I am not an expert on Dalmatians. But I own one, so people sometimes mistake me as an authority.
In fact, I field questions weekly, if not daily, about the breed: Do they make good family dogs? Do they shed? Do they have a lot of health problems? Did yours ever eat 16 oz of dark chocolate and, if so, did he suffer from any long-term health issues?
I understand that not everyone who asks a question is in the market for a large-breed dog, but some are. And seeing as how Dalmatians have a complicated and somewhat negative reputation, what most people seem to be asking for is reassurance that they should get one.
I’d love to give people the green light, but more often than not I find myself giving a tepid response – not because I don’t love the breed, but because I do. I love it greatly. And I would hate for someone to get a Dalmatian only to find that it’s not the right dog for them.
So when people ask me if they should get a Dalmatian, I usually respond with a few questions of my own.
Did you see the movie? But did you really see it?
Dalmatians are a breed made popular by the Disney movie. Back in the 90s, when the film was re-released, a lot of families were disappointed to find that Dalmatians did not live up to their on-screen personas, but I would argue that they do.
You don’t need to watch the movie 101 times to notice that the three main character traits displayed by the Dalmatians are: 1. A love of endurance running; 2. The ability to outsmart three adults who have a home court advantage; and 3. An obvious disrespect for all other dogs, up to and including Great Danes. In fact, the plot revolves around two adult animals running to and from central London and only stopping to sleep once. That checks out.
That doesn’t mean Dalmatians aren’t a great breed, it just means they’re not the best choice for people who like to watch movies. They’re smart and stubborn and bred for stamina. It’s a great combination of you’re trying to keep a horse in line on the way to a burning building. For the modern family who lives in a four-room apartment and has lots of other commitments, perhaps not so much.
Do you have experience with other dogs?
This is one of the few cases where I actually hope you don’t. Because Dalmatians are trainable, but they are not exactly enthusiastic about it. If you had retrievers or terriers in the past, then you might be sorely disappointed by how little Dalmatians care about pleasing their owners when there is something better to do – by which I mean throw themselves in front of a city tram.
My husband and I never had a dog before and, oddly enough, that worked to our advantage. During the first few weeks of home training, we thought our puppy was a genius, romping around obeying every third command before charging off to fight a potted plant. And then we went to a puppy class at our local pet store and realized that while all the other dogs were easily bribed into sitting still with a single Kibble, our dog was throwing himself full-force into the each of the four walls of the training pen for an hour straight – behavior that the instructor dismissed at the time as “pretty typical of the breed.”
Do you like to take long walks?
One of the funniest reasons someone can tell me that they want to get a Dalmatian is that they like to go on walks. Why is that funny?
To get a sense of what it’s like to walk a Dalmatian, picture in your mind a small tank. Now imagine the tank can travel at speeds exceeding 40 mph. Now put a leash on the tank and try to convince it that you’re in charge. That’s what it’s like to walk a Dalmatian.
Speaking from personal experience, it would be better to ask yourself if you like to take light runs several times a day – because that’s a more accurate version of what you will be doing.
Do you like people?
Because people like Dalmatians. And you will not be able to go anywhere without having a conversation about your dog, especially when it is still a puppy. For me, this was part of the appeal. But if you don’t like chit-chatting, then I suggest you get something a little more discrete, like a cat.
How much time do you have?
Dalmatians demand a lot of their owners. Time, effort, money, patience, attention, space. Whatever resources you were expecting to allocate to a dog, if you get a Dalmatian, you’re going to have to budget more. Take whatever variable you had in mind – be it hours, dollars or square meters – and double it… and then make it more than that. Because that’s what life with a Dalmatian requires, especially in the beginning.
Do you have several thousand dollars to burn?
I hate to be crude, but I have to warn you about the cost of having a large breed, pure bred dog. People once warned me – a woman who lived in New York City for a decade – and I just rolled my eyes. Because I was accustomed to paying $8 for a box of cereal and about 20 times that for a woman to openly insult me while she cut my hair. In other words, I thought I knew a thing or two about sky-high grocery bills and the quiet indignity of being bitten by the mouth you’re feeding.
But that was nothing compared to having a Dalmatian. First of all, the one-time price of buying the dog is not the same as the ongoing cost of owning the actual dog. If you saved up whatever money you need to purchase a dog in the endless-COVID era, good for you. But there’s other essentials to consider, like food, vet bills, pet insurance, medication… and then the extras too, like toys, training, day care and treats. It all adds up to a truly staggering amount. And if you don’t have much in the way of disposable income, then you will probably come to resent the amount of money you spend on your dog pretty quickly.
A lot of people will tell me that they won’t need those extras because they “work from home.” That’s another cute thing to say. Speaking from experience, if that dog is awake, you will not be working. Or actually, you will – but the position is unpaid and your new boss is a four-legged a-hole who will lose his shit if you don’t pay him constant attention. The extras, like snuffle mats and dog walkers, are actually what keep you sane. So do yourself a favor and factor that in too.
How tolerant are you of irrational behavior?
I can’t speak for all Dalmatians but mine is a walking contradiction:
He will pick a fight with a Rhodesian Ridgeback twice his age, but tucks his tail when a Teacup Poodle barks at him.
He loves to swim, but outright refuses to walk through a puddle.
He’s a high-energy distance runner, but routinely sleeps until noon.
