Puppies are born white
The spots begin to appear at about two weeks old and go on arriving for months.
Big dogs · A lot of time and space
Dalmatian
Carriage dog · named after Dalmatia, in Croatia
A tall, lean, short-coated white dog covered in round black or liver-brown spots.
- Size
- 56 to 61cm at the shoulder; 23 to 27kg
- Lives for
- 10 to 13 years
- Suits
- Energetic owners who enjoy running
Bounds after you on long legs. Move your pointer and see.
Good to know
Six things about the dalmatian
It ran beside carriages
Dalmatians were kept to trot alongside horse-drawn coaches, guarding them and clearing the way.
The firehouse dog
In America they ran ahead of horse-drawn fire engines, and many fire stations still keep one as a mascot.
Some cannot hear
Up to three in ten are deaf in one or both ears. Good breeders test their puppies.
No two alike
Every Dalmatian's pattern of spots is different, like a fingerprint.
Spotted all over
The spots are on the skin as well as the coat, and even inside the mouth.
The real thing
Photos of the dalmatian
Photos are from Wikimedia Commons, used under the free licences shown. They have been resized, and cropped where they appear in link previews.
Looking after one
It needs two hours of exercise a day and makes a fine running partner. The short coat sheds white hairs all year. Ask about hearing tests before buying a puppy.
Before you get one
Dalmatians became wildly popular after a famous film, and many were given up when they proved too lively. They need space, company and plenty to do.
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