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When British author Dodie Smith published his novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians (1956), the Dalmatian breed of dogs became immensely popular. This popularity, however, also caused numerous Dalmatians to suffer with irresponsible breeders and inexperienced owners. Nevertheless, the unique white coat with either black or liver spots makes the Dalmatian breed ever popular as pet dogs. There has still been no consensus over the history or origin of Dalmatian but the breed appears to be ancient in its origin; it was most probably there in ancient Egypt as manifest from the paintings unearthed in ancient Egyptian tombs. In any case, the breed certainly did not originate in Dalmatia after which it is named.

Physical Features

Dalmatian is a medium-sized dog, reaching 19 to 23 inches in height and about 25 to 30 kg in weight. The nearly equal proportion of length between different parts of the body makes it an almost `square' dog. Male Dalmatians are usually a little larger than females. The nails of the dog may be white or of the same color as the spots on the coat. Dalmatians have comparatively thin ears that taper toward the tip and are set close to the head.

Dalmatian Puppies

The gestation period for female Dalmatians is about two months. An average of 9 Dalmatian puppies comes in a litter. The puppies are born completely white, developing spots later as puppy growth and development takes place . They need to be bathed once a week or ten days while regular dog grooming and brushing are important to minimize the hair shedding from their coat, though the hair shed will still be no less than copious. Dalmatian puppies are loving and fond of company and hence should not be left alone for long. Early training and plenty of exercise (walking and running) work well for them.

Temperament

Good thing to know if you are deciding to buy the dalmatians for sale or dalmatian puppies for sale that they come with great reserves of energy, activity, stamina, and self-reliance. They are the ideal breed for countryside life, enjoying activity in the wild and hilly terrains. In modern urban settings, they need to be contained indoors to prevent them from potential death or injury due to accidents. Their instinctive love for humans (and horses) makes them ideal companions and playmates for both children and grownups. However, it is important to socialize them with children at an early age. Also, they are known for their intelligence and sharp memory.

The average life expectancy for a Dalmatian is 11 to 13 years, though some of them live for 18 years. On the whole, Dalmatians are mostly free from ailments, especially in their younger years. Bone spurs and arthritis may appear in comparatively older Dalmatians. But the worst dog health threat to these dogs is a genetic tendency toward deafness. Dalmatian puppies should, therefore, be tested for the presence/absence of a possible defect via the BAER test. Studies on Dalmatians show that blue-eyed members of this breed suffer more frequently from deafness. Some Dalmatians may suffer from kidney or bladder stones. To reduce the risk of stones, the dogs should not be fed excess purine-rich dog diet (especially organ meat).

Dalmatian Links: Dalmatian Puppies for Sale, and Dalmatians for Sale.