Mid-Florida Dalmatian Club

Normally, yes. Of course, children must be taught to treat the dog kindly and not to overtax a puppy with constant play, but the average Dalmatian is tolerant and affectionate with children.

3. How big will my Dalmatian get?

Dalmatians range in size from about 19" to 24" at the shoulder, or about knee high to an adult person. Depending on height, your Dalmatian will weigh anywhere from 45 to 70 pounds when full grown.

4. How much does a Dalmatian eat?

An adult Dalmatian will eat from 3 to 5 cups of dog food per day. Puppies eat smaller quantities more often because they are growing. You should feed your own dog whatever amount keeps him looking nice and lean. Do not let him get overweight as a fat Dalmatian is not healthy, but if he looks too thin, i.e. his ribs are showing or his backbone protrudes, you should increase his intake.

5. What equipment do I need to get to prepare for my new Dalmatian?

Your dog will need a food bowl and a water dish. Both should be heavy so he cannot tip them over or push them across the floor while eating or drinking. He will need a collar for walking and holding his license tags, preferably a flat one with good strong buckles and a leash, either made of leather or cotton webbing. If you have a puppy, you will need to buy a new collar as he outgrows his puppy collar. You will also need a slip collar ("choker collar") made of either a medium weight chain or of woven nylon for training. Do not let the dog run around with his slip collar on! He could easily get it caught on something and strangle himself. Do not use a slip collar on a young puppy; wait until he is 5 or 6 months old and ready for his obedience training. Another item you will need to have is a crate, either welded wire or the molded plastic airline shipping type. Make sure it is big enough to accommodate the dog when he is full grown so that you won't have to buy a second one later on. For grooming, you will need a bristle brush, rubber curry or horsehair mitt. These seem to do best for getting dead hair off of the Dalmatian's short coat. You will also need toenail clippers so you can keep his feet trimmed.

6. What kind of veterinary care does my Dalmatian require?

If you have purchased a puppy or wish to purchase a puppy, the breeder will have started the puppy on his first set of shots for distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis and parainfluenza. The puppy should have also had at least one and preferably two inoculations against parvovirus. You will need to continue the puppy series once you have taken your puppy home; the breeder should tell you when the pup had his last shot(s), and your own vet can advise you as to dates for future shots. Normally, the first rabies shot is given around the ages of 16 weeks.

If you have acquired or wish to acquire an adult Dalmatian, the previous owner should tell you when its shots are due and you and your vet can carry on from there.

Your Dalmatian, puppy or adult, should be checked for worms periodically, Young puppies almost always have roundworms, and the breeder should have checked the entire litter for worms and wormed them if necessary. Your vet can advise you as to an appropriate worming schedule, but running a check once every 6 months is a good idea whether you think your dog has worms or not. A heavy worm infestation can kill a dog and is especially debilitating to young puppies, so prevention is always the best road to follow. Any time your dogs looks thin and poor, you should suspect worms, have a check done and follow your vet's advise for medication.

Heartworm is prevalent throughout the United States and Canada, except in a few isolated areas. You are well advised to start your young Dalmatian on preventative early and continue all through mosquito season (the microfilaria are transmitted by carrier mosquitoes). If you have an adult dog which has not been on heartworm preventative, you must have the dogs tested by your vet, before starting mediation. This is a simple blood test your vet does to detect the presence of microfilaria. If your dog tests clear, you may begin the preventatives; if he does not, your dog must be treated for heartworm first. You should be aware that the treatment for heartworm involves the use of arsenic; better to get your dog on the preventative while he tests clear rather than take the chance of his contracting heartworm and being subject to the treatment, or death from the infestation itself.

Other than these basics, common sense will dictate when a visit to your vet is called for. Obvious symptoms of illness such as diarrhea, vomiting or listlessness certainly warrant a call to your vet right away.

7. What is the difference between the black-spotted and the liver-spotted varieties?

From the standpoint of pet ownership or showing, there is no difference; it's all a matter of your own color preference. Many people who think they have their hearts set on buying a black-spotted Dalmatian fall in love with a liver one when they see one; the brown spots are very attractive.

For breeding purposes, the two colors are inter-breedable. Black is the dominant color and liver the recessive color. This means that a black spotted dog can carry the liver gene and produce liver puppies, if bred to a liver or to another liver factored black spotted dog. Two livers bred together will always produce liver puppies. Two black spotted dogs which do not carry the liver gene will always produce only black puppies. Due to the genetic mechanics involved between dominant and recessive, litters that are mixed for color (some black spotted pups and some liver spotted pups) are common.

Of course, you should not see a puppy with both black and liver spots; this is called a "tri-color" and is disqualified form showing and should never be bred.

8. Should I buy a male or a female Dalmatian?

Which sex to buy is a matter of personal preference and circumstance. If you are interested in breeding, naturally, you would have to buy a female. However, if you are not interested in having a litter, you either have to put up with the inconvenience of your female coming into season every six months or the expense of having her spayed (which is usually more expensive than having a male neutered). Any female not to be used for breeding should be spayed.

Male Dalmatians lift their legs to urinate, and if you have prize wining flowers in your yard, you may not appreciate that. An unneutered male will also be upset by neighborhood females when they are in season; however, as with females, if your male is not be used for breeding, he should be neutered and that will solve the problem.

As far as personality differences between the sexes, the Dalmatian as a breed has all different types of temperament, and each dog is an individual. There is no hard and fast correlation between one sex or the other as regards affection, aggressiveness or docility. Many females are more territorial and protective than the males! Conversely, many breeders feel that males are more affectionate than females and that females are more aloof. Much of your dog's personality will depend on how you raise him or her, what you expect, encourage or discourage in terms of behavior, and the kind of environment the dog experiences.

So in many ways, it's a toss up. You should purchase whichever sex you want, as both have advantages and disadvantages. Again, if you purchase a pet quality Dalmatian, please have it spayed or neutered. It will not make the dog fat and it will not change its personality. It will simply save you a lot of worry about the possibility of an unwanted litter, as well as the whining and carrying on that goes with seasonal behavior.

9. At what age can I begin training my Dalmatian?

Most breeders start with show training almost as soon as the puppy can stand up. The puppy is handled a lot and placed in a standing position right from the start. He is give lots of praise for holding still and sometimes given bits of food as a reward. At this early age, of course, training is very short and undemanding, but it does teach the puppy to stand still and allow itself to be handled as it will be later on in the show ring. More rigorous training can begin in a handling class when the pup is 4 or 5 months old.

Obedience training normally doesn't begin in earnest until the youngster is 5 or 6 months old. At that age, the pup can start learning and retaining basic lessons. Some organizations have "kindergarten" obedience classes for very young (2 to 4 months old) puppies, which make use of the puppy's natural curiosity and retrieving instinct to prepare for more advanced obedience work. These classes are informal, fun and kept short so the puppies do not get bored or frustrated.

Any kind of training should be geared to the individual dog's ability and attention span. Bring your Dalmatian along slowly and gently and never ask him to do something he is incapable of, or something he doesn't understand. Do not lose your temper! Be firm and consistent in your training methods and give your dog lots of praise when he does it right. The result will be an eager, happy dog who looks forward to his work and wants to please you.

**Information from the DCA "Red Book"

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