THE ORIGIN OF THE DALMATIAN
NO BREED HAS A MORE INTERSTING BACKGROUND OR MORE DISPUTED HERITAGE
THAN THAT DOG FROM LONG AGO. THE DALMATIAN.
HIS BEGINNING IS BURIED SO DEEP IN THE PAST THAT LONG AGO,
THAT RESEARCHES CANNOT AGREE AS TO HIS ORIGIN.
AS TO THE GREAT AGE OF THE BREED, AND THE
FACT THAT IT HAS COME THROUGH MANY CENTURIES UNCHANGED,
INVESTIGATORS ARE IN COMPLETE AGREEMENT.
MODELS, ENGRAVINGS PAINTINGS, AND WRITINGS OF ANTIQUITY
HAVE BEEN USED WITH FARE EXCUSE
BUT NO CERTAINTY TO CLAIM THE SPOTTED DOG FIRST APPEARED IN EUROPE,
ASIA, AND AFRICA.
PERHAPS SOME OF THE DIVERGENCES IN OPINION,
AS TO THE ORIGINAL HOME OF THE DALMATIAN
CAN BE ACCOUNTED FOR BY THE FACT THAT THE DOG HAS FREQUENTLY
BEEN FOUND IN BANDS OF ROMANS, AND THAT LIKE HIS GYPSY MASTERS,
HE HAS BEEN WELL KNOWN BUT NOT LOCATED
DEFINATLY IN ANY ONE PLACE.
AUTHORITATIVE WRITERS PLACE HIM FIRST AS A POSITIVE ENTITY IN DEMENTIA,
A PROVINCE OF AUSTRIA ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF THE COAST OF VENICE.
THOUGH HE HAS BEEN ACCREDITED WITH A DOZEN NATIONALITIES,
AND HAS AS MANY NATIVE NAMES.
HE IS NICKNAMED BY THE ENGLISH,
THE ENGLISH COACH DOG, THE CARRIAGE DOG, THE PLUM PUDDING
DOG, THE FIRE HOUSE DOG, AND THE SPOTTED DICK.
IT IS FROM HIS FIRST PROVEN HOME HE TAKES HIS CORRECT NAME,
THE DALMATIAN.
WE FIND REFERENCES TO HIM AS A DALMATIAN
IN THE MIDDLE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.
THERE IS NO QUESTION WHAT SO EVER THAT HIS LINEAGE IS AS ANCIENT AND HIS RECORD
AS STRAIGHT AS THAT OF OTHER BREEDS.
HIS ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN AS VARIED AS HIS REPUTED ANCESTORS.
HE HAS BEEN A
DOG OF WAR, A SENTINEL ON THE BORDERS OF DALMATIA AND CROATIA.
HE HAS BEEN EMPLOYED AS A DRAFT DOG A SHEPHERD.
HE IS EXCELLENT ON RATS AND VERMIN.
HE IS WELL KNOWN FOR HIS HEROIC PERFORMANCES
AS A FIRE APPARATUS FOLLOWER AND A FIRE-HOUSE MASCOT.
AS A SPORTING DOG HE HAS BEEN USED AS A BIRD DOG, AS A TRAIL HOUND, A RETRIEVER,
OR IN PACKS FOR BOAR OR STAG HUNTING.
HIS RETENTIVE MEMORY HAD MADE HIM ONE OF THE MOST DEPENDABLE CLOWNS
IN CIIRCUSES, AND ON THE STAGE.
DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS THE INTELLIGENCE AND WILLINGNESS OF THE DALMATIAN
HAVE FOUND HIM
PRACTICALLY IN EVERY ROLE TO WHICH USEFUL DOGS ARE ASSIGNED.
MOST IMPORTANT AMONG HIS TALENTS HAS BEEN HIS STATUS AS THE ORIGINAL,
ONE AND ONLY COACHING DOG.
THE IMAGINATIVE MIGHT SAY THAT HIS COACHING DAYS GO BACK TO AN ENGRAVING OF A
SPOTTED DOG FOLLOWING AN EGYPTIAN CHARIOT!
