From what I heard the outcross was pretty successful, but a lot of knickers were twisted.
Same with the idea of allowing dogs with patches, as they seem to have a lower incident of deafness in the lines…no go.
Just the ones I’ve encountered over the years - they remind me of Labs, in that they seem to be much more physically and temperamentally than people tend to assume, and far more territorial. A shattering bark, and that’s coming from a collie person 
[QUOTE=Simkie;5878855]
This is my experience as well 
When I worked for a vet as a teenager the only dogs that I want not allowed to handle, ever, were a few dalmatians that came in that were downright dangerous to handle. Different owners, and the dogs came from different places.[/QUOTE]
I hate it when people stereotype a particular breed…I could say the same thing about ANY breed…there’s good and bad in every breed.
I’ve had dalmatians for YEARS…
Here’s the 411 from an owner.
-
They are very smart, they do not always use their smarts for good, but talk about comical, make you smile. I often compare them to an Arabian horse when talking horse people.
-
Big Shedders…if you don’t want a dog who sheds, they aren’t for you.
-
Prone to stones, need to be careful with diet. You can’t feed this dog just any old food. Mine eat raw or dehydrated with LOTS of water (distilled water)
-
Inside dogs…they are not meant to be left outdoors…Mine gets cold very easily.
-
They require an owner who is going to spend time with them…not a breed you can just toss in the backyard.
-
Extremely loyal…and yes, they are guard dogs…bred to guard the firehouses. So they aren’t always super friendly to strangers on their turf. They require quite a bit of socialization to have a healthy outgoing dog.
Feel free to PM me for any more info. I’ve had them for years.
[QUOTE=Bicoastal;5879036]
Ditto the majority here: the ones I’ve met have very poor temperaments, less than predictable, often aggressive, always untrustworthy. Ugh I hate to generalize about an entire breed but I see here many have experienced the same. :no: I would not have one.[/QUOTE]
Um…how many have you met. Once again generalizing an entire breed on a few. Unless you’ve lived with one, you really have no idea what they are actually like.
I agree with Dalpal. And has no one mentioned one of the pros is that they SMILE?
I have a 14 y/o. If he could, he’d be inside a human’s skin. They are called velcro dogs for a reason. I had him since he was 5 weeks old. One blue eye and one brown, lightly spotted and NOT deaf. He did get urinary crystals early on though.
Over all, I’d do a Dal again in a heartbeat. I love them, but I have the right lifestyle for them and understand them.
Don’t get a dal if:
-You don’t like dog hair all over the place. They only shed 2x’s a year for 6 months each time :lol:
-You don’t like a shadow
-You want an outside dog
I’m sure there are many more, but this is what I think of now.
I’ve also been involved with Dalmatain rescue and once had the best t-shirt. It said something like:
Are you tough enough?
A Dalmatian is a 60+ pound of hair shedding, tail smacking, bed hogging, paw planting, trash eating, cat chasing, slober slinging, counter crusing, shoe stealing, non stop bundle of energy.
Mine has fit a lot of those above, but I wouldn’t call him hyper at all.
[quote=Serigraph;5879628]I agree with Dalpal. And has no one mentioned one of the pros is that they SMILE?
I have a 14 y/o. If he could, he’d be inside a human’s skin. They are called velcro dogs for a reason. I had him since he was 5 weeks old. One blue eye and one brown, lightly spotted and NOT deaf. He did get urinary crystals early on though.
Over all, I’d do a Dal again in a heartbeat. I love them, but I have the right lifestyle for them and understand them.
Don’t get a dal if:
-You don’t like dog hair all over the place. They only shed 2x’s a year for 6 months each time :lol:
-You don’t like a shadow
-You want an outside dog
I’m sure there are many more, but this is what I think of now.
I’ve also been involved with Dalmatain rescue and once had the best t-shirt. It said something like:
Are you tough enough?
A Dalmatian is a 60+ pound of hair shedding, tail smacking, bed hogging, paw planting, trash eating, cat chasing, slober slinging, counter crusing, shoe stealing, non stop bundle of energy.
Mine has fit a lot of those above, but I wouldn’t call him hyper at all.
[/quote]
That pretty much sums it up. 
