Freckles
Freckles
A dalmatian wants to be close to you and they are really into PDA (public displays of affection). They can be into shenanigans if bored or under exercised physically and mentally. Deep pressure therapy lover and stealer of kisses. Playful and adoring 35 lb. sidekick who loves hugs and will really lean in for a good snuggle. Easy to potty train and just plain easy to train. One time I asked her to not play fetch with the shih tzu, because she wins hands down and pounces them in the process, and her reward was cuddle time in my lap. That is all she wants out of life so forever more when we throw a fetch toy and the shih tzu dive for it she jumps in my lap, I only showed her that once or twice tops. She's patient and obedient, she doesn't jump fences to try and escape the yard even when they are only 30" tall in the shih tzu yard. If she does escape her pen when alone she doesn't run away from me if I make it a game, she just wants to come to where I am and hang out so she just runs to the kitchen door. Playing with other dogs is fun and she likes to prod the shih tzu and push their buttons to make them play fight, she is always gentle with them for the most part unless she gets too excited and rough and never hurts them out of anger. She is a clown and loves everybody and every dog, she plays well with others but still prefers a walk with her people after 10 minutes if the option is there. Not fetch so much, they have to be taught to like fetch, it's a built-up skill and not out of the womb. Of course, they like a few rounds especially if in a group of dogs playing the fetch game, like pick-up football, but to just play alone chasing a ball just to bring it back and then do that again and again is boring unless you build it into training. She has a passing hearing test (BAER) and a passing eye test (CAER).
Houndoom
Houndoom
All dalmatians are into deep pressure therapy, they really like to lean in with their body weight because they just want to touch you. Passing Eye CAER exam registered with the OFA. Low uric acid. This strong 60 lb. boy was raised by my son, and they live in the city where he provides protection as a deterrent to bad guys. Dalmatians are known for being suspicious of intruders whether known or not as they are dedicated watch dogs in tune with the human(s), they share the most time with. They need their people, this is not an aloof breed that is happy to not be touched or interacted with, they will get depressed. He is also a great conversation starter because who didn't love 101 dalmatians. He can jump a 5-foot fence easy and open doors if it's a push lever. He jumps the fence to be near his people, not escape the yard. He loves hugs and spending time with his family, long walks are cool too. If you remember 101 dalmatians it starts with Pongo pulling his owner through the park excited to get to wherever he was going, this is accurate. They can be a fun-loving goofy bull in a china shop, especially in their puppy and teen years. Playing with other dogs is okay for 5 or 10 minutes but mostly dalmatians just want to hang with their people, play dates aren't necessary for their happiness. Having said this, if you intend to leave them home alone a lot, they do prefer a companion, but they should probably be introduced when the dalmatian is a puppy if possible.
Dalmatian's in History
Dalmatian's in History
Excerpt from the Dalmatian Club of America:
..."His activities have been as varied as his reputed ancestors. He has been a dog of war, a sentinel on the borders of Dalmatia and Croatia. He has been employed as draft dog, as shepherd. He is excellent on rats and vermin. He is well known for his heroic performances as fire-apparatus follower and fire-house mascot. As a sporting dog he has been used as bird dog, as trail hound, as retriever, or in packs for boar or stag hunting. His retentive memory had made him one of the most dependable clowners in circuses and on the stage. Down through the years the intelligence and willingness of the Dalmatian have found him in practically every role to which useful dogs are assigned.
Most important among his talents has been his status as the original, one-and-only coaching dog. The imaginative might say that his coaching days go back to an engraving of a spotted dog following an Egyptian chariot! Even the practical minded will find no end of proof, centuries old, of the Dalmatian, with ears entirely cropped away and padlocked brass collar, plying his natural trade as follower and guardian of the horse-drawn vehicle."...
Training and Grooming
DALMATIAN
Excerpt from the Dalmatian Club: "Dalmatians should be given basic training. They are intelligent and need a structured outlet for their busy brains. Often new owners begin training their puppy for good citizenship and end up happily involved in competition sports that the agile and intelligent Dalmatian enjoys so much. Socialization of young Dalmatians is very important. By exposing the puppy to new places, new faces and a variety of different experiences, he will be more settled and sociable, and a social Dal is a happy Dal—one who will be a true ambassador for the breed.
Grooming: Clean by nature, Dalmatians are one of the few breeds that groom themselves and have none of the odor common to other dogs. Even when you stroke their extremely soft coat, your hand will still smell fresh. Dals do shed year-round, but a little bit of regular brushing helps to minimize this. A bath three to four times a year is usually enough, and breeders discourage frequent bathing, as soap removes the natural oil that keeps the coat in good condition; in addition, a dry coat means an itchy coat. Toenails should be trimmed weekly....