EVEN THE PRACTICAL MINDED WILL FIND NO END OF PROOF, CENTURIES OLD, OF THE
DALMATIAN, WITH EARS ENTIRELY CROPPED AWAY AND PADLOCKED BRASS
COLLAR, APPLYING HIS NATUAL TRADE AS A FOLLOWER AND GUARDIAN OF THE
HORSE-DRAWN VEHICLE.
HE IS PHYSICALLY FITTED FOR ROAD WORK, IN HIS MAKEUP.
SPEED AND ENDURANCE ARE BLENDED TO A NICETY.
HIS GAIT HAS BEAUTY OF MOTION AND SWIFTNESS,
AND HE HAS THE STRENGTH,
VITALITY, AND FORTITUDE TO KEEP GOING GAILY TO THE JOURNEYS END.
THE INSTICT FOR COACHING IS BRED IN HIM, BORN IN HIM, TRAINED IN HIM THROUGH THE
YEARS,
THE DALMATIAN TAKES TO A HORSE AS A HORSE TAKES TO HIM, AND THAT IS TO SAY,
LIKE A DUCK TO WATER.
HE MAY WORK IN HIS OLD WAY, CLEARING A PATH BEFORE TALLY HO WITH
DIGNITY AND DETERMINATION, OR FOLLOWING ON WITH HIS BEAUTIFUL SPOTTING
IN FULL VIEW TO ADD DISTINCTION TO AN EQUIPAGE.
HE MAY COACH UNDER THE REAR AXLE, OR THE MOST DIFFICULT OF ALL,
UNDER THE POLE BETWEEN THE LEADERS AND WHEELERS.
WHATEVER HE WORKS, IT IS WITH THE LOVE OF THE GAME.
IN HIS HEART AND WITH THE SKILL
WHICH HAS WON HIM THE TITLE OF THE ONLY RECOGNIZED CARRIAGE DOG IN
THE WORLD.
HIS PENCHANT FOR WORKING IS MOST RENOWNED CHARACTERISTIC.
BUT IT IS NO WAY APPROACHES HIS CAPACITY FOR FRIENDSHIP.
THERE IS NO DOG MORE PICTURESQUE THAN THIS SPOTTED FELLOW
WITH HIS SLICK WHITE COAT
GAILY DECORATED WITH CLEARLY DEFINED ROUND SPOTS OF JET BLACK,
OR IN THE LIVER VARIETY, DEEP BROWN.
HE DOES NOT LOOK LIKE ANY OTHER BREED, FOR HIS MARKINGS ARE PECULIARLY HIS OWN.
HE IS STRONG BODIED CLEAN-CUT, COLOURFUL, DISTINCTIVE,
HIS FLASHY SPOTTING IS THE CULMINATION OF AGES OF CAREFUL BREEDING.
HIS ARISTOCRATIC BEARING DOES NOT BELLE HIM,
FOR THE DALMATIAN IS FIRST OF ALL A GENTLEMAN. HE IS A QUIET CHAP,
AND AN IDEAL GUARD DOG. DISTINGUISHING NICELY BETWEEN BARKING FOR FUN
OR WITH PURPOSE HIS COURTESY NEVER FAILS WITH APPROVED VISITORS,
BUT HIS
PROTECTIVE INSTINCT IS HIGHLY DEVELOPED AND HE HAS COURAGE TO DEFEND,
AS A WATCHDOG HE IS SENSIBLE AND DEPENDABLE. IS NOT EVERY BODIES DOG-NO
CASUAL ADMIRER WILL BREAK HIS POLITE RESERVE, FOR HE HAS A FINE SENSE OF
DISTINCTION AS TO WHOM BELONGS.
FASHION HAS NOT DISTORTED THE DALMATIAN.
HE IS BORN PURE WHITE, DEVELOPS QUICKLY AND REQUIRES NO CROPPING, NO DOCKING,
NO STRIPPING, OR ARTIFICES OF ANY SORT.
HE IS EXTREMELY HARDY. AN EASY KEEPER, SUITED TO ANY CLIMATE.
HE REQUIRES ONLY THE MINIMUM OF CARE, FOR HE IS STURDY NEAT AND CLEAN.