With its white coat and distinctive dark spots, the Dalmatian is one of the most elegant and eye catching of breeds.

The Dalmatian is a breed with ancient roots. Tomb paintings show spotted dogs accompanying Egyptian chariots. The dog has always been associated with coaching. The love for accompanying horses on the road is an inbred instinct, developed over hundreds of years. If a journey extended overnight, the Dalmatians would spend the night in the stables keeping watch over the horses. Their size, stamina, and guard dog abilities made them popular with the English aristocracy as a companion to horse-drawn carriages. Their size, an average of 22 inches at the shoulders, allowed the dogs to fit under the rear axles of a coach, where they often ran. Their stamina allowed them to keep up with the horses. The Dalmatian's guard dog propensities allowed the owners to leave their coach without worrying about possessions. It was often said that a coach was better left in the care of the dogs than the coachman. "It is a trick of thieves who work in pairs for one to distract the coachman while the other sneaks around to the rear and steals whatever robes and other valuables he can lay his hands on. I never lost an article while the dogs were in charge, but was continually losing when the coachman was in charge." (Woodcock)

The Dalmatian was greatly prized in Georgian times as a living ornament and coaching accessory. C. J. Apperley says, "not forgetting the spotted coach-dog, which has been washed for the occasion" when he speaks of the fashionable promenade in Hyde Park. The alleys of Mayfair must have run with soapy water smelling of lavender and wet dog at four o'clock.  

Although the Dalmatian is often considered a British dog because of its association with the aristocracy's stately possessions, its history remains the subject of some debate. Some say its origins can be traced to northern India and that it reached Europe by travelling with the Gypsy caravans in the middle ages via Dalmatia, Yugoslavia, whence it derived its name. Others however, claim it may have had its roots in Egypt or Greece.
 
The Dalmatian is a lively, extroverted dog, naturally friendly and extremely gentle and affectionate with its family. However, whereas most breeds want nothing more than to please their owners, Dalmatians have a lot more intelligence and common sense. AFTER ALL, WHY ON EARTH SHOULD HE PLEASE YOU, WHEN WITH NO EFFORT AT ALL HE CAN PLEASE HIMSELF!! GIVEN HALF AN INCH HE WILL TAKE SEVERAL MILES!!
This intelligence is combined with an unusual degree of sensitivity and understanding, which enables Dalmatians to be trained to a high degree in Obedience, Agility, flyball etc., but this is not an easy task, and will often involve training classes, and lots and lots of patience, even for the more basic training.
Dalmatians are most certainly 'people' dogs, (and, in fact, often think they are people!), and do not take well to being left alone for long periods. If they become bored they are more than likely going to look for their own 'entertainment' within the house or garden, and they have no concept of the fact that your sofa may have cost £1000!! or the price of a landscape gardener!!
They also need a fair amount of exercise - rain or shine, both walking and free running.

The decision to have a Dalmatian is not one to be taken lightly, a happy and well loved Dalmatian will give you endless loyalty, love and laughter, all he asks for is the same in return. An unhappy Dalmatian is quite a different matter.
 
PLEASE NOTE; When looking for a Dalmatian puppy, please ensure that you go to a reputable breeder, who will have registered the puppies with the Kennel Club, will also have BAER hearing tested the pups, and will let you meet the mother of the litter.  The best way of ensuring this is to go to a member of one of the Breed Clubs - see our links page for contact details.