I am not in the market for a dog, but a Dal is on the top of the list.
Um, I’m sorry that I shared my experiences? The Dals I have personally met were not fun dogs to be around and were dangerous and unpredictable. I have no doubt that there are good ones out there, too, but this seems to be a breed where you have to be really diligent about your research and purchasing choices.
I have a breed that can also have a bad reputation–Rhodesian Ridgebacks–and I will sing their praises…right after I tell you that you HAVE to find a good breeder who’s breeding for temperament, and that they can be difficult puppies. And I am not surprised when I hear stories about some bad dogs
It seems that there are some breeds that are fairly tolerant of rather indiscriminate breeding, and some breeds that are not. I would classify BOTH Dalmatians and Ridgebacks in the “not” category.
Chill.
Finding a good breeder is essential for a happy outcome.
But unlike ridgies, Dals had a few movies and a striking coat. And can reproduce prolific…when we had just gotten ours we considered breeding her…then they had 2 record breaking litters on the news, one with 15 the other with 16 pups…this being my husband’s first real dog…we would have had to keep any and all pups…noway on breeding!
If you ask my husband, our Dal was the best dog ever. If you ask the vet she tried to take a piece out off one time…I am sure he was not pleased.
But the vet is not a normal circumstance (and as novice owner we made a lot of mistakes - a Dal is just not a GSD)
Edit to make clear:
The handful of dogs you meet in unusual circumstance are not representative of the breed. Or even of the regular behavior of the dog.
I don’t think its fair to say that those have had negative experiences with a breed just aren’t being exposed to them correctly or haven’t seen enough of them.
I have met enough Dalmatians in my life to have a confident opinion about them, and that is–their traits, when bred badly, are B-A-D. They are too genetically fragile to handle that byb lifestyle that can befall any breed–and with many (everyone would argue over this, but I could say Labs maybe?) can be a little more forgiving in their general personality type.
Of course a WELL breed Dalmatian isn’t going to show these negative traits because…thats the purpose of breeding well, isn’t it? :yes: It is definitely one of the breeds I throw special precaution to at my job until I’ve really familiarized myself with the dog. I do love the breed and as aforestated, considered adopting one previously, but that doesn’t make the many that I have met that were aggressive, chewing raw patches out of themselves while bouncing off the walls any less so.
I’d agree with the Ridgie thing; Bull Terriers, Dals, English Bulldogs, Dachshunds, Danes…you WILL PAY if you are not absolutely dilligent in picking the most excellent breeder available.
[QUOTE=irkenequine;5879720]
I
I’d agree with the Ridgie thing; Bull Terriers, Dals, English Bulldogs, Dachshunds, Danes…you WILL PAY if you are not absolutely dilligent in picking the most excellent breeder available.[/QUOTE]
Everyone is high on the fact that they have to be impeccably bred to be a good dog, but mine was not and he is a great dog. And he was great at agility to boot.
I think a huge part is how they are handled by their owners and their early socialization.
Another pro:
-They are the original carriage dog. Mine took to horses like ducks to water. He is the absolute best with horses and never had to be taught how to behave.
Everyone is high on the fact that they have to be impeccably bred to be a good dog, but mine was not and he is a great dog. And he was great at agility to boot.
Truuuust me, as the owner of three poundhounds (a merle-to-merle Aussie/Cattle dog mix who’s deaf and blind, a pit bull bald from close inbreeding, and the most conformationally unsound Bull Terrier alive) I do NOT mean to imply that a dog that is not bred well is not a good dog. I happen to think all my dogs are pretty swell 
I’ll not be buying another dog from a breeder for the rest of my life.
I’m only saying, IF you’re going to 1) actively seek one out and IF 2) you don’t want some of the negative characteristics and 3) IF you don’t want to rescue a dog with an established personality where the behaviors are already clear (which the OP already made clear) then don’t sell yourself short with a crappy breeder. Or at least, don’t be surprised when these problems start to pop up.
(if if if if if…)
[QUOTE=dalpal;5879582]
I hate it when people stereotype a particular breed…I could say the same thing about ANY breed…there’s good and bad in every breed.
I’ve had dalmatians for YEARS…
Here’s the 411 from an owner.
