History Of The
Dalmatian
from: The Complete Dog Book Official Publication of the American
No breed has more interesting background or a
more disputed heritage than that dog from long ago,
the Dalmatian. His beginning is buried so
deep in the past that researchers cannot agree
as to his origin. As to the great age of the breed,
and the fact that it has come through many
centuries unchanged, investigators are in
complete agreement.
Models, engravings, paintings, and writings of
antiquity have been used with fair excused but no
certainty to clam the spotted dog first appeared
in Europe, Asia, and Africa Perhaps some of the divergencies in opinion
as to the original home of the Dalmatian can be accounted for by the
fact that the dog has frequently been found in bands of Romanies, and
that like his gypsy masters, he has been well known but not located
definitely in any one place Authoritative writers place him first as a
positive entity in Dalmatia, a province of Austria on the Eastern shore
of the coast of Venice. Though he has been accredited with dozen
nationalities and has as many native names -- he is nicknamed by the
English, The English Coach Dog, The Carriage Dog, the Plum Pudding
Dog, the Fire House Dog and the Spotted Dick -- it is from his first
proved home that he takes his correct name, the Dalmatian. We find
references to him as Dalmatian in the middle eighteenth century. There
is no question whatsoever that his lineage is as ancient and his record as
straight as that of other breeds.
His activities have been as varied as his reputed ancestors. He has been
a dog of war, a sentinel on the border of Dalmatia and Croatia. He has
been employed as draft dog, as shepherd. He is excellent on rats and
vermin. H is well known for his heroic performances as fire-apparatus
follower and fire-house mascot. As a sporting dog he has been used as
bird dog, as trail hound, as retriever, or packs for boar or stage hunting.
His retentive memory has made him one of the most dependable
downers in circuses and on stage. Down through the years the
intelligence and willingness of the Dalmatian have found him in
practically every role to which useful dogs are assigned. Most important
among his talent has been his status as the original, one-and-only
coaching dog.
The imaginative might say that his coaching days go back to an
engraving of a spotted dog following an Egyptian Chariot! Even the
practical minded will find no end of proof, centuries old, of the
Dalmatian, with ears entirely cropped away and padlocked brass collar,
plying his trade as natural follower and guardian of the horse-drawn
vehicle.
He is physically fitted for road work. In his makeup, speed and
endurance are blended to a nicety. His gait has beauty of motion and
swiftness, and he has the strength, vitality, and fortitude to keep going
gaily till the journey's end. The instinct for coaching is bred in him, born
in him, and trained in him through the years. The Dalmatian takes to a
horse as a horse takes to him, and that is to say, like a duck to water.
He may work in the old way, clearing the path before the Tally Ho with
dignity and determination, or following on with his ermine spotting in
full view to add distinction to an equipage. He may coach under the rear
axle, the front axle, or, most difficult of all, under the pole between the
leaders and the wheelers. Wherever he works, it is with the love of the
game in his heart and with the skill which has won him the title of the
only recognized carriage dog in the world. His penchant for working is
his most renowned characteristics, but it in no way approaches his
capacity for friendship.
There is no dog more picturesque than this spotted fellow with his slick
white coat gaily decorated with clearly defined round spots of jet black,
or, in the liver variety, deep brown. He does not look like any other
breed, for his markings are peculiarly his own. He is strong-bodied,
clean-cut, colorful, and distinctive. His flashy spottings are the
culmination of ages of careful breeding.
His aristocratic bearing does not belie him, for the Dalmatian is first of
all a gentleman. He is a quiet chap, and the ideal guard dog,
distinguishing nicely between barking for fun or with a purpose. His
courtesy never fails with approved visitors, but his protective instinct is
highly developed and he has the courage to defend. As a watchdog he is
sensible and dependable. He is not everyone's dog -- no casual admirer
will break his polite reserve, for he has a fine sense of distinction as to
whom he belongs. Fashion has not distorted the Dalmatian. He is born
pure white, develops quickly and requires no cropping, docking,
stripping, or artifices of any sort. He is extremely hardy, an easy keeper,
suited to any climate. He requires only the minimum of care, for he is
sturdy and neat and clean.
Kennel Club Golden Anniversary Edition, 1979
