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The Dalmatian is believed to have originated in the Mediterranean region. He was named after Dalmatia either because it was his birthplace or because he was used in this region during the Balkan war. The Dalmatian is thought to be descended from the now extinct Bengal Pointer crossed with the Bull Terrier and the English Pointer. In the seventeenth century, the Dalmatian was popular at the Vatican. In eighteenth-century England, he was kept by the aristocracy to escort horse-drawn carriages, thus earning the nickname «coach dog.» In the United States, the Dalmatian was adopted by firefighters as their mascot. Walt Disney’s movie “101 Dalmatians” (1961) helped popularize the breed.

Tough and athletic, the Dalmatian has great stamina and was first used as a draft dog and an escort for horse-drawn carriages. Calm, docile, affectionate, and very gentle with children, the Dalmatian is a wonderful pet. He rarely barks, is not aggressive, and is somewhat distant toward strangers, making him a good watchdog. He needs firm and early training.

He can live in an apartment as long as he gets enough exercise. He needs regular brushing. Puppies are born all white; spots appear gradually and are not fully developed until the dog is one year old.

Head:Long. Flat skull. Well-pronounced stop. Muzzle long and powerful, not tapering. Powerful jaws. Tight-lipped.
Ears:Set on high, medium-sized, carried against the head. Rounded tips. Thin, smooth, covered with coin-sized spots.
Eyes:Medium-sized, well-spaced, round. Dark in the variety with medium-brown spots, ranging to amber in the variety with liver spots.
Body:Square build. Neck moderately long, well-arched, without dewlap. High, wide chest. Well-sprung ribs. Well-defined withers. Well-muscled, slightly clean-flanked loin. Powerful, straight back.
Tail:Thick at the base, tapering gradually to the tip. Carried curved loosely upward but never curled.
Hair:Short, hard, dense, smooth.
Coat:Pure white ground. Black variety has dark black coin-sized spots; brown variety has liver brown coin-sized spots. Spots should not blend together but instead be round, well-defined, well-distributed, and 2 to 3 cm in diameter. Spots on the head, tail, and extremities should be smaller.
Size:Dog: 56 to 61 cm. (22-24 in).Bitch: 54 to 59 cm. (21-23 in).
Weight:Dog: approx. 27 kg. (59.5 lb).Bitch: approx. 24 kg. (53 lb).
Group:Scendthounds and related breeds