Edie MacKenzie On Dogs

Posts Tagged ‘Free Dog Training’

When house training your Dalmatian puppy, you will need to take him out frequently and at regular intervals: first thing in the morning directly from the crate, right after meals, after the puppy has been napping, or when you notice that the puppy is looking for a spot.  Choose more or less the same place to take the puppy each time in order to establish a pattern.

If he does not go immediately, do not return your Dalmatian to the house because he will probably relieve himself the moment he is inside.  Stay out with him until he has finished; then be generous with your praise for his good behavior.  If you catch your Dalmatian puppy having an accident indoors, grab him firmly and rush him outside, sharply saying “No!” as you pick him up.

If you do not see the accident occur, there is little point in doing anything except cleaning it up, because once it has happened and been forgotten, the puppy will most likely not even realize why you are scolding him.

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If you live in a big city or are away many hours at a time, having a Dalmatian that is trained to go on paper has some very good advantages.  In order to do this,  proceed the same way as taking the puppy outdoors, except this time you place the puppy on the newspaper at the proper time.  The paper should always be kept in the same area.  An easy way to paper train a puppy if you have a playpen is to line the area with newspapers; then gradually remove a section of it until you are down to just one or two. The puppy acquires the habit of using the paper; and as the prepared area grows smaller, the dog will usually continue to use whatever paper is still available.  It is pleasant, if the dog is alone for a long period of time to be able to feel that if he needs it the paper is there and will be used.

The Dalmatian puppy should form the habit of spending a certain amount of time in his crate, even when you are home. Sometimes the puppy will do this “voluntarily, but if not, he needs to learn to do so, which is done by leading him over by his collar, gently pushing him inside, and saying firmly, “Down” or “Stay.”  Whatever expression you use to give a command, stick to the very same one each time for each act.  Repetition is very important in training as well as association with what the Dalmatian is expected to do.  When you mean “Sit” always say exactly that.  “Stay” should mean only that the dog should remain where he receives the command. “Down” means something else again.

Do not confuse the dog by shuffling the commands, because this will create training problems for you.  As soon as he had his shots, take your puppy with you whenever and wherever you can.  Nothing builds a self-confident, stable Dalmatian like socialization, and it is very important that you plan and have the time and energy to do this.

Behavior and personality are two qualities which are hard to standardize within a breed, even the Dalmatian.  Although generalizations are difficult to make, most Dalmatians are alert, extremely energetic and affectionate toward their owners.  They make great working dogs because they have the capacity to be loyal and determined and have the stamina to work all day long.  This is not a breed to be cooped up in a house all day; this is not the breed for the hectic family with no time for the dog; this is not the breed to be tied in the backyard to serve as a watchdog.

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Behavior and personality are incredibly important in dogs and there seem to be quite evident extremes in the Dalmatian. The earliest of the breed were bred for guard work and that did not make them ideal house pets.  They were considered as working dogs.  Today’s Dalmatians seem far removed from their earliest ancestors.  Still, they are high energy dogs and dog owners need to provide a channel for that energy.

The ideal Dalmatian is neither aggressive nor neurotic but rather a loving family member with good self-esteem and acceptance of position in the family “pack.” Because the Dalmatian is a powerful dog and can cause much damage, it is worth spending the time when selecting a pup to pay attention to any evidence of personality problems.  It is also important that all Dalmatians be obedience trained.  Like any breed of dog, they have the potential to be vicious and unruly without appropriate training; consider obedience classes mandatory for your sake and that of your dog.

Although many Dalmatians are happy to sleep the day away in bed or on a sofa, most enjoy having a purpose in their day and that makes them excellent working dogs. They need long daily walks or runs and as well as events that involve family members.  Do not let Dalmatian pups run unrestricted because it can increase their risk of developing orthopedic disorders.  All Dalmatians owners are encouraged to enroll their pets in obedience classes to learn limits of unacceptable behaviors.

As a pet owner, there are several activities that you can share with your Dalmatian. They not only make great walking and jogging partners but they are also excellent community volunteers.  If properly trained, the loyal and loving Dalmatian will be your personal guard dog.  For Dalmatian enthusiasts who want to get into more competitive aspects of the dog world, conformation showing, road dog trials, obedience, utility, agility, hunting, guarding, tracking, herding and search & rescue are all activities that can be considered.

The Dalmatian is a breed of balance and moderation.  You do not want a big head on a little dog or a small head on a big dog.  Similarly, you do not want an extremely elegant head on a male dog or a very “doggy” head on a female dog.  The females are generally more feminine versions of the males and this male/female difference should be quite apparent.  The head should have clean lines and the Dalmatian should have a clean mouth, not drooling or loose-lipped. The standard does a good job of describing eyes, ears, stop, muzzle, nose, lips and scissors bite; and it also notes appropriate size and angle relationships.

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With regard to eyes, the major faults of ectropion and entropion eyelids refer to lids that turn into (entropion) or out/row, (ectropion) the eye.  Trichiasis is a condition of one or more misdirected eyelashes, causing corneal or conjunctival irritation.  These conditions are extremely rare to find in the show ring, but the fact that they have been carried forward in our breed standard indicates that these conditions have caused trouble in the past.  Also, they are serious enough to be used as screening factors when making current breeding program selections.

