Dalmatian (dog)

**Dalmatian**
Other names	Carriage Dog; Spotted Coach Dog; Leopard Carriage Dog; Firehouse Dog; Plum Pudding Dog
Country of origin	Croatia
Traits
Coat	smooth, short
Color	White background with black or brown spots. Black-spotted dogs will always have black noses, and brown will always have brown Lemon, blue, brindle, or tricolor spots do appear on occasion but they are not accepted colors.
Life span	10–18 years (avg.: 12–14)
Classification & standards

The Dalmatian is a breed of dog. It is named after the Adriatic coast of Dalmatia, in Croatia, its first home.^[2] The origins of the breed are unknown. The Dalmatian has been used for a war dog, fire department mascot, and shepherd. It is best known, however, as a coach or carriage dog, being a guard for horse-pulled vehicles.^[2]

Origin

There are lots of arguments about the origin of this dog. Spotted dogs are known very much in the history of Africa, Europe, and Asia.^[3] Spotted dogs are also thought to have lived in Egypt. In 1700, a dog known as the Bengal pointer, which looked a bit like the Dalmatian, was popular in England. Some think the Dalmatian is from Croatia. In the Middle Ages, it was used as a hound dog for hunting. The breed became popular as a carriage dog in the 1800s. They walked among the horses and carriages, following their masters, and guarding the carriages and horses while the master was busy with other things. It was used for being a circus performer, vermin hunter, fire-apparatus follower, hound dog, and as a guard dog.^[3]

Description

Dalmatian

The Dalmatian is a medium , strong dog. Its skull is flat on the top. The muzzle is almost the same length as the top of the skull. Its nose can be either black, brown (liver), blue, or a dark gray that looks like black. Its round eyes are either brown or blue, or sometimes both put together.^[3]

Its toenails are white or black in dogs with a black spotted coat and brown or white in those with liver colored spots. Puppies are usually born completely white and the spots develop a few weeks after they are born.^[2]

The Dalmatian stands 19–23 inches (48–58 cm).

Around 8% of Dalmatians are born deaf and some can become partially deaf.^[4]

Characteristics

Dalmatians are known as the "clowns" in the dog world.^[5] They are also loyal to their owners and caretakers. Dalmatians are medium sized dogs, and they are very active and lively. They are brave and smart, and their senses are very bright. This makes them a good choice to become a companion dog.