Learn about a Dog Every Day - The Dalmatian

The Dalmatian, also known as the Spotted Dog or Dalmatian, is a breed of dog with a distinctive appearance and elegant temperament. The following is a detailed introduction to the Dalmatian:

I. Basic Information

• Origin: The Dalmatian is native to the former Yugoslavia (now including Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia and other countries) and is named after the Dalmatian region of the former Yugoslavia where it originated.
• Size: The Dalmatian is a medium-sized dog with a compact and sturdy build. The height usually ranges from 56-62 cm (48.3-58.4 cm has also been stated) and the weight ranges from 23-25 kg (15.9-22.7 kg has also been stated).
• Lifespan: The Dalmatian's lifespan is usually around 10 to 12 years.

 

 II. External Characteristics

• Head: The Dalmatian's head is fairly well harmonized with the entire body, has the correct length, and has no loose skin. The top of the head is flat with a slight longitudinal indentation in the center, and the head is equal in width to length. The cheeks are smoothly integrated into a powerful muzzle, the outline of which is parallel to that of the head and of approximately the same length as the head.
• Eyes: Eyes are slightly parted in position, medium sized, somewhat round in appearance, and in the proper place on the head. Eye color is usually brown or blue, or a combination of the two, with a darker color being desirable; usually black-spotted breeds have darker eyes than liver-spotted breeds. Abnormally positioned eyelids or eyelashes (entropion, ectropion, inverted eyelashes) are considered serious defects, as are underpigmented eye circles.
• Ears: The ears are medium-sized, slightly wide at the root (in proportion), tapering to a point and slightly rounded at the tip. Positioned high against the head, the ears are thin and delicate in texture. When the Dalmatian is alert, the tops of the ears are flush with the top of the head, with the tips extending down to the bottom line of the cheeks.
• Neck: The neck is gracefully rounded, fairly long, free of bulk, and blends smoothly into the shoulder blades.

 

Torso:

• Dorsal line: smooth.
• Thorax: Deep, with a large thoracic volume, and of moderate width, with well supported ribs, but no barrel chest. The bottom of the chest extends down to the elbows, and the bottom of the chest cavity is gracefully curved and moderately lifted toward the back of the torso.
• Back: horizontal and firm.
• Loin: short, well muscled, and slightly rounded. The lumbar fossa is quite narrow throughout the loin.
• Hips: almost flat in relation to the back.
• Tail: The tail is a natural extension of the dorsal line and should not be positioned too low. The root is stout and tapers towards the end, extending to the fly joints. The tail must not be broken, and the position is a slight upward curve, but never curled to the back. A ringed tail or one that is positioned too low is considered a defect.

 

Limbs:

• Scapula: Muscles smooth and sloping backward. The upper arm bone is roughly the same length as the scapula, joins the scapula, and is angled sufficiently so that the foot claws can lie just below the scapula.
• Forelimbs: straight, sturdy, and strongly boned. Elbows close to the body. Gum bones are slightly angled, showing flexibility.
• Hindquarters: very powerful, with smooth but very well defined muscles. The knee joints bend well. The fly joints are low, and when the Dalmatian is standing, the hind legs, when viewed from behind, are parallel to each other from the fly joints to the paws.
• Paws: The front and hind paws are very round and compact, the pads of the feet are thick and flexible, and the toes are rounded and arched. Flat footpads are a very serious defect. Dogs with black spots have black and/or white colored toenails; dogs with liver colored spots have brown and/or white colored toenails. Wolf claws may be removed.
• Coat: Coat is short, thick, fine and close-fitting. It is neither woolly nor silky. The appearance of the coat is sleek, shiny and healthy.
• Color and spotting: The Dalmatian's undercoat is pure white; in black-spotted dogs, the spots are a heavy black; in liver-spotted dogs, the spots are liver-brown in color. The spots are round and clear; the clearer the better. Spots range in size from the size of a 10-cent coin to the size of a half-dollar coin, with the spots being appropriately sized and evenly distributed. Usually, spots on the head, legs and tail are smaller than those on the body. Spots on the ears are preferred. Spots of any color (except black and liver spots), such as brown spots, are out of order. Color blocking is also considered out of character; color blocking is defined as large areas of pure black or liver-colored hair without a white coat, larger than normal spotting, with dense, sparkling color and clear, smooth borders.

 

III. Character traits

• The Dalmatian is calm and alert, well-proportioned, strong, muscular and lively, unashamedly shy, with an intelligent and articulate expression, obedient and easy to train, keen senses, alert and easy to get along with children. They have great stamina, can run quite fast, and are intelligent with a good memory. The Dalmatian temperament is steady and outgoing, but majestic, and shyness is a serious defect.

 

IV. Life Habits

• Dalmatians are a very athletic breed with great stamina and running speed. Therefore, they need enough space and time for exercise to release their energy. It is best to keep them in captivity in a home with a yard where they can be allowed to run free. Dalmatians also love cleanliness and enjoy bathing, so the coat should be brushed or bathed frequently.

 

 V. Feeding Precautions

• Exercise: The Dalmatian is very energetic and needs to be taken out for a walk or run around the yard every day to meet its exercise needs.
• Grooming: After each exercise, brush its coat to remove dirt and grime, then wipe its coat with a velvet or soft towel to keep it shiny and beautiful.
• Bathing: Although the Dalmatian has a self-cleaning ability similar to that of a cat and has no body odor, it should be bathed regularly, every 1015 days when it is cool and every 35 days when it is hot.
• Cleaning: Every 3 to 5 days, remove ear wax and tartar from its ears and wash its eyes with 2% boric acid water to prevent eye diseases such as keratitis.
• Trimming: Unless there is enough exercise to make the nails naturally wear short, it will grow fast. Practice trimming for it from an early age to prevent it from resenting it.

 

 VI. Health and Heredity

• Dalmatians sometimes develop hereditary diseases such as congenital deafness. Therefore, when buying a Dalmatian, you need to pay special attention to its health condition and genetic background.

 

To summarize, Dalmatian is an elegant, intelligent, lively and loyal breed suitable for families with enough space and time. During the breeding process, attention needs to be paid to its exercise, grooming, bathing, cleaning and trimming needs to ensure its healthy and happy growth.