dalmatian mascots.
As a pet
Dalmatians are one of the most loved dog breeds. They combine a good-natured fondness of animals and people they know with a strong distrust of strangers, which makes them favored guard dogs. Their hunting instincts can be a problem if you keep small animals in the house, but in the case of vermin, Dalmatians can always save the day.
Nowadays, the high energy levels of Dalmatians can be a serious problem as they are very active dogs. If you have the time and energy to exercise and amuse these dogs, then you have found the perfect match – Dalmatians are very intelligent companions, and training them can be a real challenge, as well as a test, for the handler. You need to prove you are the leader of the “pack”.
Another common Dalmatian problem is their tendency to bark – this hunting instinct is deeply embedded in the entire breed’s genes.
Health problems
Dalmatians should be put on a special diet, since they have trouble processing protein – this can lead to the formation of bladder stones, which is a life-threatening condition for canines!
Like many white animals, Dalmatians are prone to deafness. Only about 70% of all Dalmatians have normal hearing, with blue-eyed ones being the most endangered.
However, even deafness is not a fatal flaw, though it does make training the dog a lot harder. In fact, breeders came to understand quite late on that many Dalmatians are born deaf, and as a result the breed was considered unintelligent for a long time!
However, as Cruella de Vil can testify, Dalmatians are nothing like stupid.
to top of the page Previous Next