-
They are very smart, they do not always use their smarts for good, but talk about comical, make you smile. I often compare them to an Arabian horse when talking horse people.
-
Big Shedders…if you don’t want a dog who sheds, they aren’t for you.
-
Prone to stones, need to be careful with diet. You can’t feed this dog just any old food. Mine eat raw or dehydrated with LOTS of water (distilled water)
-
Inside dogs…they are not meant to be left outdoors…Mine gets cold very easily.
-
They require an owner who is going to spend time with them…not a breed you can just toss in the backyard.
-
Extremely loyal…and yes, they are guard dogs…bred to guard the firehouses. So they aren’t always super friendly to strangers on their turf. They require quite a bit of socialization to have a healthy outgoing dog.
Feel free to PM me for any more info. I’ve had them for years.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Serigraph;5879628]I agree with Dalpal. And has no one mentioned one of the pros is that they SMILE?
I have a 14 y/o. If he could, he’d be inside a human’s skin. They are called velcro dogs for a reason. I had him since he was 5 weeks old. One blue eye and one brown, lightly spotted and NOT deaf. He did get urinary crystals early on though.
Over all, I’d do a Dal again in a heartbeat. I love them, but I have the right lifestyle for them and understand them.
Don’t get a dal if:
-You don’t like dog hair all over the place. They only shed 2x’s a year for 6 months each time :lol:
-You don’t like a shadow
-You want an outside dog
I’m sure there are many more, but this is what I think of now.
I’ve also been involved with Dalmatain rescue and once had the best t-shirt. It said something like:
Are you tough enough?
A Dalmatian is a 60+ pound of hair shedding, tail smacking, bed hogging, paw planting, trash eating, cat chasing, slober slinging, counter crusing, shoe stealing, non stop bundle of energy.
Mine has fit a lot of those above, but I wouldn’t call him hyper at all.[/QUOTE]
Awesome to hear from dal owners! Dalpal: I will certainly shoot you a PM if I think of any specific questions. Serigraph: Haha, I am totally looking forward to their “smiles”. They’re just too cute!
What would you two be asking upon meeting a breeder? I have a list of questions already but I want to make sure I have everything covered.
Also I have noticed that many breeders in Canada are feeding purina. What are your thoughts on this?
think of a Giant sized Jack Russell. That is my experience with Dals.
LOL, there is a guy who breeds ‘Mascot Dals’ in Georgia some place…crossing Jackies with Dals…that is just soooo wrong on so many levels, it ain’t funny no more! :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:
Anyhow.
basic questions:
health certifications, like hip and the hearing test.
Incident of stone forming.
show and performance records.
What the dogs do other than looking pretty.
But.
If you get a really serious breeder, they ought to have a slew of questions for you, too!
And as to Purina…well, you can do a lot worse.
Asking dogfood questions is such a hot topic among dog people.
I had somebody on a forum tell me ‘they’d rather shoot the dog before feeding it kibble’ to ‘quality kibble only’
It’s always a good idea to grab a bag of what the breeder is using and then switch it over slowly to what you like.
I had my girl on Kibbles and Chunks for a while, she ate it well, until I noticed the red bumps on her stomach…dropped the food in favor of a lamb and rice formula…no problems.
(then when money got tight I switched to the Old Roy version…things did not change)
Other people like to be in the kitchen and swear by home made foods or raw…I heard for one lady it also changed the way she cooked for the rest of the family…
Just keep total protein content and source in mind.
Just the FACTS
I currently have 3 asleep at my feet, three generations of liver girls.
First of all, BAER testing (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response) is done by responsible breeders, but usually not backyard breeders. It identifies both bi-lateral hearing pups, unilateral hearing and bilateral deafness. DCA (Dalmatian Club of America) recommends euthanizing deaf pups, and that is what most breeders who I work with do. But it has become more acceptable to either keep a deaf pup, or put it in a CAREFULLY screened home that has the perfect facility for having such an animal. It is incredibly difficult, and often heartbreaking. Any breeder who does not perform this test, or who cannot provide you with a tracing of the test, should be avoided at all costs. Deafs OFTEN end up in shelters or rescue.
