Dalmatian (dog)
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| Other names | Carriage Dog Spotted Coach Dog Leopard Carriage Dog Firehouse Dog Plum Pudding Dog |
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| Common nicknames | Dal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Origin | Croatia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traits | |||
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| Height | Male | 58–61 cm (23–24 in) | |
| Female | 56–58 cm (22–23 in) | ||
| Coat | Short, smooth | ||
| Color | White background, black or liver spots | ||
| Litter size | 6–9 puppies | ||
| Life span | 10–13 years | ||
| Classification / standards | |||
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| FCI | Group 6, Section 3 Related breeds #153 | standard | |
| AKC | Non-sporting | standard | |
| ANKC | Group 7 (Non-sporting) | standard | |
| CKC | Group 6 (Non-sporting) | standard | |
| KC (UK) | Utility | standard | |
| NZKC | Non-sporting | standard | |
| UKC | Companion Breeds | standard | |
The Dalmatian is a breed of large dog, noted for its unique black or liver spotted coat and mainly used as a carriage dog in its early days. Its roots trace back to Croatia and its historical region of Dalmatia. Today, it is a popular family pet, and many dog enthusiasts enter Dalmatians into kennel club competitions.
The Dalmatian is a large, well-defined, muscular dog with excellent endurance and stamina. When full grown, according to the American Kennel Club breed standard, it stands from 19 to 23 inches (48 to 58 cm) tall, with males usually slightly larger than females.The Kennel Club in the UK allows a height up to 24 inches (61 cm). The body is as long from forechest to buttocks as it is tall at the withers, and the shoulders are laid back. The Dalmatian's feet are round with well-arched toes, and the nails are usually white or the same colour as the dog's spots. The thin ears taper towards the tip and are set fairly high and close to the head. Eye color varies between brown, amber, or blue, with some dogs having one blue eye and one brown eye, or other combinations.
Dalmatian puppies are born with plain white coats and their first spots usually appear within 3 to 4 weeks after birth. After about a month, they have most of their spots, although they continue to develop throughout life at a much slower rate. Spots usually range in size from 30 to 60 mm, and are most commonly black or brown (liver) on a white background. Other, more rare colors, include blue (a blue-grayish color), brindle, mosaic, tricolored (with tan spotting on the eyebrows, cheeks, legs, and chest), and orange or lemon (dark to pale yellow). Patches of color appear anywhere on the body, mostly on the head or ears, and usually consist of a solid color.
The Dalmatian coat is usually short, fine, and dense; however, smooth-coated Dalmatians occasionally produce long-coated offspring. These individuals experience much less shedding than their smooth-coated counterparts, which shed considerably year-round. The standard variety's short, stiff hairs often weave into carpet, clothing, upholstery and nearly any other kind of fabric and can be difficult to remove. Weekly grooming with a hound mitt or curry can lessen the amount of hair Dalmatians shed, although nothing can completely prevent shedding. Due to the minimal amount of oil in their coats, Dalmatians lack a "dog smell" and stay fairly clean relative to many other dog breeds.
Dalmatians usually have litters of six to nine pups, but they have been known to have larger litters on occasion, such as a massive eighteen puppy brood born in January 2009 (all were healthy).
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Wikipedia