Will a Dalmatian Be the Best Pet Dog for You? The Pros and Cons

Will a Dalmatian Be the Best Pet Dog for You? The Pros and Cons

Learn Why a Dalmatian Will or Won't Be the Best Pet Dog for You

No matter what you have heard, Dalmatians make excellent pets. They are strong, energetic, smart and noble dogs. They do mature slowly and are somewhat strong-willed so the correct training is a must. Training them does take a lot of patience but both you and your pet Dalmatian will be better for it. Like all breeds, they have certain needs and limitations. With the right start they can become a pet that will be much loved and will make any family proud.

Pros:

Dalmatians are very intelligent. They, historically, were trained as hunters, herders, carriage dogs, firehouse mascots and even circus dogs.

Their short coats make them fairly easy to care for as a daily brushing and bathing them 3 or 4 times a year will suffice to keep them looking and smelling good without a lot of shedding.

Dalmatians are energetic and love to play. Make sure they have plenty of toys to play with so they don't get bored when you aren't around.

They love a challenge and do well in competitions, like obedience contests and obstacle courses. Their memories are long and accurate.

This breed loves their families and wants to be with them as much as possible.

Crate training your pet Dalmatian is a good idea as it gives them a safe place to go. It will ease your mind, when you have to leave them behind, to know your pet isn't getting into trouble.

Usually, Dalmatians get along with other family pets. They especially love horses as evidenced by many pictures of them riding on horse drawn wagons of all types.

Most of the time your pet Dalmatian will be polite and well-mannered, but can have occasional lapses.

If you like to run, jog, or walk, your pet Dalmatian will be happy to go along with you.

Dalmatians are handsome dogs. Their black or liver spotted white coats will make them stand out from the rest of the canines.

Cons:

This breed sheds all year long even though their coat is short and sleek. They should be brushed often.

If you leave your pet Dalmatian alone to entertain itself, it can get into mischief, like digging holes, for instance. Try not to leave your pet alone if you can help it. It might be a good idea to crate it when you have to leave it home.

It takes Dalmatians longer than some other breeds to reach their full maturity. Often they are not truly adults until four or five years old..

If it is cold outside, your pet Dalmatian is not going to be happy. They have short coats, so the cold weather can be really uncomfortable for them.

They need lots of activities. Toys, balls, and chew toys are some good choices to help keep your pet busy.

Dalmatians have been wrongly accused of not being smart. This is not true as they are really an intelligent breed. Because of this, they need patience, consistency, strength of resolve, and unwavering leadership. They want to do the right thing to please their families, so members of the family must take the lead.

Your pet Dalmatian will need to have regular veterinary visits as they can develop diseases and disorders such as Skin Allergies, Hip Problems, Bladder Stones and Arthritis.

Deafness is a real problem with Dalmatians. It's estimated that up 12% of all them are born deaf. Many of them are deaf in one ear which they can learn to compensate for but the totally deaf ones should not be selected to be your pet.

Because the Dalmatian is such a beautiful dog and because they have been popularized in movies like 101 Dalmatians, some families have decided to purchase Dalmatians without understanding the unique needs of this breed. It's not a good idea to get puppy from a pet store as they likely came from a "puppy breeding mill" and won't have the proper background to be easily trained. At times you can find a full grown dog that has already been trained. This will save you a lot of time and possible heartaches.

Many times a family will give up on training their pet and either abandon them or send them to the pound. Some of these may turn out to be trainable if you have lots of patience. If you don't have the time and patience to devote to a Dalmatian it's probably a good idea to choose a different breed of dog.

If you select a Dalmatian from a reputable kennel and properly train it you will find they are smart, obedient and loving. It is important to remember that not only does the pet need to have the proper training, so do the pet's owners. When the owners are fully aware of how to train their pets, the families and their pet Dalmatians will be perfect matches.

Dalmatians Dalmatian Club of America