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Kennel Club Breed Standard

Dalmatians develop their hearing at around six weeks and can have perfect hearing, be deaf in one ear, or be deaf in both which can cause major problems in later life.   There is only one way to identify the ability of a Dalmatian to hear and that is to do a BAER test (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response) which best done as early as possible.   A Dalmatian deaf in one ear can hear better than a human with perfect hearing, but a deaf Dalmatian can use all its other senses to detect activity and can fool anyone.

Dalmatians are often described as loopy or stupid but this is a grave mistake to make as many people find to their cost.   A Dalmatian will plan and plot on just how they are going to get your Sunday dinner and will strike at the exact moment your back is turned.   The record is a 17lb Turkey, or the destruction of three bread bins to get at the spoils.   They will sit and watch everything until they can figure out just how to get what they want.   Young children can be seen as walking food sources, and a Dally is a clever food thief.

D is for Deviousness

D is for Devotion

Dalmatians thrive on human contact and can be best described as a spotted shadow, as they will follow you from room to room, just to be near you, or perhaps to make sure you haven’t dropped a ham sandwich!   They love to “lean” against you and can easily push you over if you aren’t ready.   They also like a cuddle at night and like to show affection.   They should not be allowed to share your bed though and should sleep in their own safe space.

D is for Different

Dalmatians can be Black-spotted, Liver-spotted, Lemon-spotted, or even Tri-coloured and the colour of the spots is determined by the mix of genes in the Dam and the Sire.   The spots on a Dalmatian develop after several weeks but some puppies are born patched which show from birth and the patch contains no white pigmentation.            Black-spotted Dalmatians have brown eyes and Liver-spotted have lighter brown, or hazel eyes.   Dalmatians can be born with one or two blue eyes which look exceptional and are out-with the Breed Standard

Caring for Dalmatians in the North of England

North of England Dalmatian Club Welfare Service

Dalmatians

 

Describes the Dalmatian as “A distinctively spotted dog, balanced, strong, muscular and active. Symmetrical in outline, free from coarseness and lumber.   Ground colour pure white. Black spotted, dense black spots, and liver spotted, liver brown spots; not running together but round and well defined. In size one-penny to fifty-pence piece. Spots as well distributed as possible. Spots on extremities smaller than those on body. Patches, tricolours and spotting colour other than black or liver unacceptable. Bronzing on spots undesirable in adults.

 

 

D is for Dalmatian

It is critical to keep your Dalmatian on a low protein diet, unless advised by a vet, and it is recommended to keep E Numbers to a minimum.   There a number of foods best avoided, including raw onions, chocolate, anything with a lot of sugars as a Dalmatian  is a bit like a sports car.   Put high octane fuel in and get high octane behavior out.

For information on protein and E numbers click here.   Protein     E Numbers

Getting your Dalmatian in a food regime often works to tell him he isn’t the Alpha dog, and limit the number of treats and snacks unless you moderate the main meals.

D is for Diet

D is for Deafness

A bored Dalmatian can be very destructive and often if left alone for long periods, say over four hours can start to demolish his surroundings.   We have several large crates which can be loaned to try to moderate this, but must never be used for punishment.   The crate or cage should be placed in a corner and covered with a blanket to simulate a cave or safe place and the dog treated when he goes in on command.   Details of crates can be found on our Links page

D is for Destruction

Contact Webmaster@dalmatianwelfare.org.uk

Phone: 07941 861654

Fax: 01724 761981

E-mail: welfare@dalmatianwelfare.org.uk

D is for Domination

Dalmatians are pack animals and thrive when the pack structure is clearly set out and controlled by the Alpha dog, who should be the owner of the dog.   Where there is more than one dog, there will be natural selection within the pack to establish the pecking order.   It should be noted that bitches are usually Alpha and any children in the house should recognize that they occupy a dominant place above all dogs.  Introducing a dominant bitch into a pack already containing bitches may lead to problems.