Dalmatian

The Dalmatian is a very gentle dog with a generally good attitude towards all members of his family, which he holds in very high esteem despite his somewhat independent demeanour.

This dog’s overflowing energy can be partially channelled through playtime. He loves to play and takes great pleasure in participating in all types of games on offer, as long as they don’t imply too much commitment or restrictions.

‘The calm after a storm’: this is what best describes the Dalmatian, which can indeed be discrete but only once all of his needs have been met- which is no small feat.

Such is the extent of his intelligence that he can quite convincingly ‘play dumb’ whenever he wants to evade an order. It is indeed those dogs that are very resourceful in tricking their way out of a command that are the smartest, however annoying this trait may be to owners!

This Croatian dog has a very evolved hunting instinct. His Pointer dog aspect leaves nothing to envy his hound cousins for. Having said this, modern-day breeding tends to favour and select companion or show dog traits.

Official breed standards describe him as a even-tempered dog, with friendly, confident, generally non-aggressive and non-anxious behaviour. He does, however, tend to be reserved if he does not ‘click’ with a person, and needs more time to asses the situation before giving his trust.

Often considered to be quite independent, the Dalmatian is actually a strong-willed dog that struggles with restrictions and commands. This may lead you to think that he is independent, but in reality he is not at all. Quite the contrary- despite his stubbornness, this dog is very attached to his family and loves nothing more than for them to be closeby.

Very attached to his social group, the Dalmatian should not be left alone from dawn till dusk, at risk of developing many behavioural issues (barking, destruction, etc.)- even if he has a garden at his disposal. 

He can stand some moments of solitude, especially if he has been taught to deal with it from a young age, but cannot be left alone for prolonged bouts of time.

Usually perceived as quite an independent animal, the Dalmatian is in fact very stubborn, especially if his owner does not understand him and does not treat him as an equal, which is the only treatment this proud dog will accept. Any show of brutality towards this Croatian dog will be destined to failure and will only serve to sully the master-dog relationship. 

The Dalmatian is considered the professional dog trainer’s ‘achilles’ heel’. He is, indeed, difficult to train. It is important to set some boundaries for him from a young age and to maintain a coherent exchange with him, without which communication will be rendered impossible. 

Novice or overly lax owners will quickly become overwhelmed by this strong-tempered dog. A strict yet respectful handling, consisting of positive-reinforcement methods, will be crucial. 

It is only with a healthy dose of patience, determination and perseverance that the Dalmatian’s owners will obtain satisfactory results.

It is mainly when bored that this Croatian dog can tend to ‘yap away’, as a way of signaling his discontent or to pass the time.

An avid runner, if he lacks the opportunity to fully express his vitality by his owner’s side (and in spite of his attachment to the latter) the Dalmatian will not think twice about taking off on his own to get rid of excess energy.