Basic Dalmatian Information
General Information
Choosing Your Dalmatian: Where
To Look And What To Look For
Daily Care
Characteristics Unique to Dalmatians
Training and Socialization
General Information
The Dalmatian is a medium-sized, smooth coated breed of working and sporting
heritage, suitable as a family pet or performance animal. He is an intelligent
dog, devoted to his owner(s). He is moderately territorial, though not
aggressive, and pleasant to live with. His most unique feature, his spots
are either black or chocolate brown, which is properly termed "liver."
He is clean by nature and has little , if any "doggy odor."
His short coat does shed almost year round; regular brushing outdoors helps
to minimize shedding.
Dalmatians are a hardy breed and their day-to-day upkeep does not involve
a lot of fussing. They do best in a household situation, and indeed will
pine if left outside on a chain or otherwise ignored. They are a people-oriented
breed and they bask in the love and attention of their owners, i.e. if your
idea of owning a dog consists of leaving the dog outside all the time and
patting it once a day when you feed it, do not get a Dalmatian! Also, although
they enjoy a romp in the snow, they get cold and wet quickly and must not
be left outside during the winter months in a cold climate. Common sense
should dictate when your Dalmatian has "had enough" and should
come in.
Dalmatians thrive in almost any type of residence. The Dalmatian's first
concern is that he be with "his" people, whether in an apartment,
a townhouse, a single-family home or on a farm, the object being that he
get proper exercise and attention. Possibly the ideal situation would be
a single-family home with a large fenced yard from which he cannot escape.
Dalmatians are moderately active dogs and if left to their own devices
are capable of wandering far from home. Do not assume that he can find
his way back! The dog should always be under some kind of control, either
on a leash or behind a fence. The off-leash or unfenced dog is always in
danger of stepping into the road at precisely the wrong time, or in the
case of a farm residence, getting caught in barbed wire or hurt by farm
machinery or livestock. Again, common sense should prevail regarding your
own particular circumstances.
Choosing Your Dalmatian:
Where To Look And What To Look For
If you have decided to purchase a Dalmatian puppy, we advise you to look
at as many pups as many litters as possible, to observe the differences
in both appearance and temperament found in the breed. Show potential puppies
cost more than pet quality. A show puppy will be your pet too, but pet
quality will not be suitable for showing and breeding. Different breeders
have different opinions as to what they judge to be a pet versus a show
pup, and even the most promising put a eight weeks of age may not evolve
into the adult that the breeder predicted. Therefore, if you think you
might be interested in showing or breeding Dalmatians, carefully study
the Dalmatian Standard of excellence (included in this packet) to understand
the technical point, faults and disqualifications by show ring standards.
Try to go to several dog shows to see Dalmatians in competition and talk
to breeders and owners at the show who have the dogs which appeal to you.
In reading the Dalmatian Standard, you will note that a so-called "patch"
is a disqualifying fault. The standards describes a patch rather well.
Patches are usually found on the head, perhaps including one or both ears,
or covering an eye. If you plan to use your Dalmatian for breeding purposes,
buy the best quality you possibly can, without any disqualifying faults.
Temperament in Dalmatians varies quite widely throughout the breed, and
the type of temperament your particular Dalmatian exhibits is a result of
both his genetic background and his subsequent environment and handling.
When looking at a litter of Dalmatian pups for prospective purchase, it
is advisable to observe them in a group if possible. Watch how they play
with each other and if they have been removed from their normal play area,
how they go about exploring the are they are in. The pup who tends to be
a "bully" may be tougher to handle as an adult than what you want.
Conversely, the pup who avoids joining in play or who shrinks away from
being handled, may be too timid to make a good pet. The best temperament
is shown by the middle of the road pup who shows natural curiosity, can
hold its own in a crowd without bullying the others or being bullied and
who doesn't struggle and claw when it is picked up.
While the Dalmatian is a highly adaptable dog, the new owner should carefully
consider the kind of environment the dog will experience in his or her home
and the kinds of reactions to that environment expected from the dog in
a given situation. If you have an aged parent in your home, or very small
children, you will want a quiet, calm, tolerant dog. If you live alone
you will want more alert, keen Dalmatian. Of course, training has a lot
to do with how your dog acts around people, but the basic temperament and
attitude of the dog will be little modified by formal training if at all.
Do not choose either a very timid dog or a very aggressive one, as both
require special handling which makes them unsuitable for the average person.
An objective analysis on your part, of your particular wants and needs
will guide you in choosing the Dalmatian which will suit you best and which
will be, with proper care, a long-time companion.