Dalmatians are the ONLY breed of dog that produces uric acid. This makes them prone to bladder stones, sand, sludge. Usually only causes problems in males and is MOST OFTEN, but not always, a management issue. Foods high in purines should be avoided and meals should be very wet. Frequent opportunities to urinate and empty the bladder is also absolutely necessary. There are MANY breeders who, following this protocol, have never had a stone former. It can follow certain lines as well. Thirty years ago, a breeder named Bob Schaible crossed a pointer with a Dal one time. The offspring were then crossed back to Dals, and have been ever since. The goal was to introduce the normal uric acid gene back into the breed. However, the attempt to register these dogs as “purebreds” has split the DCA into pro/con sides for many years, with those against maintaining that the dogs are not purebred and we wouldn’t know what else was being introduced from the pointer, and the pros maintaining that it is a VITAL health issue that can be cured by allowing these dogs AKC registration so they can be shown and integrated into the general Dal population. After years of infighting, the AKC insisted that it be voted on yet again, and it recently passed. Now, DCA and AKC are working on a procedure for slowly bringing these dogs into the fold.
As far as temperaments, again, good breeders bend over backwards to breed stable dogs and socialize, socialize, socialize. I have been going to the National Specialty for a long time, and the friendliness and stability of the puppies has definitely improved a LOT. Again, backyard breeders do none of this. A good Dal needs some exercise, but I disagree that they are high energy dogs. My experience in 30 years in the breed is that they pretty much do whatever their owner does. Mine prefer to be couch potatoes 90% of the time, but will go hiking, chase balls, do obedience, whatever I wish, when I’m ready. What they DO need is QUALITY time with their owners. They are not a breed to leave home all day, come home and feed, and then abandon again at night. They need people time, or they WILL be destructive.
They were originally guard dogs and REAL Dal temperament is calm, aloof but courteous. Very self-possessed. However, this temperament was not working well in pet homes, or homes with weak owners. Dals are VERY smart, and if they see a weak link, are more than ready to take charge. So, 20 or so years ago, breeders began a concentrated effort to breed more “Golden Retriever” like temperaments. And it has worked for the breeders who put temperament first, and don’t just breed to the big winner.
It is an amazingly healthy breed otherwise, with little cancer, hip dysplasia, heart problems, epilepsy, etc. These things exist, but are not seen as breed problems because of the infrequency of incidents. They THRIVE on raw diets, as they can be prone to skin problems and allergies, most often diet related. My raw fed dogs have perfect coats/skin and I rarely get so much as a pimple. A top quality kibble can be used, but READ THE LABELS!
They shed non-stop, year round, with heavier shedding in the spring and fall. It is not pretty and you have to vaccuum a LOT. That is the biggest drawback, IMO.
I wouldn’t have any other breed. They suit me perfectly and REALLY DO have an affinity with horses. My 9 week old puppy met horses for the first time today and was completely unbothered by them, but very aware of being away from them when they were moving, and watching their feet. The horses seem to like the dogs as well, and Nikon has befriended MANY horses who came to us “hating dogs.”
Happy to answer any other questions.
[QUOTE=Alagirl;5879568]
From what I heard the outcross was pretty successful, but a lot of knickers were twisted.
Same with the idea of allowing dogs with patches, as they seem to have a lower incident of deafness in the lines…no go.[/QUOTE]
Patches may not be shown, but I can assure you, they ARE used judiciously in breeding.
[QUOTE=Serigraph;5879628]
Are you tough enough?
A Dalmatian is a 60+ pound of hair shedding, tail smacking, bed hogging, paw planting, trash eating, cat chasing, slober slinging, counter crusing, shoe stealing, non stop bundle of energy.
Mine has fit a lot of those above, but I wouldn’t call him hyper at all.[/QUOTE]
:lol::lol: I grew up with Dals, the first one was a female named Dallie - go figure, us kids named her.
I had a big bruiser Dal back in my college yrs. He was my hippy cross country travel companion/protector. No one messed with me. I had to chuckle at the above description, old Ben could clear off a coffee table, put dents in the refrigerator door with that tail! Our favorite after bar hours pastime was taking him out in the country late at night, opening the car door and then following him as he clocked off miles at the side of the road. He was the entertainment. 