He can literally jump over my head, but is scared to hop off the couch onto a hardwood floor.
No amount of treats, praise or rewards can change his behavior. There’s no reasoning with him once he makes up his mind, so I just have to work around it. And sometimes that means carrying an 80-pound dog across the street during the spring thaw.
How resilient are your children?
If your kids are begging you for a Dalmatian, then I would beg you to let them interact with one before you take the plunge. Because most dogs would never deliberately hurt a human, but that can happen when you pack puppy energy level into a full-size package.
I will also warn you explicitly that the first several months, when the puppy still has its milk teeth, he will bite just about anything and anyone. Trainers will tell you to simply turn your back on a dog who is nibbling at your feet, but in my experience, a Dalmatian will simply use that as an opportunity to attack the Achilles.
Not all dogs are the same, but I wouldn’t trust a Dalmatian to be around very small children unless they were constantly supervised.
Usually by this point, most people have a question for me: Do I even like my dog?
I do! I absolutely love my dog. I love him as much as I possibly could love something that routinely kicks me out of my own bed in the middle of the night and requires me to keep my shoe collection under lock and key.
I focused on many of the negative aspects of owning a Dalmatian in this post, but that’s only because I would hate for someone to get a Dalmatian and not understand all that comes along with it. And, yes, there are loads of really great things that are part of the package too. Mine is loyal, affectionate and empathetic. He was a breeze to house train and he has no separation anxiety. He loves people and other animals – unless they so much as look at me the wrong way, because he is also wildly protective.
I tell people that I won’t get another Dalmatian but that’s not just because they’re an incredible amount of work and I don’t know that I’ll physically be able to manage such a powerhouse of a puppy by the time I hit my mid-40s. It’s because this dog of mine is so special, so kind, so absolutely perfect in my eyes that I would never let another animal that’s genetically similar try to compete. I would rather start fresh, with a new breed and a separate identity, so that the second dog won’t disappoint me so easily if they don’t live up the standard that this first one has set.
So if I tell you that you shouldn’t get a Dalmatian, don’t take it personally. Because I won’t let myself get another one either.
How sweet, a Dalmatian as a lapdog you can hold while reading. Sign me up! I can’t even get my cats to do that.
ha! yes! he thinking he’s a lap dog for sure… except when he’s a chest dog or, occasionally, a head dog. our boy loves a good cuddle, which is why we love him too.
Good advice. People make the same mistakes with cats. I have to remind my husband that “they’re both cat-shaped” and have different personalities.
yes, agree! animals have unique personalities for sure. and there is some credibility behind the idea that dogs mimic a lot of their owners’ traits… hence the incessant jumping on strangers bit for bravo. :D
Such a sweet, yet cautionary, love-letter to your Bravo!
aw. yes, that’s exactly what it is. thank you <3
I relate to this on so many levels. I don’t have a dalmation but I have an entlebucher. They’re not very well known but they are very energetic, bred to pull carts (aka- they can pull you off your feet if they decide they want to go somewhere), stubborn, very smart, and very protective of their people. I love my dog so much, and she is an absolute cuddly, loving dog- but certainly not for everybody! I think it’s good to warn people what they’re getting into- better chance of the right people getting the right fit :)
hiii! sorry for the delay. i had to google that one – what a cutie!! a dog that likes to pull… i feel your pain! i can only imagine if that’s what they’re bred to do! ours simply seems to enjoy the challenge. i agree with you though – it’s best to be honest with people when they ask your opinion (and maybe sometimes even if they don’t) when it comes to high-energy, high-drive dogs. they are not for everyone… and i think that’s part of why the bond is so special. not everyone could manage them – we earn that relationship the hard way and the dog comes to recognize how much they rely on us too. the other night, Bravo slinked his neck out of his collar during our last walk. it was icy and we live more or less on a big park. he could have taken off running any which way and i never would have been able to catch him on account of his speed and the ice. so i started walking back to the door and after a second he followed, like i knew he would. he’s with me – and there’s no place he’d rather be <3
We have a wire haired pointer griffon and could say many of the same things about him. Great dog, and gorgeous, but also high energy, stubborn, and demanding. Oh, and pricey! We’ve spent thousands this year on training, daycare, and medical stuff (two emergency vet visits!) One trainer said “these are the types of dogs that end up in the shelter” about him when he was 4 months old and really upset our son, but it’s true. He’s hard on us. We can take him on a 6 mile walk and he’ll bark every step of the way. People at the dog park can hear us coming for 15 minutes before we get there.
He’s also a great snuggler, watches TV with us, and is quite talky. Wouldn’t give him up for anything.
i’m sorry for not replying sooner but omg… i love pointers! they are so gorgeous! i saw one running perfectly alongside a bike (leashed!) this past summer and i cannot get the idea out of my head. but i know i cannot get a pointer for all the reasons you mention! in any case – i hear you. i love my Bravo so much, but he is just a horrifying drain on all kinds of resources. i wouldn’t trade him for anything either, but i feel like i should warn people who think they love the breed! many dalmatians end up in the shelter before age two as well – because they are a handful, and a BIG handful at that. best of luck to you and yours… ours is just now starting to settle down and i’ll be damned if we both are just a tiny bit disappointed about it – i guess because it means he’s no longer a puppy and soon he won’t be a teenager either. it just reminds you that they’re only with us for a short time… and no matter how many years you have them, it will never feel like enough. xx