So you think you want a dalmatian

Ruth at 5 weeks of age

For those who are interested in living with a dalmatian, I would recommend going to the national Dalmatian club site to learn more about this special breed of canine. While we feel they are a wonderful dog to live with, they may not be wonderful for every household. We have lived with a dalmatian in our lives for 30 years, and most of those years have included multiple dalmatians. Many of us who love the breed, have found you can never have too many spots. While there are similar traits among dalmatians, it is difficult to describe them as a group because they each have very individual personalities.

Many non Dalmatian people will ask me if they are "hyper". We do not like to describe them as hyper, but they are smart, too smart. Dalmatians crave and need interaction with their people. They are not a breed of dog who can be left in the back yard and only see their people when they are fed. If they do not have the needed human stimulation a dalmatian will find ways to entertain themselves, and that entertainment could be destructive. Dalmatians need to live life with their families. Dalmatians like to have a job to do. That could be taking you on a bike ride, or helping you to learn obedience. But best of all they will show you how to love a dog like no other.

Did you know dalmatians come with brown spots too? Did you know dalmatians should be hearing tested because as a breed there can be congenital deafness? Did you know dalmatians are the only canine which have the inability to process purines along with their human counterparts? Did you know dalmatians should be kept well hydrated to help keep them from producing urate stones in their urine? Did you know Dalmatians only shed once a year - from January to December? Check out this site to learn more about dalmatians:   http://www.thedca.org/