In view of the foregone, it should be fairly obvious that you are not
likely to find a well-bred pup of good temperament in a pet store. Most
pet store pups come from "puppy mills' which are huge breeding kennels
where the females are bred nearly every season and the puppies are sold
in litter lots to the pet shops. These animals are not bred carefully for
temperament and correct type as area a breeder's; they are bred strictly
for profit. The pups receive minimal veterinary care and no real socialization,
and are often shipped to the pet shops in packing crates of 8 to 10 puppies
per crate. These pups are then divided up among the pet shops in the area
and are subsequently housed as you see them in the stores: in metal cages
where, among other things, they learn to urinate and defecate right where
they eat and sleep. This habit can make the extremely difficult, if not
impossible, to housebreak once they go to their new homes. These pups,
being of dubious pedigree to begin with, do not get affectionate human contact
in their early weeks of life. Due to being handled like inert merchandise,
they often have both physiological and psychological problems which time
cannot cure. All in all, you are best advised to get you pup from a breeder.
You will have a well-adjusted, properly vetted pup of indisputable pedigree;
a pet you can be proud of.
Once you have chosen your puppy, paid for it and received the papers
form the breeder, the rest of its education is up to you. Training in the
elementary niceties can begin right away, but remember that you have a baby
in the house and his or her attention span is short. Housebreaking is the
first order of business and you can help tremendously by taking your pup
outside immediately after he eats and after he wakes up from a nap. As
soon as he eliminates outside, lavish praise on him. It is smart not to
let him go off to play afterwards because then he will forget the reason
he went outside in the first place; instead, bring him back in and play
with him inside. Take him for an outside play a bit later as a separate
event from going out to eliminate. Most pups catch on very quickly and
you will be able to tell, if you keep an eye on him, that he wants to go
out. Most puppies circle on the floor in an ever-decreasing radius; when
they hit the center of the circle, it's "bombs away," so its your
job to anticipate and get the pup outside when he needs to go "out."
Remember, lots of praise when he performs outside, even if he also sprinkled
the rug before you got to him. Praise for doing the right thing will get
your Dalmatian on tract faster than punishment for doing the wrong thing.
We recommend that you purchase a crate for your Dalmatian. This is a
welded wire or molded plastic "house" for your dog in which he
can stay, in the house, during those times you are not around to supervise.
All dogs have a "denning instinct" and your dog's crate will
become, in his mind, his own "den" or "cave." He should
never be punished when in his crate; it is his little home. Crating will
help immeasurably in housebreaking, since a normally clean dog will not
want to soil his bed and will "hold it" while he is crated (This
is where pet shop dogs don't work out well because they are used to messing
in their own beds.). The crate is also handy for when you have company
and want the dog confined. It is also a comfortable and safe place for
your dog to ride when traveling in the car; and when you must leave the
house for an hour or two, you dog is where he is secure and can't get into
any trouble. A crate is the dog's cozy den where he is comfortable, and
we think you will find it is very convenient for you, too. Be sure to get
a crate which will accommodate your Dalmatian easily when he is full grown.
Do not eliminate the idea of obtaining an adult Dalmatian rather than
a puppy. some breeders have adult Dalmatians available for placement in
suitable homes at any given time, and in many ways an adult dog is less
work than a new puppy. Most Dalmatians adjust readily to a new household
and are completely settled in in two to four weeks. Adult dogs don't give
you the trouble of housebreaking and chewing that a puppy does; and, depending
upon the individual dog, it may also have been crate trained, trained not
to bark, not to get on furniture, not to jump up on people and other nice
things which, with a puppy, you would have to do yourself. Adult Dalmatians
usually do very well in situations where the owner is at work all day or
with elderly people who don't feel they can "keep up" with a puppy
effectively.
Daily Care
Day to day care of the Dalmatian is quick and easy, but should be done
very regularly in order to keep him feeling and looking his best. The Dalmatian
is basically odor free and bathing is usually unnecessary more than 3 or
4 times a year unless the dog gets dirty or stained frequently, or unless
he needs a medicated bath due to fleas or ticks. Use a mild shampoo made
for dogs and be sure to rinse all the soap completely out of the coat or
it can dry and cause itching. If your Dalmatian has been exposed to fleas
and ticks, use a shampoo made for repelling them; start at the dog's head
and work back toward the tail. Be careful to work the lather into the dog's
legs and feet as fleas often hide between the toes until your inundation
is over. Be sure not to get the suds in the dog's eyes and ears.
A good brushing with a moderately firm bristle brush once every day or
two will put a nice gloss on your Dalmatian's coat and help to alleviate
shedding. Trim his toenails back (just the hooked tip, please!) once a
week so they don't grow too long and cause him discomfort in walking. Check
his ears once a week and clean the ear canal with a Q-tip dipped in baby
oil If the odor persists or the dog is shaking his head and digging at
his ears, have your vet check them for infection or mites. Keep an eye
on your Dalmatian's teeth, too, so that he doesn't suffer an inordinate
built up of tartar.
Aside from the above, you should keep a general eye on your dog to make
sure he is acting bright and happy, is neither too fat nor too thin, and
that he hasn't eaten anything that isn't good for him. Puppies especially
are curious and much like human babies, everything goes into the mouth.
