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Those Delightful Dalmatians! by Maggie Blutreich If you invited five Dalmatian fanciers to lunch, you could discuss ten possible origins of this middle-sized, high-energy, short-coated, highly intelligent breed. Once they were called Bengal Harriers and said to have been first bred in India. Another line of reasoning states Dals to have been Lesser Danes. One more puts them with the hunting breeds originating from the Iberian peninsula. Indeed, many do naturally point birds and successfully work a field. The present accepted name is derived from the province of Dalmatia on the Adriatic coast -- hence the correct spelling, "Dalmatian." There is no "o" in Dalmatian. (Spotted dogs are pictured in the tombs of the Pharaohs, but no one hazards a guess how to spell the name in hieroglyphics!) The King's Plum Pudding Dog did historically travel with gypsy troops, entertaining crowds with well-rehearsed clown antics, helping to pick a pocket or two, guarding the horses and caravans. It is this last attribute of the breed -- the affinity for horses -- that led to two other names: Coach Dog, a "decoration" to the finely turned out carriage travel of the day, and Firehouse Dog, a station guard and quick to clear the path for the horse-drawn water wagon. No matter what theory suits our fancy, we are indebted to the British for preserving the breed for us to the present day. Black and White and More Dodie Smith's charming story, The Great Dog Kidnaping, and Walt Disney's magical animation have combined in the box office and video hit, 101 Dalmatians. Fashion's trend toward black and white has furthered the appeal and instant recognition of this breed. Your two-year-old child will point out all "Mations" without fail. But how many of us are aware there are three colors of Dalmatian? Certainly, the Dalmatian's vividly spotted coat is the first thing everyone notices. But Dal spots are not always licorice black. The liver variety spots are deep chocolate brown. The AKC Complete Dog Book, 17th edition defininition is "Liver. A color, I.e., deep, reddish brown." The lemon variety are more of a pale yellow to reddish butterscotch color. Of these three varieties in Dalmatian coloring only the black and liver are accepted. Black is the dominant color. Both liver and lemon coloring are recessive genetically. For a visualization, picture the three acceptable colors of Labrador Retriever: black, chocolate, and yellow; overlay these with white allowing only spots of the base color to peek through. To be even more specific in describing Dalmatian color, the breed's standard discusses the size of spots and other cosmetic coloring in great detail. Markings are the single most distinguishing characteristic of the breed, but proper structure, health and temperament are of even greater importance. Serious Dal breeders do not judge the book by the cover. Bigger Is Not Always Better! The accepted size for Dalmatians is between 19 and 23 inches measured from the withers (where the shoulder blades meet at the base of the neck) to the floor. The basis for this size qualification harks back to the horse and carriage days. Many carriage wheels were 48" in diameter. This wheel measurement puts the axle 24" from the ground. Some Dalmatians "coach" by running under the axle! There are presently Road Trial events across the country in which Dals are required to participate in one-day 12 or 25 mile coaching trips with horse and rider. Trim dogs, like distance runners, are more successful (and more healthy!). The weight of fully grown Dalmatians varies between approximately 40 - 50 pounds for females and roughly 55 - 65 pounds in males. But Wait, That's Not All! Considering the Dalmatian's past employment, gait and endurance are of utmost importance. Proper structure results in correct movement. Basically Dals are poised and alert; strong, muscular and active; free of shyness; intelligent in expression; symmetrical in outline; without exaggeration or coarseness. All Dalmatians shed year 'round - enough to require frequent brushing (and tweed furniture!). They have a single coat (no downy under coat) which does not protect them totally from extremes of heat or cold. However, one Dalmatian is not necessarily like any other. When you see one, you have not, "seen 'em all." They have quite distinct personalities which do tend to follow family (pedigree) lines. Some are dog-aggressive / people-friendly. Others are just the opposite. Some adore children. Others hide from kids. Such extreme examples can frequently be avoided with proper upbringing and puppy socialization classes. However, like every other dog breed, Dalmatians have their own list of health problems. Deafness is, by far, the most serious. Approximately 10 to 15 percent of Dalmatians are born totally deaf. An unknown number hear out of only one ear. BAER (brainstem-audio-evoked-response) hearing testing is available to screen dogs considered for breeding. Since puppies' ears aren't functional before the age of 3 to 4 weeks, it's best to wait for them to become at least 7 to 8 weeks old before considering a choice. BAER testing can be done at 6 weeks of age. (For testing information call 919-489-1367.) As the number of profit-minded litters increases, so do the health and disposition problems in the breed. Structure and pedigree background require extremely careful evaluation to avoid unpleasant surprises later. Dals have the dubious distinction of being the only known canines with a uric acid pH similar to that of humans. As a result, they can be susceptible to gout-like symptoms, eczemas, kidney or bladder stones. A general rule of thumb is to feed adult Dalmatians a quality dry dog food containing 15 to 22 percent protein -- avoiding protein percentages above 23. Most Dals are fairly hardy physically with a life expectancy of 12 to 15 years. It is useful to remember their inheritance when considering disposition. Their occasional aggression toward people or other dogs comes naturally from their past roles as guards of the horse and carriage or their fierceness in clearing the way for horse-drawn fire engines. The great majority of Dalmatians are strictly house pets -- happiest when sitting on their owners' laps or playing a twenty-five minute game of fetch-the-tennis-ball. Most have rollicking personalities. As such, Dals tend to pine or become unstable when left alone in a yard or kennel. They are just too intelligent for such solitary confinement.
As with any other major addition to your family, deciding on a dog of any breed requires an investment from you. A few minutes in phone calls, a few dollars on books can not compare to the years of devotion you will receive in return. Maggie Blutreich |
