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The Dalmatian is a breed of dog with a white coat marked with dark-coloured spots. Originally bred as a hunting dog, it was also used as a carriage dog in its early days. The origins of this breed can be traced back to Croatia and its historical region of Dalmatia.
Dalmatian puppies are born with plain white coats and their first spots usually appear within 10 days; however, spots may be visible on their skin from birth. They continue to develop until the dog is around 18 months old. Spots usually range in size from 2 to 6 cm (1.25 to 2.5 in), and are most commonly black or liver (brown) on a white background. Liver is the recessive colour in dalmatians, meaning that both parents have to carry the liver gene to produce this colour of pups. If both parents are liver, then all puppies will be liver-spotted. Black spotted dogs always have black noses, and liver spotted dogs always have brown noses.
Dalmatians are associated with firefighting, particularly in the United States. In the days of horse-drawn fire engines, dogs would guard the horses, who could easily become uncomfortable at the scene of a fire.[43] Dalmatians were a popular breed for this job due to their natural affinity to horses and history of being used as carriage dogs.[42] This role became unnecessary once horse-drawn fire engines were replaced with steam- and diesel-powered ones. Due to its history, the Dalmatian often serves as a mascot for the fire service, and is still chosen by many firefighters as a pet.
The popular Canadian animated TV series PAW Patrol features a Dalmatian as one of the main characters – ‘Marshall’, who is a firefighter and paramedic.