With moderate attention and awareness on your part, your Dalmatian will
be an easy dog to care for.
Characteristics Unique to
Dalmatians
As with any breed of dog, there are a few things you should be aware
of when choosing a Dalmatian, as regards faults of health. One is congenital
deafness. This occurs in Dalmatians at a minimal rate and whole litters
are born with no deaf pups. However, ethical breeders test their litters
for hearing impairment and any puppies proven deaf are put to sleep at the
vet's. Occasionally a deaf one may sneak by (they seem to be particularly
adept at interpreting the movements of their littermates and of light and
shadow, and can act absolutely normal), unbeknownst to the breeder. Do
not get a deaf dog or even if one is given to you, as you will be letting
yourself in for a lot of work and probably heartbreak: work, because the
dog cannot hear you and for all but the most experienced handlers is rendered
untrainable; probably heartbreak, because if the dog ever gets away from
you, he cannot hear traffic. You can conclude the ending. The deaf dog
leads a sadly neurotic life, as every hand on his fur or step on the floor
startles him because he cannot hear. Many deaf dogs become so fearful and
timid, they must be put to sleep anyway; better to do so right from the
start before a family is attached to the dog. Should you inadvertently
procure a deaf Dalmatian, the breeder is obliged, by any code of ethics,
to either replace the puppy with a hearing one or to refund your money.
The other peculiarity intrinsic to the Dalmatian is the direct excretion
of uric acid by the kidneys, without conversion into water soluble urea.
This is due to metabolic differences inherent in the breed and should not
be confused with the renal failure and/or incontinence which occurs in many
breeds during old age. The most dramatic consequences of uric acid excretion
(kidney/bladder stone formation, urethral blockage, toxemia)is the formation of urinary stones. Urinary
stone-forming seems to be much more prevalent in male Dalmatians than females
and even then, infrequently encountered. Various
corrective diets and medications have been developed to combat its effects.
Research is ongoing and the feeding of certain proteins
known as 'purine-yielding foods' like liver has been confirmed to be one
important factor in Dalmatians forming purine urinary stones. It also
appears that feeding vegetable protein such as wheat, soy and corn based
feeds helps to alleviate stone formation, as opposed to feeding a diet high
in meat and bone meal based protein. As with congenital deafness, stone
forming occurs in proportionately few animals.
Some Dalmatians experience skin and coat problems which are usually worse
during the summer months. Usually, the redness, scratching and loss of
hair can be traced to an obvious source such as fleas and ticks, or an allergy
to flea bites. Other Dalmatians may have allergies to grasses or dust,
and some just seem to have a chronic dermatitis. These types of sensitivities
tend to be hereditary, so when looking for a pup it is wise to get a look
at the parents of the litter if possible and to ask about possible skin
reactions in the bloodline(s) of the dog.
Aside from the above, Dalmatians do not have any appreciable problems
with the kinds of things one hears of in some other breeds, such as hip
dysplasia, PRA or luxated patellas. They are not, as a rule, finicky eaters
and do not require expensive supplements to their normal diet in order to
keep them fit and looking well.
Training and Socialization
Training your Dalmatian to behave as a good citizen and good neighbor
is extremely important, whether you tackle the job yourself or enroll in
a formal obedience class. We recommend that you find a good obedience class
in your area so that you can learn to handle your dog properly and so he
can learn what is expected of him. Dogs which have no direction or guidance
become a nuisance just as undisciplined children do. Your pup's breeder
can probably recommend a good obedience class for you and your Dalmatian,
and some organizations even offer "kindergarten" classes for very
young puppies. Do train your Dalmatian: you will appreciate the cooperation
you get from your dog and your neighbors will appreciate the cooperation
from you!
Equally important to your dog's well being and happiness is what breeders
call "socialization." This means getting your youngster out to
see new things, meet new people and experience new situations. The dog
who pines in the kennel and won't eat when the family goes out of town,
or the dog who snarls and backs away from strangers is often the dog which
is poorly socialized. Take your dog with you whenever possible, especially
as a young puppy. Walk him on a leash through a shopping mall and have
strangers pet him. Take him to the train station or airport and let him
hear the clatter and screech of the train or the whine of the jet engines.
Expose him to as many unusual situations as possible to assure that he
doesn't cower or hang back under stressful circumstances, and that he is
confident and trustful that you won't let anything hurt him. This is especially
critical for a show dog because a self confident "heads up" king
of dogs will carry the day every time over the skittish, frightened one.
If you are interested in showing your Dalmatian, you should attend a
show handling class. Here you will learn not only how to pose your dogs
properly and how to present him in motion to the judge, but also the correct
etiquette for the ring, what to wear, and how to prepare your dog. Handling
classes are often given by all-breed clubs or by professional handlers;
your dog's breeder or your local breed club can point you toward good classes
in which to enroll.
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