The important thing to keep in mind is that the more you deviate from what the breed standard describes, the more you move away from symmetry, balance and intelligent expression.  Picture a Dalmatian with close-set, yellow eyes, no stop between the forehead and top of muzzle, and uneven planes between the top of the skull and his pointy-nosed muzzle when viewed from the side.  If, for example, a line drawn across the top of the skull was parallel to the ground and another line drawn across the top of the muzzle pointed more toward the ground, the dog would be “down-faced” and less intelligent looking than one with parallel planes.  Such a dog does not have the intelligent expression desired in a Dalmatian.  Not even perfect spotting could save the conformation standard shortcomings of a head like this.

The neck, top line, body segment calls for a smooth throat with no excess skin folds and a nicely arched, fairly long neck.  The word “arched” denotes a curved structure.  The top line should be smooth, without a dip or break between the withers and the back.  The chest, back, loin and croup descriptions are clear. Tail docking refers to removing any portion of the tail, whether it is done at birth or later for any reason, through surgery.  The front legs are to come straight down from the elbows to the pasterns, whether looking at the dog from the side or the front.  Cow-hocks occur when the points of the hocks are closer together than the heels of the pads in normal standing position.  The feet, coat and color and markings sections of the Dalmatian are reasonably clear.

The Dalmatian’s spotted coat makes him instantly recognizable.  He has a global reputation as a fun loving fashion statement.  But more than a movie star, the Dalmatian is a tireless dog who has the energy to jog for miles, as his carriage escorting ancestors did for years.

The information provided in this article is not intended for show dogs and does not deal with the conformation of champions and how to select one. The description given here provides basic information about the stature of a Dalmatian and qualities of a physical nature.  Since standards come and standards go, measuring your Dalmatian against some imaginary yardstick does little for you or your dog.  Just because your dog is not a show champion, it does not mean that he is any less of a family member.  And just because a dog is a champion does not mean that he is not a genetic time bomb waiting to go off.

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When breeders and those interested in showing Dalmatians are selecting dogs, they are looking for those qualities that match the breed “standard.”  This standard changes from time to time and from country to country.  Thus, the conformation and physical characteristics that pet owners should concentrate on are somewhat different and much more practical.

Dalmatians were originally bred to be medium-sized dogs.  However, as they were used for more and more guard work, they were bred to become much larger.  Most adult males are between 22 and 24 inches at the withers and female Dalmatians are about 1-2 inches smaller.  The normal weight range for the breed is between 40 and 70 pounds.

It is not unusual to see dogs considerably larger than the breed standard allows and some males may be 27 inches at the withers and 90 pounds.  Dalmatians in Britain tend to be larger than American varieties.  Larger dogs are not necessarily better dogs.  Dalmatians were never intended to be considered “giants” and the increased size might promote some medical problems which tend to be more common in larger dogs.  Evidence shows that the larger members of the breed might be more susceptible to orthopedic disorders such as elbow dysplasia and hip dysplasia.

There are two “approved” colors for Dalmatian: white with black spots and white with liver/brown spots.  The “spots” tend to be focal and less than 5 cm (2 inches).  Larger areas of color are referred to as patches and will disqualify a Dalmatian from the conformation show ring, though these patches have no health impact.

Since the mid 18th century, historians have found references to the breed of dog known as the Dalmatian.  The breeds’ first established home, for which the breed was also named after was Dalmatia.  It is a place in the Western Yugoslavian area which at one time was part of Austria, located on the Adriatic.  However, these dogs were well-known throughout many parts of the world long before that time.  The breed was shown in various types of antique art including engravings, paintings, models, and early writings which have accounted for the presence of spotted dogs of the same size and type in wide-ranging areas including early Africa, Asia, and Europe.  As history tells us, several bands of ancient gypsies (Romanies) were accompanied by the dogs in their wanderings around the world, which explains the vast widespread and popularity of the breed.

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The Dalmatian quickly became a favorite and established some of their best known claims to fame in Great Britain.  They were brought there by members of the British upper classes who in those days often made tours to Europe and would often come back  accompanied by some of the striking spotted dogs.  Right after they were adopted by the English aristocracy who used them to accompany their horse-drawn carriages, the charming dog soon became a feature of these processions.  The dogs were taught to station themselves beneath the rear axle of the coach, and in some cases to trot underneath the pole separating the horses.  They were also taught to lead the procession, trotting along ahead of the first horse, which was an impressive sight to see!

Another type of activity with which the Dalmatian became known for, which also said to have started in Great Britain, is his very famous role of being a “firehouse dog.”  This was said to have started with the dogs being used as ratters, for the function of killing vermin in London’s stables and firehouses, which they did with expertise.   But these dogs loved the horses and the fire engine, so it was almost inevitable that they soon were racing ahead of them through the streets whenever the alarm was sounded.  In the present days, many Dalmatians can still be seen riding on the fire trucks with their masters.  Dalmatians are still considered as the mascot and are often found in firehouses, not only in Great Britain but in the United States and other countries as well.

In addition to being a “firehouse dog,” Dalmatians have also worked in war times; done sentinel duty; served as shepherd’s dogs; and as draft dogs.  The Dalmatian has been seen in many circus shows, especially enjoying popularity with the clowns as “assistants,” their intelligence, aptitude, and showy appearance having fitted them particularly well for this activity.