When most people think of Dalmatians, they might think of 101 Dalmatians, spotted coats or the back of a fire truck. The truth is there is so much to know and discover about this unusual dog breed. To find out some interesting facts about Dalmatians that you might not know, keep reading!
- Dalmatians are born without their spots! At birth, Dalmatian puppies are not covered in their recognizable spots. Instead, they are born all white and develop their spots as they grow older. The Dalmatian’s spots start to develop around 2 to 3 weeks old and when they are about 4 weeks old, most of their spots will have presented. But, Dalmatians do continue to slowly develop new spots as they grow and for the rest of their lives.
- Their origins are mysterious. Much like many other old dog breeds, the origins of the Dalmatian dog breed are hard to pin down. While some people believe that the Dalmatian originated from Dalmatia, a region in modern day Croatia, others believe that the Dalmatian is as old as the ancient Egyptians. It is assumed that Dalmatians have been around for a very long time, since spotted dogs running alongside chariots have been painted on the walls of Egyptian tombs.
- Dalmatians are best known as firedogs. Dalmatians are very versatile dogs and they have many talents. However, Dalmatians are probably best known for their skills as coaching dogs. Dalmatians get along famously with horses, making them the ideal dog to run alongside carriages. Helpful Dalmatians warded off stray dogs, guarded the coach at stops, and most importantly kept the horses calm. Eventually, Dalmatians were used in the firehouse, where Dalmatians would run behind fire trucks and kept horses composed around the fire. Dalmatians are also great at keeping the firehouse free from pests, as they are excellent ratters.