Height: 19-24 Inches 
Weight: 45-70 pounds
Life Expectancy: 11-15 years 

The Dalmatian dog can make a wonderful companion, they are highly intelligent and highly active. They have incredible endurance and stamina and must have adequate daily exercise to prevent behavior problems from developing. Dalmatians love attention and have a strong desire to please. Dalmatians enjoy socialization with people, children, other dogs, and other environments. This is important to ensure they become well-rounded dogs. 

Dalmatians are born white (although they may show spots at birth) and continue to develop these spots until about 18 months old. Most dalmatians are black and white, or brown and white (liver spotted), and very rarely yellow and white (lemon). Dalmatians are short-haired and shed year-round. Due to the minimal amount of oil in their coats, they lack a dog odor and stay fairly clean compared to other dog breeds. 

Dalmatians can be prone to certain health issues such as allergies, urinary stones, and deafness. All dalmatians should be BAER tested (brainstem auditory evoked response) at approximately 6 weeks of age. Dalmatians can have bilateral hearing (both ears), unilateral hearing (one ear), or can be deaf. Dalmatians can also be prone to urinary stones. Diet is a very important part of ensuring dalmatians do not develop crystals or stones. HUA dalmatians will create large amounts of uric acid and will be prone to creating crystals and stones. LUA dalmatians have normal uric acid levels and are much less likely to develop these crystals or stones. Regardless of LUA or HUA, it is important to feed a low-purine diet. 

Dalmatians are most known for their role as firehouse dogs. Dalmatians were used for horse-drawn fire carriages to help clear paths and guide horses and firefighters to fires. Dalmatians are known for their natural compatibility with horses, which made them so easily trainable for these horse-drawn carriages.