It must be true what they say about people and their dogs b/c all I’ve ever had are Dals and JRTs. I guess that I like my dogs tough, altho the first female Dal we had was 100% a ‘lady’ dog. She was very royal and elegant looking. Her devotion and obedience was par none. None of the dogs had health issues either.
sigh such good memories of my old friends.
I had a Dalmatian for 14 years and she was a great dog. Yes, the hair is bad and sticks to everything, but most dogs shed.
I HATE when people comment about how hyper Dalmatians are. Most of those people have never even met a Dal in real life. They are no more energetic than a Lab and everybody and their mom has a Lab. I walked mine, rode my bike with her, and did agility to exercise her. Once she got her exercise for the day, she was calm and slept most of time.
They are NOT outside dogs in cold weather. They get cold very, very easily. I had to put a coat on mine just for her to go out and pee in winter and I live in the temperate zone. She would come in shivering just from a bathroom break if she didnt have her coat. Mine did like the outdoors, but in the winter, she needed something to keep her warm. In the spring and fall she was fine staying outside. The summer was too hot for her but our summers are 100 degrees.
I read somewhere that Dalmatians have the lowest pain tolerance of any breed. I dont know if this is true or not, but my Dal had a VERY low pain tolerance. If something painful had to be done (shots, wrapping a wound, etc), she had to be muzzled. She was not aggressive or mean, but would bite if she was in pain. If someone pulled her ear or stepped on her toe, she would yelp, but not bite.
My Dal was very sweet. She LOVED children. My neighbor’s son got a Dalmatian stuffed animal for Christmas and named it after my dog. My Dal was also a great guard dog. She wouldnt allow the meter reader to come in our yard so he had to call and tell us when he was coming.
My girl was pretty healthy. Male dogs tend to have more problems with kidney stones than females. Only one of her illnesses was breed related. The others were accidents. When we got her, her eye lids were turning inwards (entropion) and surgery had to be done. We went to the breeder for a Dal and there was one left in the litter. She said she was going to put her down, but if we wanted her, we could try and do the surgery. She told us that we were not to breed her and she did not give us her papers because of this. The surgery went well and she never had any problems.
I thought this was worth noting. Im not sure if its a breed thing or not. Her nails were very hard, everyone who clipped her nails had a problem doing it so I bought a Dremel.
I think I covered everything. Feel free to ask me questions. They are really great dogs, gosh, I miss my Dal so much.
Killer Dal tails
My sister had a Dal for a short time. He was just too high energy for a household with 3 small children. Although he was great with the kids as far as temperament, he just bludgeoned them with his tail. She rehomed him to a couple that loved him; it was a win win for everyone.
Shortly thereafter when my little niece met my Basenjis, the first thing she said was “your dogs are so polite to curl up their tails and not hit me”…
Over a span of 60 years, I’ve had six, one at a time. I think they are the greatest farm/barn dogs in the world. Great vermin killers, great companions, and the ones I’ve had have always been good dogs in my eyes. Mine have been inside/outside dogs–that is, they choose.
I don’t think I’d like to have a Dal if I didn’t live on a farm, though. They are dogs who need huge amounts of exercise to be happy. I’ve never had one with skin problems or kidney problems. When I was a child, my parents bred our Dal and we ended up with two bi-laterally deaf ones. Both ended up having to be put down: one for killing chickens and the other one for not being good with vehicles. Training a totally deaf, high energy dog is extremely difficult.
The ones I’ve had have all been extremely good watch dogs; one was very possessive of her territory, and she did bite the occasional stranger who wandered into our yard, but if she warned us and we came to the door, she never bit.
And they generally ARE great with horses and can go as long as the horse and rider can stand it.
The only dog I’ve had who was like my Dals was a Weimaraner.
Only one of the dals came from breeders. One came from a pet store, one was a young, post 101 Dalmatian giveaway, one adult came from a rescue, and another adult came from a pound. The other one was locally bred and not properly fed as a weanling. She was (quite frankly) retarded. The pet store puppy was very hard to housebreak. But once she got it, she had it.
To my loving eyes, all of the dals except the retarded one were really good dogs, and I even managed to love Gussie.
