From medieval paintings to the big screen: The Journey of the Dalmatian

Health in Black and White: What You Need to Know About Dalmatians

When we talk about race Dalmatianwe think of the beautiful Disney story or we associate it with firefighters, since it is known that the Dalmatian is the mascot of the firefighters (in the USA and other English-speaking countries).
Despite being a much loved and appreciated breed, the origins of the Dalmatian are uncertain. Documents from 1374 attests to the presence of Dalmatian ancestors in the Duvrovnik fortress, on the Dalmatian coast. It is believed that the Dalmatian derives from the cross between the Istrian Pointer, the Bull Terrier and perhaps also the Bengal Brac. Another theory would be that the ancestors of Dalmatians were depicted on Greek frescoes or paintings within the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs, the drawings representing spotted dogs.
In Victorian times, in England, the role of the Dalmatian was one of diligent. It served to remove obstacles from the path of the horses, ran both in front of the carriage and to the side or under the carriage between the axles. It was also used to guard stagecoaches, their passengers or their goods. Dalmatians were also used to maneuver the horses that carried the firefighters’ water tanks. Hence the association of this breed with firefighters. Nowadays the Dalmatian is the favorite mascot of firefighters in several countries around the world. Always working with horses, Dalmatians have an extremely close relationship with horses, this feature is preserved to this day.
Dalmatians have appeared in paintings over the centuries. A fresco from the chapel of Santa Maria in Florence from the year 1360 has the Dalmatian as its main subject.
With the advent of cars, the tasks of Dalmatians have decreased and implicitly also the interest in this breed. But after the cartoon aired”101 Dalmatians“The popularity of the breed has grown significantly.
Dalmatians were certified as a breed by the American Kennel Club in 1888, and the Dalmatian Club of America was founded in 1905.

Dalmatian – active friend and talented actor in the family

– Dalmatians are energetic dogslively, affectionate and protective of their family. They can easily adapt to any lifestyle, but having a lot of energy, they cannot stay locked in an apartment for too long. They are dogs that love spending time in nature with people. A half-hour walk around the block won’t be enough for these dogs who are used to running next to carts for hours. The Dalmatian’s favorite activity is running. He will prefer to run alongside his owner or accompany him on bike rides. Swimming, fetch, playing and long walks where they can run freely are among these dogs’ favorite activities. The Dalmatian is a perfect candidate for dog sports.
– The Dalmatian loves it interaction with people. It is very suitable for families with young children, being quite tolerant and patient with the specific mischief of young children. Being a large dog, you have to be careful with him, because, unintentionally, he can hit or break a small child. Obviously the puppy must be socialized with small children and learn to interact with them. Likewise, little ones need to be taught the correct way to play with a dog.
– It is essential to be train early. Having overflowing energy, they must be taught to come when called. Dalmatians love to explore the world around them. They love attention from their owners and have a strong desire to please them. Therefore, training should only be done with food rewards, praise and play.
– Being dogs sensitiveDalmatians do not tolerate harsh or brutal training methods. They will choose to withdraw if there are arguments or tensions in the family. He responds much better to encouragement and praise than to severity. They will be eager to learn even the smallest tricks, as they are also successfully used in circus shows.
– Very attach of their owners, Dalmatians will hardly tolerate their absence, even for a few hours. In this sense it is necessary to train them to accept the absence of their owner and not to subsequently develop separation anxiety. They have a fantastic memory and can remember a person even years later, but also if they have been scolded or punished. They are quite skeptical of strangers and announce the presence of a stranger in the yard by barking quite loudly.
– Like any other quadruped, Dalmatians must socialize AND family small with noises, situations, various landscapes, people of different ages and obviously other dogs and other animals. This way we will have a balanced dog. In the first two years of life the Dalmatian tends to be more impulsive and difficult to control, which is why training is essential. They have the habit of wandering and therefore expose themselves to danger and it is advisable to leave them free in a fenced space, where they can be easily supervised. They are high-speed runners, have excellent physical endurance and can run entire kilometers without getting tired.
– I am extremely loyal to the family of which I am part. They can become protective and some males can sometimes be aggressive with dogs of the same sex. Cases in which a Dalmatian shows aggression towards people are extremely rare, usually specimens who have not benefited from socialization or who have suffered mistreatment. They are loving, affectionate and kind to people, always trying to be around them.
– It is essential to make sure of this mental stimulationin addition to physical exercises. Dalmatians are extremely intelligent dogs and if they get bored they will look for something to do on their own, more often than not something that the owner will not like.
Being diligent dogs, Dalmatians dedicate themselves entirely to the tasks at hand. Over time they were also successfully used for hunting rodents, for bringing game or for grazing sheep. This breed is versatile and has taken on various roles throughout history.
– The Dalmatian is a insipid cainbalanced and extremely energetic. It is perfect for couples, families or active people who love sports and outdoor activities. It is courageous and can be a good watchdog, being very attached to its owners and territory.
– Dalmatians will force us to have a style of active lifewe go out into nature and play sports with them. With proper training, we will enjoy the company and love of these noble and courageous dogs.

Elegant athlete: physical description of the Dalmatian
Dalmatians are medium-sized dogs with a height of 46-63 cm and a weight of 22-30 kg. They are strong dogs, muscular body, broad forehead, medium-sized eyes.
The ears are triangular in shape, the color of the spots can be found in the large truffle.
The neck is short and muscular, the chest broad, the legs long and muscular. The tail carried slightly arched on the back is thin, conical and covered with short hair.
The Dalmatian’s fur is short and shiny, mostly white with round black or brown spots.
The puppies are born with completely white fur, and in the following period they will develop the specific spots of the breed.

Polka dots require attention: proper care of fur and health
Dalmatian care is not particular, but as with any breed, the dog needs to be brushed regularly, ears cleaned and nails trimmed. Dalmatians shed all year round, so regular brushing helps remove dead hair. Since their fur is thin and short, Dalmatians need protection from the cold in very cold winters.

Health in Black and White: What You Need to Know About Dalmatians
Although the Dalmatian breed is known as a purebred robust, approx all dog breeds and Dalmatians have some diseases that are most common in their breed. Some of these are:

• Hereditary deafness – quite often found in Dalmatians. A fairly high percentage of dogs of this breed may suffer from deafness in one or both ears, caused by the absence of pigment cells in the inner ear. From the age of five weeks a specific test can be done to test for this defect. The test is called BAER and is the only one capable of accurately diagnosing deafness
• Urolithiasis – Just like deafness, urolithiasis is often found in Dalmatians because they have a unique urinary tract system that makes them susceptible to the formation of stones in the urinary tract. Dalmatians can suffer of hyperuricemia leading to kidney stones after the first decade of life, especially in males. Dalmatian urine contains uric acid instead of urea or allantoin. This is why the Dalmatian diet must be low in protein and high in uric acid
• Food allergies/contact/inhalant
• Iris sphincter dysplasia – hereditary eye disease that can make night vision difficult, increases sensitivity to bright light and sometimes leads to partial blindness
• Hip dysplasia

Personality they had Dalmatian
Did you know Adlai Ewing Stevenson or Ariana Grande? We could continue with Audrey Hepburn, Hilary Duff, Joan Smith, Leslie Caron, Lisa Davis, Marc Jacobs, Patrick O’Connell, Paul and Linda McCartney. Finally, it is worth mentioning celebrities such as Paula Abdul, Rhonda Fleming, Scarlett Moffatt – they all loved Dalmatians, and for good reason!