No wonder many fire stations today have the Dalmatian as their mascot – they’re excellent at it! They didn’t just sit still. When they took a different career path in the US, they served as firehouse dogs beside the majestic animals with their horse-drawn fire engines. If you’ve seen the Budweiser Clydesdales, you may have noticed Dals accompanying them on parades, but Dalmatians have always had a natural connection with horses. Plum Pudding Dogs is how some British people call them because of their Christmas plum pudding-looking spots. Image sourceĮvery fashionable lady and lord had these flashy carriage dogs by their side. They became the definitive spotted coach dog where they cleared paths for horses, ran beside and under it, and guarded it. Still, it was in England during the 1800s that they were developed and made an actual name for themselves. What’s known is that they were first named after the province on the eastern shore of the Adriatic sea called Dalmatia, which is now Croatia. Others also think that the spotted Great Dane and English Pointer were the ancestors of this pooch. It is said that this purebred has been around for hundreds of years, but no one knows its exact origin.
Further reading: Similar breeds to Dalmatians.Health concerns: How long do Dalmatians live?.Temperament: Is a Dalmatian a good family dog?.