Does any one own a Dalmatian Dog – My little boy wants one.?
Category: Dalmation Questions
Hi, my little boy just loves Dalmatian Dogs. He is 6 year old but will not be getting a dog for a couple of years. Are they a good dog for children (around children). We will have lots of room for it to run around etc. What sort of temprement do they have. Any details would be great.
yes good for children but hard to teach (theyre not very bright.)
check the sites below for more info
they can be hyper sometimes. but overall i think they’re wonderful dogs. i don’t own one but my friend’s brother does.
They are pretty hyper-active so it would be a great dog for an older child, but not for young ones. Since they are so energetic they may knock over or not want to tolerate young kids, but a child who’s 8,9-10 ect would probably do great with them.
dont get that type of dog for a 6 yr old. they are hyper all day long. they need A LOT of exercise and a HUGE yard. they are nice and loving but i think a little dog for a 6yr old would be a better idea. but it’s up to u they are great dogs ?
there is lots of websites that actually sell dogs just go to google and search dog sales or dalmation dogs for sale.
They’re good dogs, but because the breed has been so inbred over the years they are not the brightest dog. Training will be vary hard.
When my husband talked to the pound about a dalmation, they told us that they automatically put them down when they come in. They said they have a way of turning on their owners at any given time, even after years of being a good pet. I would look it up and get more information before getting a dalmation for my child.
ive always heard they were not good w/ children. my friends mom raised them, alot of times they are either deaf or blind. ive heard they are really skitish…… i got my 6 yr old daughter a lab. hes perfect. boxers are good too.
Dalmatians can be very protective. They also don’t bark much usually. They are very smart, and very trainable, but can be very destructive until age 2. Until then I would suggest crate training. I would also suggest getting a male. They are easier to train.
The only problem is they can be very protective to the point of biting people. This can in some situations result in unionization. If you do decide to get one, try and discourage biting and nipping at people even while playing.
Dalmations are usually have bad hearing and aren’t that smart. They are VERY energetic. Make sure to do plenty of research before considering a dalmation. You may want to think about getting another breed of dog, but if you want a dalmation, they can be good if trained well.
I wouldn’t suggest one with such a young child. Their large dogs, with high energy, and most seem to either have a low child tolerance, or just are too hyper for smaller children.
I highly suggest you go do some good old fashioned research on the breed though (and possibly any other breed your interested in). The internet, books, vets, breed rescues, and breeders are all great places to get information.
Actually, they are NOT good with small children. After 101 dalmations came out years back, the dalmation was THE dog to get for families with disney movie-age children (awkward wording, but you get my point)…. and many of these families ended up having to give up their dogs due to biting or attacking the kids.
Dalmations are inherently a high-strung breed. They almost naturally seem “nervous” and a bit on edge… they require a LOT of exercise and can get aggressive and rambunctous if not properly exercised daily.
A house with a 6 yo is not the ideal house for a Dal, too small and a dal isn’t like some of the larger breeds who will allow pulling of tail, or rough play… dalmations are known to defend themselves by nipping or biting if they are hastled.
Sure the child doesnt mean to do harm, but any small child will try these things out on the family pet from time to time…. wouldnt want to have a bite on your hands!
Dals were originally bred to walk under transport wagons with teams of horses pulling… they were to run out and defend against any animals or people who might be lurking about to startle the horses, or worse, rob the stage coach or wagon. They were bred to be a guard/watching dog, tho they are not like other guarding breeds in that they are not strong-headed and fearless.
Honestly, they are beautiful dogs but they are not for small children. Lots of room to run is good, and possibly you could accomodate a dog who needs his exercise, but you must decide on whether it is the BEST breed to bring into your house. I think it is not, there are other loving breeds, gentler and more patient around kids.. honestly as weird and as counter-intuitive as it sounds, alot of the big breeds are very good with kids. Consider a boxer, or a malamute or siberian husky, or st. bernard. lol.. ok, maybe not THAT big… but consider other breeds
I had one for a time. A short time. He was good with my children, and was training just fine. First, he got sick because he had to much protein in his diet. Then he came down with epilepsy, so we got him medication for that. Then he went deaf and was going blind, this all before a year old. He went into a seizure and died.
The vet told me they are a very sensitive breed, alot of inbreeding and such.