The Dalmatian also has the genetic predisposition to develop bladder stones. Because “blockage” with a stone is potentially life threatening, it must be treated as an emergency. Proper (low purine) diet (i.e., no venison, easy on cheese, etc.), plentiful clean water and frequent opportunities to urinate can limit the possibility of occurrence. We now know that reaching physical maturity before neutering is an important component in helping to prevent blockages, and The Dalmatian Club of America strongly urges waiting to spay/neuter until Dalmatians celebrate at least their first birthday. In addition, females (of any breed) spayed after their first season are less likely to develop mammary or uterine tumors."...
Link: Meet-the-Breed-HandOut.docx from the Dalmatian Club of America
Grooming for Dal's: slicker stones work really well, like for horse grooming. Their hair is kind of like horse hair, a rubber nubby glove works wonders also. Do nails often and early with a grinder. Sometimes they shake and flop their head too much and cause a hematoma in the tips of the ears. If you see blood on their head, face, or chin this is what has likely happened. These need medical attention if inside the ear canal as scarring can cause cauliflower ear. The tips of the ears need a styptic product with numby stuff in it because stypic stings. Wraps and bandages are pulled off within 30 minutes and liquid bandaid doesn't cut it. A styptic powder, cream, or gel is needed. The animal section usually has analgesic included in the formula. You must get the styptic if you don't want blood staining everywhere. If blood staining is fairly fresh 3% hydrogen peroxide's tiny bubbles will lift the blood and save your fabric, not for use on the dog please.
Catchy Phrases to remember in training:
Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast .... slow your roll, baby steps
What you release (reward) is what you teach
What is practiced will be repeated - for better or worse
K.I.S.S.'s. = keep it simple, short, silly
They fall to the level of the training, not rise to the occasion in a stressful or quick scenario.
If you don't want a grown dog doing the behavior, then don't let the puppy do the behavior. If they don't know it's a possibility they won't miss it.
Dal's eat plastics. No plastic dog houses in their area, use metals for fencing and housing protection, hide your earbuds and remotes. They eat fabric too, the super tough toys might be ripped to shreds in 30 minutes. The chew many chews too fast and sharp, only the toughest varieties, no yak cheese, beef ribs, or knuckles, go thicker.
My favorite kind of "training" with these pups is games with plain cheerios. Not the honey variety due to excess calories, 4 plain cheerios is 1 calorie. This is a better option for you to have fun, you get to treat your pup and you avoid excess table food which is actually harmful for them with potentially harmful spices and excess high fat calories. Keep them thin and they live 2 more years, feed them one overly fatty meal and get pancreatitis and potentially diabetes with daily shots for life. Making them fat is not kindness and makes more vet bills for life.
If a dog with the body type of the dal starts heaving with no production and the gut is expanding this is bloat, give them emergency simethicone and run to the vet ASAP, you do not have until morning, they will die.
So, the "training" is games like hungry hungry hippo tossing a small handful on the floor and watching the searching fun if you have more than one dog, 52 cheerio pick-up if it's just one (maybe not 52 at one time, that's just a play on the words for the 52 card pick up game that your older brother thought was funny, cheerios are way more fun for the dogs). Training is calling their name then giving them one cheerio, seeing them go in their crate and give them a cheerio, a single nail grinding - Cheerio! They sit and look at you - Cheerio! Anything cute - Cheerio! Now everyone feels good. You got to shower them with treats and do training at the same time all from your chair. Now the excitement for cheerios is built up by the hippo or 52 pick up. You are not going to get a down stay with cheerios. That's when you get to give them steak the size of a tiny green pea. Also, they love raw vegetable trimmings cut into, you guessed it, pieces the size of a pea. Asparagus ends too tough to eat in your meal, celery, green peppers, cucumbers, cabbage cores, etc. Onions and Garlic family foods are bad and make tummy upset. Don't give them big pieces and think they can just chew it because they won't necessarily chew.
Never overdo training. 5 minutes is enough for a session if you want them to maintain interest and always ending on a good note... don't do one last repetition as it is a greedy training mistake and asking for a bad note. You can do 2 or 3 sessions per day if you insist, 30 minutes is pushing your luck, and an hour is begging to end on a bad note. What is practiced will be repeated. Reward well and often in the beginning, real meat or cheese has the most value and the freeze-dried meat products are good also, not a dog biscuit for the shih's - tell the banks and tellers to save their treat as they will just spit it out. Carrots, cucumbers, melon, etc. are good value also. NO GRAPES or RAISINS or CAFFINE or CHOCOLATE (the darker it is the worse it is) or XYLITOL and can lead to kidney or liver failure even in small quantities. One high fat meal or spices can cause pancreatitis that can lead to diabetes requiring insulin injections daily or a spleen rupture.
Coupon Code: BaxterandBella.com 25% off training package CODE: MountainPassBarn . Amy Jensen free podcast "puppy training" on Spotify also available. (she is a former elementary school teacher who gives great, short, easy to digest learning materials for the new owner)
Introduction to other pets in the home: It's important to give other animals space and time to acclimate to the new visitor and not force them to accept the new addition immediately. Use baby gates or exercise pens to separate while allowing visual and smell introduction. Don't force them to share food or favorite toys and chews creating resentment and aggression. If you have a dog close to the same size and not typically aggressive towards other dogs, it's okay to allow them to correct the new puppy's behavior within reason. A dog that growls is sharing information, don't silence that information and communication, silence can be deadly. I want bark, not bite. It's the quiet ones you have to watch out for is a saying because it's true.
