Dalmatians are an amazing breed. They been described as dumb, smart and genius. As well as hyper, lazy and laid back. So what are they? Dumb hyper dogs, or smart laid back canines? Surely they can't be both lazy and hyper... dumb and genius? Well.. truthfully I believe perhaps they are. Or at least, they may give off that impression in their actions.

My Dalmatian is probably the single smartest animal I have ever seen. This leads to her doing things that give off the impression of being incredibly dumb. You can teach a Dalmatian all the basics that a house dog needs to know as easily as you can teach any other dog. They have the learning capacity to be trained far beyond the average dog, however. The issue comes with boredom. Not laziness, but pure "why should I do that" boredom. I believe that when a Dalmatian is trained to do something that she decides not to do, it is because she is bored with the concept. "Why should I go get that ball? You're the one that threw it!". This, in my opinion, is a common thought pattern of the Dalmatian.

Dalmatians have been known to be a bit devious. I've heard stories of them tricking other dogs and even people to get their way. I've seen my Dalmatian make some incredibly sneaky moves for what she wants. And what she wants isn't always food (although she knows how to open the fridge and get it) often what she wants simply to lay next to (or on) you, there on the couch. I think this is where the "lazy" term comes in. They sleep a lot. This isn't a bad thing though. I don't think you will ever find a Dalmatian who chooses to sleep when you want to play. This is where they "hyper" comes in. If you signal that it's time to play, they are ready!!

Dalmatians have been called nippers. This is a bad name as they don't 'nip'. They use their mouth to find out what things are. Puppies do it in basically all breeds. However, Dalmatians do it their whole lives. I've never known my Dalmatian, in the years that I've had her, to 'bite' or 'nip' anyone. Although I have seen her put ears, chins, cheeks, fingers and hands inside her mouth. Never hurting anyone. I even saw her put a puppies entire head in her mouth, just playing. She is incredibly friendly, and very loving to younger puppies. She seems to pick up on age of both dogs and humans very well and acts accordingly. She is seven.

Clearly from what I've said, Dals (as many owners call them) need attention and time. That attention can be spent on the couch or playing, I believe they like both evens equally. However they very quickly develop anxiety issues and attachment for their owners. I've learned that an open-aired kennel can do very well in helping a Dalmatian feel comfortable and relaxed when home alone. See my other article for more info on that.

The last thing you should know about Dals is that they can be deaf. Many are born deaf. Not all, but enough that most Dal owners are familiar with the issue. Test your Dalmatian puppy's hearing before purchasing. You can do this by snapping your hands behind your puppy's head on either side. It will turn it's head in the direction it hears you snapping. Make sure it hears you!

Dalmatians can reach 50+ pounds. They are not in my opinion a large dog, but they are medium. Keep that in mind when playing with them. If their claws get a little long, they are pushing 40-50+ lbs behind them! Their food needs are not typically too picky, but Dalmatians are also known for developing kidney stones, or crystals. This can come from too much protein, poor food choices, not enough water, or not being able to urinate often enough. Again, not all Dals will have to deal with this, but it's something to keep in the back of your mind in order to properly care for yours. I've never had issues and like I mentioned, My Dal can get into the fridge when I'm not watching...

All in all, Dalmatians have become my favorite dog. I was raised with a number of different Dog Breeds Cockers, Springers, Labs, and Poodles, but I think the Dalmatian is my favorite by far. The short hair, although it sheds a lot, is always clean (probably a result of the constant shedding). The personality is the sweetest I've seen in a canine, and always fun. Their companionship is second only to another human, and their care is definitely worth their company.

Dustin Twiggs writes articles for the following sites, please visit them and all links to these sites are appreciated :) Jake Your Lilly Computer Cables