He was a great dog while we had him, but it broke our hearts in the end.
i believe that any and all dogs could be potentially good pets for a child. When breeds are said to be “not good with kids” they are talking about the majority
i’ve been around dalmations that are very vicious, but have also known some that are sweet and perfect for a family.
You have to make sure you get a smart and sweet one, from a reliable breeder. Go to the breeders house, see how it was raised, ask A LOT of questions, (the breeder is an expert…or SHOULD be, if they don’t know what they are talking about, leave.) and figure out if they were raised well, and if the dog is perfect for your family.
Dalmations are rather large. How old is your son? If he is little and just wants one because he’s seen 101 Dalmations or something, you may want to wait ’til he’s older. If he’s old and responsible, you could give it a try
Aside from the Dog itself, make sure you son REALLY wants one, and that he himself researches about the breed (if he’s old enough. If he’s not, then have him reason and bargain like cleaning his room tell him he has to keep his room clean or something) and agrees to help care for it. You don’t want to reward a child with such a big gift before you are certain they won’t loose interest and they will be a good owner for the dog
Good luck finding the right dog, and hope you make a wise decision.!!!
They are VERY active dogs. Dalmatians were bred to run alongside carriages and stage coaches all day long and were probably used for hunting before they became popular carriage dogs. Just having “lots of room for it to run around” isn’t enough…these dogs NEED training. You need to actively exercise it (doesn’t matter how big your yard is, if you just leave any dog in a yard by themselves the will just lay around, they won’t exercise themselves) and you need to give these dogs plenty of mental stimulation. Without exercise and mental stimulation, dalmatians tend to be destructive and can even develop aggressive/dangerous behaviors. I would also strongly recommend either getting an adult with a well-established temperament from rescue or finding a really good breeder for this breed. Because of movies like 101 Dalmatians this breed has been over-bred and poorly bred dalmatians can be aggressive. A rescued dal with an established temperament or a dog from a truly good breeder is far less likely to cause problems for a first time dalmatian/dog owner than one from a poor breeder, pet store, or puppy mill.
Reading all of these comments really upset me/made me furious. I own a dalmatian and she is an amazing dog. If these people are going to bad mouth the breeder they need to know the facts and not the rumors. Those that are commenting and spelling it “dalmation”, I take it do not own one. The proper spelling is DALMATIAN. They are not super hyper dogs. They are not vicious dogs. They are not bad with children. They are not agressive. They are not awful dogs that should be put down right away. The fact that the one shelter puts them down is rediculous and they should be reported as this is illegal discrimination towards a breed. There are rescues out there that will take them, instead of killing them. Dalmatian go by the same standards as ALL breeds. If you want a great dalmatian, you must go to a good breeder. Obviously if you get any dog from a pet shop or a puppy mill, there will be problems. ?smile? said not to get this type of dog, get a small dog. Well Chihuahuas and Dachshunds scored higher than average for aggression directed to both humans and dogs, putting them towards the top of the dog bite list. These are two small dogs. Golden retreivers are great with kids..they are large. If you never owned a dalmatian and your judging everything off of rumors, then you are ignorant. The reason why there was problems with Dals after 101 Dalmatians was because of people wanting to make money off the breeder. Nonbreeders and mills that didnt know/care about proper breeding breed the dogs either too close together or interbred. Dalmatians were not hyper, agressive, or vicious. People poorly breeding for $ made them this way. This has happened with many breeds, including german shepherds. Dalmatian breeders today, for the most part like any breed, are responsible. No most dalmatians are born deaf and blind. Responsible breeders have their dogs tested before breeding. Peter reccomended a husky or malamute. They rate higher on the bite list and aggression list than dalmatians. and the remark about finding a dog that is gentler and more patient, many dalmatians are used as service and therapy dogs. This includes child cancer patients. Would people allow dals around these patients if they were late vicious. I could go on and on but I think you get my point. The only ones who can speak for the breed are those that own them and those that check the reputability of the puppy and breeder. Rescues are good but for a child, it is good to know the dogs background and pedigree, parents. A great breeder is http://double-d-dalmatians.com/home.htm . They love their dogs and breed properly. We love ours so much. With all breeds, socialization at a young age is key to training. Sorry for going on a tangent, it is just not right that people ignorantly put the breed down. Knowledge is power. I am sure if you go to the site and ask Danny and Darla, the breeders, you questions and concerns they will be more than happy to answer them. Good luck, and hopefully you do decide to get a Dal. You will fall in love.