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About Dalmatians: A spotty guide

Dalmatians are very active dogs and need as much as an hour of exercise a day  

(CNN) -- Animal rescue workers say the vast majority of Dalmatians brought to shelters after "101 Dalmatians" were brought in by people who "didn't have any idea what these dogs are like," says Stephanie Shain of The Humane Society of the United States.

Before you get a Dalmatian, here's what you should know about the breed:

  • They get very big, very fast.

    "They're cute little puppies like the ones you see in the movie for a very short period of time," says Pati Dane, founder of Dalmatian Rescue in North Miami Beach, Florida. "Then, in six months to a year, they can be as much as 65, 70 pounds."

    Dalmatians - one of the oldest dog breeds -- were bred in Europe for their size, and speed. They were working dogs whose job was to run alongside horse-drawn coaches and guard the occupants from highwaymen.

    Their large size also made them useful in clearing crowded city streets for carriages. That was one reason Dalmatians became firefighters' mascots: In the days of horse-drawn fire wagons, Dalmatians functioned as a kind of four-legged siren, clearing other animals and dogs out of the way.

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    "They were big enough to discourage other dogs from interfering with the horses, says J. Charles Garvin, a Dalmatian breeder and president of The Dalmatian Club of America. "Their size would keep other dogs away."

  • They're high-energy -- high maintenance, too.

    "People need to understand: These are very active dogs -- very active dogs," says Bob Rohde of the Denver (Colorado) Dumb Friends League. "They require a lot of outdoor activity with their owner."

    Dalmatians need as much as an hour of exercise a day. Without that, they can direct their pent-up energies in ways destructive to property and harmful to people: They shred upholstery and carpets, tear up rooms, knock over furniture -- and knock down unsteady toddlers.

    "These animals need to be stimulated," says Karen Rosa of the American Humane Association. "When they aren't, you may find they have some discipline problems, out of frustration and boredom."

    And even when they aren't shredding anything, they can be messy. "This is a dog that sheds all year long," says Shain.

  • They are predisposed to certain health problems.

    Dalmatians are prone to urinary tract and kidney problems. Most require a special diet -- and even then, many eventually get kidney stones that may require surgery.

    An estimated one in 10 Dalmatians is hearing-impaired or deaf, which can make the dog temperamental. "A hearing-impaired Dalmatian can be easily startled, and it can snap," says Dane. "It can bite."

    Dane is especially concerned that people who see the new movie "102 Dalmatians" will try to buy puppies that look like that film's key character, Oddball, a pure white Dalmatian with blue eyes and no spots. "Those are two very strong characteristics of deafness," says Dane.

  • They can be a challenge to train.

    Many veterinarians and dog trainers say Dalmatians should ideally get as much as an hour a day of "behavior work" for the first year. Most are intelligent, but are so energetic that their attention spans are short. "They're not an easily trained dog," says Shain. "This is a dog that needs an experienced owner who knows how to train dogs."

    "They do require appropriate training, to make sure they know what their limits are," says Garvin. "Somewhat like a teenager, they can push the envelope to see what they can get away with. But there are wonderful training methods out there that can help in most situations, particularly if the dog is of good stock to begin with."

    Dogs of lesser stock are likely to have more serious health and behavioral problems. Most enthusiasts say prospective Dalmatian owners should buy dogs only from reputable breeders; many animal protection activists say there are many healthy, well-bred puppies -- and older dogs -- in shelters, awaiting good homes.

    Both warn against buying Dalmatian puppies from someone selling them out of a cardboard box on the sidewalk or in the supermarket parking lot. "Someone's selling one for $50 out of a box: You might say 'What a deal!'" says Dane. "It isn't."

  • They live a long time.

    The average life expectancy of a Dalmatian is 10 to 15 years. "So it's important that before you add this member to your family, to your household, that you do the necessary homework to make sure the dog is right for you -- and that you and your lifestyle are right for the dog," says Garvin.

    Shain of the Human Society puts it succinctly:

    "The Dalmatian is a challenging breed. We don't recommend Dalmatians for families with very young children."

    Better choices for families: Labradors or golden retrievers, German shepherds -- and most mutts.

    Return to the main story



    RELATED STORIES:
    '102 Dalmatians' a happy, familiar romp
    November 22, 2000

    RELATED SITES:
    The Humane Society of the United States
    102 Dalmatians
    Dalmatian Club of America
    Dalmatian Rescue Resources
    Dalmatian Rescue Ring Homepage


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