Acquired: Breeder (hobby breeder)
Gender: Female
Training: N/A
My Dalmatian is a very lovable pet! She is 12 years old, and still looks like a puppy. She loves nothing more than getting cuddles.
Dalmatians have a reputation as being energetic dogs, but mine isn’t really. She loves to go for walks, at least 3 – 4 times per week, but only in the nice weather. If it is too hot, she will lie down and refuse to go on!
My Dalmatian is great with children, very patient and never overly boisterous. She is never aggressive toward other animals, but doesn’t seem to like them very much! (She is known to hide when she sees other dogs coming). She really loves people.
Even at 12 years old she is very healthy, although she has had some ear issues which is apparently reasonably common in Dalmatians. She is also quite short and stocky, unlike some Dalmatians, and weight management can be an issue.
I don’t think there are any particular downsides of having a Dalmatian, however they do shed a lot. This surprises some people, because they have short hair, but they mault a lot and their fur is white and coarse, meaning it can be hard to remove.