Dalmatian

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The Dalmatian is a large breed of dog who is said to have come from Dalmatia an area of Croatia. This has been traced by drawings from books which come from Croatia. The Dalmatian has a vary distinctive pattern on its coat, which is either white with brown spots or white with black spots. Although the breed may have originated in Croatia, England is where the breed really started to be developed. From historical references it has been indicated that these dogs were used as war dogs. guardian the borders of Dalmatia. Dalmatians also have very good hunting instincts, specifically with vermin they are very good at tracking them down and getting rid of them. The Dalmatian is a very popular well known breed, this is mostly credited to the Walt Disney films The hundred and one Dalmatians.

Appearance

The Dalmatian breed is a strong breed, which has very good endurance. A Dalmatian is typically between 48 cm and 61 cm to the withers, and weighs from 16 kg to 32 kg. As with other breeds the male is typically larger than the female. The Dalmatian coat has hairs on it which are short and fine, and they are packed tightly together. When Dalmatians are born they are white and the spots appear as they get older. While white with black spots is the most common colour variety the spot colours can vary to blue, orange or yellow.

Temperament

This dog is one of the most loyal breeds out their, it is also a very active dog. Normally this breed works well with other pets. For horse lovers this can be an ideal dog companion as it works well with horses. The reason for this is that they had a role as carriage dogs (dogs which would rung in attendance of a coach). They can be stubborn and have the memory of an Elephant. This dog will thrive in a family environment with constant attention. Aggression can be shown in this breed, but this generally only occurs if they have not been exercised enough. They tend to be quite a loud breed, so would make a good watch dog and guard dog, as it is friendly to people it knows but not to strangers. Due to these dogs being highly intelligent they have been used in the Circus for tricks.

Grooming and care

The Dalmatian tends to shed a lot, all year round, this means that dog hair will be everywhere, to reduce this the dog needs to be groomed frequently with a hound mitt or curry. They do not do well on their own as they crave constant companionship. These dogs need large amounts of exercise, a yard is important, as is daily park walks.

Health

Dalmatians tend to live an average life span of 13 years but can live up to 18 years. The Dalmatian is less prone to getting hip dysplasia, than other breeds. This breed tends to die from old age, so it tends to be much healthier than other breeds of dogs. Deafness is a large problem with this breed. About 30% of Dalmatians have hearing problems, this tends to show itself by the Dalmatian not seeming as smart as it should, it is not that the Dalmatian is not smart it is that the Dalmatian cannot hear the commands being issued to it. It is possible to do a BAER test to potentially identify the deafness. This type of dog can also suffer from hyperuricemia (bladder stones), normally this occurs in middle age, and generally the solution is to have calcium intake reduced. This can be done by reducing the amount of purine.

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