Dalmatian Information & Dog Breed Facts

Origins

The Dalmatian is probably known by everyone, as the breed is best known as the star of Disney’s 101 Dalmatians.

However, the Dalmatian’s origin is unknown. What is known is that they are not the first of their sort, as spotted dogs have been found throughout history in a variety of places.

Egyptian relics dating back to several thousand years B.C. depict spotted dogs, as well as more recent artifacts from Africa, India, the Middle East, and various regions of Europe.

As back in the time, there were no breeding records kept, the true origin of the Dalmatian will likely never be known, however, there are speculations and theories about the origins of the breed.

Part of the mystery surrounding the Dalmatian is that its spotted appearance and other attributes make it so unique among dog breeds.

The earliest record of a dog generally agreed upon to be a Dalmatian comes from around 1360 A.D. Around this period, a fresco was painted in the Spanish Chapel of Santa Maria Novella in Florence, Italy, which resembled a dog somewhat similar to the modern Dalmatian, however, others have suggested that the breed portrayed is actually an early Italian Greyhound.

Which dog breed got its name from a region in Croatia?

Of course, the Dalmata dog breed is named after it! Furthermore, it is unclear exactly when, but sometime between the 15th and 17th centuries, spotted dogs became connected with the region of Dalmatia, which consists of a strip of Adriatic shoreline and numerous neighboring islands.

Until the 20th century, Dalmatia was occupied by a series of powers, including the Roman Empire, Hungary, Austria, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Yugoslavia. Due to its location, Dalmatia has been a borderland for many centuries and for almost 500 years was on the frontline of the endless conflicts between Christian Europe and the Islamic Ottoman Empire.

It was about this time when the Dalmatian gained attention as a war dog. The breed was used by Croatian, Austrian, and Hungarian forces in battles against the Ottomans.

However, it is still unclear how the breed found its way to Dalmatia, but the most common theory is that the breed was introduced by the nomadic bands of Romanies who traveled through the region.

The breed’s job

The Dalmatian is thought to have initially arrived in England in the late 160ss or early 1700s, though the exact date, as well as who was responsible and where the dogs came from, have all been lost to history.

According to experts, the dog was most likely first seen by British traders while doing business in Austria, France, or the Netherlands, and they were drawn to its appearance.

Prior to 1737, there are no written records of Dalmatians. Moreover, unlike British guard dog types like the English Mastiff from the 1700s, the Dalmatian was a relentless athlete, who could run long distances without tiring.

This was quickly noticed by English carriage drivers, who put the breed to work as a carriage dog in teams of two or more. The breed was used to protect both the carriage and the horses that pulled it.

Depending on the circumstances and the driver’s choices, Dalmatians ran in front of, underneath, and to the sides of the carriage as it traveled.

When the carriage was moving, Dalmatians would nibble at the horses’ heels to make them go faster and drive pedestrians out of the way. To this day the Dalmatian has always had a natural affinity toward horses.

Although very useful to a carriage in transit, the Dalmatian was mostly kept for its guarding qualities while the carriage was stopped.

In the years before current law enforcement tools were created, horse theft was one of the most common and serious types of crime in England.

Horses were both incredibly valuable and extremely easy to get rid of quickly. Dalmatians were more than capable of using violence to drive off a potential robber.

However, this affinity took the Dalmatians on a different career path in the United States.

The breed became a firehouse dog, running with the horses to the fire, watching over the equipment during a fire, and sometimes even helping and rescuing people from burning buildings.

When the excitement was over, they accompanied the fire wagons back to the station and resumed their duty as watchdogs.

Dalmatians were also used by British firefighters, but not on the level that they were in America.

Moreover, the breed began to be used by American breweries as well.

Their carts were loaded with big quantities of beer, making them an attractive target for casual thieves. Dalmatians became associated with a number of American breweries, most notably Budweiser.

Modern form and development

Although the breed was naturally gifted with several benefits, English breeders worked tirelessly to improve the breed.

The English are credited for shaping the Dalmatian into its contemporary shape nearly universally.

They made the dog faster, increased its endurance, refined its appearance, and mollified its temperament.

However, it is unclear how exactly the Dalmatian came to be in its contemporary form, it is almost certain that blood from native British breeds was introduced to Dalmatian lines.

According to some, such hybrids were uncommon, and the Dalmatians remained nearly pure.

On the other hand, others argue that only a few Dalmatians were transported to England and that British dogs accounted for the vast majority of the breed’s genetic composition.

There is also a lot of disagreement on which breed is employed.

The probability that the Dalmatian was crossed with the Pointer is very high as the Pointer was both common throughout England and is probably more similar to the Dalmatian in terms of build, appearance, and physical abilities than any other breed.

Some fanciers also believe that the last surviving examples of the Talbot and Northern Hound were introduced to the Dalmatian.

Dalmatian Recognition

Furthermore, the Dalmatian was considered purebred even before the creation of pedigrees and kennel clubs.

When dog shows became popular in the United Kingdom, the Dalmatian was a regular participant.

The breed was especially liked by members of the upper class who were the most common participants at early dogs shows.

The Dalmatian was one of the first breeds to be registered with the Kennel Club of the United Kingdom.

The breed was also a regular entrant at early American dog shows and was first granted recognition by the American Kennel Club in 1888.