Dalmatians are not only adorable and friendly, but very interesting as well. Here are some fun facts about Dalmatians that you may not have heard before.
Dalmatians are often good swimmers and they love to play in water.
This breed gets its name from the Croatian province of Dalmatia where many believe the Dalmatian got its start, although there has been no concrete evidence that this is true.
Most Dalmatian puppies are born with all white coats which do not begin to show spots until they pups are about two weeks old.
Dalmatians are often recommended to people who are allergic to dogs because their fur doesn't trigger symptoms the way most coated breeds do.
Dalmatians are excellent hunters of rats and other pests and were used specifically for this purpose in stables and firehouses in London.
The Dalmatian made its first appearance in a dog show in Great Britain in 1860 but didn't appear in American shows until the 1920's.
Engravings portraying what appears to be Dalmatians alongside chariots have been discovered in Egyptian tombs.
Dalmatians are also known as Firehouse dogs, Carriage dogs, or Spotted Coach dogs.
This breed was mentioned in letters by a poet named Jurij Dalmatin which was written in the mid 1500's.
Dalmatians enjoyed a huge boost in popularity after the book "101 Dalmatians" was published in 1956.
Brad Nowell, the lead singer of the rock band Sublime, had a Dalmatian named "Lou Dog" who accompanied him on stage often and was mentioned in the lyrics of several songs.
Dalmatians are known to choose one family member as their own while virtually ignoring everyone else in the household.
The Dalmatians historical function was to travel with carriages. They rode under the axle or between the lead horses and chased stray animals away from the road so that the carriage would have a clear path to travel.
Dalmatians often curl their lips in a way that resembles a human smile. Some owners insist that their dogs do this when they think they may be in trouble!
Dalmatians are the only animals that can develop gout, a disease commonly found in humans which causes swelling in the joints.
Some people believe that meeting a Dalmatian unexpectedly will result in good luck for the rest of the day.
Healthy Dalmatians can run for hours without getting tired.
George Washington is believed to have owned a Dalmatian.
When horses were used to transport firefighters to the scene of a blaze Dalmatians not only cleared the road ahead, they also served to keep the horses calm and to protect the equipment while the fire was fought.
Dalmatians typically hate being left alone and are much happier when hanging out with the family.
Although Dalmatians have a reputation for being fun and playful they can also make excellent guard dogs.
Deafness is a relatively common health problem for Dalmatians and some owners claim to use sign language to train dogs with this condition.
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