|
Home / Pets and Animals
Dalmatians – Great Dogs, Even in Numbers Less than 101
By:Charles Kassotis
It was the movie that made Dalmatians an instant success as companion dogs and family pets, and caused the over breeding of Dalmatians that led to several serious problems. Among the most serious of these issues was a sudden influx of Dalmatians into shelters and the abandonment of many of these dogs. The people who snatched up Dalmatians immediately following the release of “101 Dalmatians” expected the docile, intelligent creatures depicted on the big screen. When the dog was more difficult to train than expected and went through serious shedding episodes on a regular basis, people quickly got tired of them.
There’s no doubt that the Dalmatian has a mind of its own and can be quite aggressive. There’s also no doubt that given proper training and socialization, these can make excellent family pets, companions and show dogs.
There are many countries that claim the origins of the Dalmatian and there seems to be no real consensus about which is the legitimate originator. There’s little doubt that this is a true “ancient” breed or that it is directly descended from some breed that dates back several centuries. The first undisputed evidence of the Dalmatian goes back a mere two centuries to the early and mid 1800s. In those days, many people raised Dalmatian to be the equivalent of a modern day car alarm. The dogs didn’t ride along in buggies, carts and wagons, but trotted along beside. Once the wagon reached its destination, the Dalmatian was trained to take up a position under the conveyance and guard it until his master’s return. They were especially popular in cities where thefts were more common. These dogs would run alongside the wagons, often taking refuge from other wagons and horses by walking under the wagon they would be guarding!
The natural stamina needed for their guarding tasks has lasted across the years. Today, Dalmatians need plenty of exercise and tend to expect some help getting it. They want their people nearby and can be destructive if left to their own devices. Like several other breeds, the Dalmatian craves attention and will settle for negative attention if his owners aren’t doling out sufficient time otherwise.
An important fact that caused the disenchantment of many Dalmatian owners is the incredible memory of these dogs. Once they’ve been mistreated, they may never really recover. The families who had small children who were rough on the Dalmatian or mistreated the dog quickly found out that distrust was immediate and long-lasting. That led to many families’ willingness to give up the dogs quickly.
Dalmatians have a white coat, usually with distinctive black spots though the spots may be several shades of brown as well. In some cases, Dalmatians may have no spots, though this is often a negative point for the show ring. The spots are irregular and may or may not completely cover the ears.
Treated well and properly trained, Dalmatians can be every bit the wonderful companion depicted on the big screen. And one of the most incredible traits? These litters can be every bit at large as the one in the movie with litters of 12 to 15 puppies being quite common.
Digg
del.icio.us
Blink
Stumble
Spurl
Reddit
Netscape
Furl
Article keywords: Dalmatian, 101, dog, pet, movie, train, breed, family, smart, kids
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com
For more information on Dalmatians and other Popular, and not-so-popular breeds of dogs, visit The Non Sporting Dog Directory
|
|
| Top Pets and Animals Articles |
- 1). Winter Dog Agility Training By : Brad Carlson
Yes, its cold outside, but don't stop your dog's agility training. Depending on where you live, there might be snow on the ground from November through March, but thats no reason to give up your agility training. Bring your training indoors, right at your own home.
Get creative with your training locations. Do you have a hallway, basement, or garage? Then you have a place to train! Before it snows and your equipment is frozen to the ground, store some in your garage, shed, basement, or put a tarp over it.
|
- 2). How to Choose Goldfish By : Nate Jamieson
How you choose your goldfish, depends largely on two things: the type of fish you really like to see, and the kind of container you intend to keep
|
|
|
- 4). Pet Safety By : Lee Dobbins
Your home might be "kid-proof" but how does it measure up when it comes to safety for your pet? Do you know all the hazards your pet is exposed to? Ho
|
- 5). The Long, Low Basset Hound By : Charles Kassotis
The Basset Hound’s most noticeable features include the long ears, drooping forehead and short legs. These dogs are excellent at smelling, partly due to their noses but also because of their ears. It was originally bred as a hunter, but has risen in popularity as a family pet and canine pal, as the epitome of the loyal friend.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| New Pets and Animals Articles |
|
|
- 2). Your Cat Goes Missing By : Kadence Buchanan
According to the most recent Synovate pet survey (Sept. 2005), conducted in nine markets across the globe, the UK and the US were shown to be the two absolute leaders in pet ownership.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- 8). How To Simplfiy House Cleaning With Pets By : Melody Thacker
Keeping your house clean with a pet or two in the family can be a challenge. Taking a bit of time to train your pet, some advanced planning and preventative measures will make keeping your house clean with pets much easier and less time consuming.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
