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A Dalmatian is a breed of dog, noted for its white coat with (usually) black spots. "Liver" (brown) and "lemon" (yellow) types also exist, though they are much rarer. In the US Dalmatians are often known (and portrayed, for example in children's books), as firehouse dogs.
Appearance: This popular breed of dog is a
well-muscled, midsized dog with superior endurance. Known for
its elegance, the Dalmatian has a body type similar to the
Pointer, to which it may be related. The coat is short, dense,
and fine. The ground color is white with round, well-defined
spots in either black or liver (brown). Lemon, orange, blue,
tricolor, and brindle spots can also occur, but they are a
disqualifying fault according to the breed standard.
The feet are round and compact with well-arched toes. The
nails are either white and/or the same color as the spots. The
nose is black in black-spotted dogs, and brown in
liver-spotted. The eyes are brown or blue, or rarely a one
brown-one blue combination (a blue eye is a major fault in the
UK, because of its link with hereditary deafness), with an
intelligent expression. The ears are thin, tapering toward the
tip, set fairly high and carried close to the head.
Puppies are born completely white and the spots develop
later. Puppies can be born with patches, but patches are a
disqualifying fault in the breed standard for show dogs.
Temperament: As a result of their history as coach
dogs, the breed is very active and needs plenty of exercise.
Their energetic and playful nature make them good companions
for older children and teens, but may be a little too rough in
play for younger children and toddlers, and as with all dogs,
must be supervised when in the company of such.
Dalmatians are quite affectionate and, if not provided with
constant companionship, there is a risk they may become
depressed. Like many intelligent dogs, they need to be kept
stimulated or they may attack items lying around (especially
those that smell like their owners). Dalmatians are famed for
their loyalty, good memories, and kindly natures, although
occasionally male Dalmatians can be aggressive towards other
male dogs.
Some dalmatians exhibit a behavior that could be called
"smiling". This involves drawing back their lips in
what appears to be a snarl, without growling, to indicate
submission.
History: The breed was named in the 18th century
after Dalmatia, then a part of the Venetian Republic. In 1955,
the Fédération Cynologique Internationale set the origin of
the dogs to the former Yugoslavia (and Croatia claimed it in
1994). However, no historical evidence of this breed being
present in the Balkans dates before the early 20th century,
when they where brought there by England.
Because of these inconsistencies, various claims exist
about the breed's origin. Similar dogs are known from
archaeological findings and historical sources in ancient
Egypt, Greece or Rome, but it is not exactly known if they are
related to the modern Dalmatian. According to some scholars,
the name could stem from a 14th century painting in Florence
by Andrea Bonaiuti, in which a group of dogs similar to the
modern Dalmatians are shown next the a group of friars donning
a stoat fur called "Dalmatica". These dogs were
found frequently in the company of Gypsies, and are known to
have been popular in the Vatican in the 16th century.
The breed's origins are as a generalized working dog. They
were used for so many tasks – herding sheep, hunting rodents
or in a pack, and working as a retriever and as a bird dog –
that they were never specialized into one particular area.
The Dalmatian's reputation as a firehouse dog appears to be
rooted in its popular use as a carriage dog; that is, a dog
whose role was to run alongside, and sometimes even under,
horse-drawn carriages (therefore also known as Spotted
Coach-dog). Carriage dogs were useful for clearing the way in
front of the carriage, possibly for helping to control the
horses when at a full run (such as for horse-drawn fire
engines), and undoubtedly because they were attractive and
eye-catching. This use might have transferred to horse-drawn
fire engines, although it is unclear why this link is made in
the United States and not other countries. It is less well
known that Dalmatians were also used as guard dogs, protecting
a firehouse and its equipment from its rival firehouses.
The Dalmatian is also associated, particularly in the
United States, with Budweiser beer and the Busch Gardens theme
parks, since the Anheuser-Busch company's iconic beer wagon,
drawn by a team of magnificent Clydesdale horses, is always
accompanied by a Dalmatian carriage dog. The giga-brewer
maintains several teams at various locations, which tour
extensively. According to Anheuser-Busch's website, Dalmatians
were historically used by brewers to guard the wagon while the
driver was making deliveries.
Health: Some Dalmatians have a tendency towards
hereditary deafness, as is the case with many mostly white or
all-white dogs. There is an accurate test (the BAER test)
which can determine whether an individual can hear in both
ears, only one or neither. Animals can be tested from 5 weeks
of age. Only those with bilateral hearing (hearing in both
ears) should be allowed to breed, although those with
unilateral (hearing in one ear only) deafness make fine pets.
Since bilateral deafness makes socialization and training
of young puppies nearly impossible, most Dalmatian
organizations strongly urge that puppies born with bilateral
deafness are humanely euthanized. BAER testing is the only way
of detecting unilateral deafness, and reputable breeders test
their dogs prior to breeding.
There is a strong link between blue eyes and deafness, and
in the UK blue eyes are a major breed fault, although they are
accepted in the US. It is believed this is one reason why the
level of deafness is higher in US dalmatians than in their
British cousins. Information from Dalmatian clubs can usually
address this issue for new owners.
Dalmatians, like humans, the great apes, some New World
monkeys, and guinea pigs, lack an enzyme called uricase, which
breaks down uric acid. Uric acid can build up in joints and
cause gout or bladder stones. These conditions are most likely
to occur in middle-aged males. Owners should be careful to
limit the intake of purine by not feeding these dogs organ
meats in order to reduce the likelihood of stones.
Miscellaneous: The breed experienced a massive surge
in popularity as a result of the 1956 novel The Hundred and
One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith, and especially the Disney films
based on the book. After the 1996 live action film 101
Dalmatians was released, some people bought the dogs without
first thinking through the responsibilities of ownership.
For example, Dalmatians, having been bred to run with
horses, require plenty of exercise that not all owners could
provide. It is not clear whether these concerns turned out to
be true, although there is evidence that problems occurred in
1961 when the first animated film, One Hundred and One
Dalmatians, was released.
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