Potty Training: It causes less confusion if you just train to outside. Take them out of the crate directly to your preferred spot and wait for business to be completed. Go play for 30 minutes then go to the designated spot again. Feed then go to the spot again. Sometimes a little walk helps move things along. Your time span increases as they age. Some will catch on faster than others. It's important not to let them run free on carpet unsupervised or to go off of your diligent schedule, that will come after a year or so. If using potty pads, a pad that is 1/4 used with pee or any poo is done, a fresh one is required or they will use the floor or couch or their bed. Pet's World is a cheap brand that you can buy in bulk, a little thin but they're not using it more than once or twice anyway. In the baby puppy pen I train the pups to the brilliant pad system of potty pads because it has a protective grate so the hair on their feet don't get dirty, they can't eat the poo, and the pups can't shred the pads for fun as they will do in the 4-12 early weeks. This system rolls up the waste with the touch of a button, automatically, or by your phone. I have a 10% discount code brilliantpad.com/ShannonW . Pellet pine or paper litter box or bedding work well also if you prefer and indoor option for potty.
Play time in the really early months is for like 10 minutes then potty option for 5 minutes, 10 more minutes, are they sniffing in a corner - potty option now. After 30 minutes of this they need a nap, put them down for a nap in their play pen with potty pad or crate for 2 hours with a good chew toy. Rinse, repeat. Multiple animals in the same space cause distraction accidents. The younger they are the sooner they need to go outside after a meal and if you want them to crate for 3+ hours then take up the food 3+hrs prior. Never do you leave them to roam your huge house without being watched like a hawk for the first year. The second you have an accident then you know you allowed too much square footage too soon. Puppies NEED NAPS, downtime and a break from you so don't feel guilty about crating. Also, you must use enzyme cleaner to remove potty accident smells. You can try a home mixture recommended by Dr. Marty Greer DVM: 1 small bottle peroxide with 1 small box baking soda and 2 tablespoons DAWN dish soap, mix / use / avoid eyes. Rinse 5 times longer than you think because dish soap doesn't rinse out the same as shampoo. Use immediately, it doesn't save well. This mixture is the solution to skunk smell also - not tomato juice as the old tale goes.
Puppy Class: Find a puppy class and go play, be okay with being an under achiever as these concepts are to teach you more than the dog in the first year or two. Many professional dog people don't bother with specific training until much older, they wait for maturity. Don't let the pressure of being in class make you push your dog past their limit, recognize their stress before the bad association or melt down and quietly step away and probably be done for the day. Classes of one hour make people happy but aren't best for the puppy, you did get your monies worth even if you only participated for 20 minutes, crate your dog and watch the rest of the class if possible. Instructors are sometimes volunteers from clubs and may not be practiced enough to be attuned to your needs in every instance when in a group class. Be your own advocate without shame of disrupting the class or offending the instructor, this is common practice in the dog world. There is no shame in taking a bow for the day before you lose your cool or ruin months of progress. Keep it positive for the dog to keep them motivated to play the game with you.
Load a recall immediately and often: Use your preferred call command and reward with a food treat. Again and again. If you do nothing in your first year but this then you are still on a good trajectory. Cheerio game nightly, say their name and when they look at you and or come to you depending on how accomplished they are, they get a cheerio. yay. If doing this in the open off leash you better have steak the size of a pea. If your voice doesn't carry over long distances and you can't whistle you can use a clap rhythm as your special code language between you and your dog(s). Visual cues are nice to layer on also such as waving high above your head, like the folks directing airplanes or traffic.
Leash Walking: Dalmatians must be leash trained early before they are strong, every time they pull you change direction, you will get dizzy but hang in there. Maturity fixes so many things if you are patient. Don't drag but reward the moment they move forward of their own choice. We are not doing "heeling" work in the first year unless you are really doing this training thing for sport. The second they get to pulling you around change direction in a 90* turn or 180* about face direction. Don't fuss at them, just stay interesting by being unpredictable, jumping jacks if you have lost their interest, get creative. A session only needs to last 5 minutes once a day for a week to make progress. Most important is not to practice being dragged because what you practice will be repeated. Personally, I hate a tight heel and I also like the dog on the right as opposed to the "correct heel position", especially when passing others on a path in America as we have left at center, the dogs noses shouldn't be in the center of the isle, they should be on the outside, not interacting with the passing dog, just my opinion unless they are protecting you from the passer-by as opposed to you protecting your dog from the interaction, but I'm left handed and I often think the reverse is better.
Sometimes others ruin or wear out your command words so you must pick unique commands and not tell others who don't understand not to wear out the command to extinction. The person who says their name repeatedly and gives no treat are making your command useless.