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Post by AussieMeg on Jul 13, 2016 6:39:01 GMT
Argh.
We lost our gorgeous Bichon Frise back in May and the rest of the family are keen to get another dog. (I would prefer not to get another dog but I am not totally opposed to it.) I loved having a Bichon, he didn't shed and he didn't need huge amounts of exercise.
DS had his heart set on a cavoodle. I was reasonably happy with this as they don't shed either. My dad had a cavoodle and he was a lovely dog. DSO wanted a Dalmation but thankfully changed his mind when he read that they shed considerably.
Now for some reason he's back on the Dalmation bandwagon and has talked the kids into it as well. I am really upset about it. Everything I've read suggests that they are very energetic and require lots of exercise, and they don't do well when left alone all day (which our dog would be) and they will dig massive holes if left alone. Of course DSO and the kids all ASSURE me that they will walk the dog every morning blah blah blah but we all know how THAT works out.
Any experience with this breed?
I'm still hoping to change his mind. I tried the old theory that I've read here that a no outweighs a yes, but DSO didn't buy it. He (and the kids of course) believe that "majority rules". I think I might have to move out.
Update:
Thanks for the input everyone. You've pretty much convinced me that we are NOT the right family for a Dalmation (which I knew anyway). Despite the kids promising that they will walk it every day, I know that it will not happen. And I sure as hell will NOT be doing it. As I said in my OP, I don't want to get another dog. Even though I miss having my little buddy around, I am enjoying the freedom that not having a dog has brought to our lives.
Anyway, I discussed it further with DSO last night, and he had agreed to consider other dogs. He googled "dogs that don't shed" and came up with some weird choices. Top of the list was a Basenji (a fucking hunting dog!!!) and a Manchester Terrier. Both are medium/larger dogs with high energy so STILL not suitable as far as I'm concerned. The only dogs I would not be completely unhappy with are smallish dogs that don't shed. Another Bichon would be fine, and nothing bigger than a Cavoodle.
For those who mentioned getting a shelter dog..... That is certainly an option AS LONG AS they can find one that does not shed. As I don't want to get a dog I will not be participating in the search.
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AllieC
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Post by AllieC on Jul 13, 2016 7:49:56 GMT
My workmate has 2 and although she loves them they are a lots of work. They are home most of the day too but get a very long walk in the morning and evening. Both of hers have had heaps of ear problems and skin problems. One of them is constantly at the vet with skin issues which apparently is quite common with the breed. Both are diggers.
My sister also had one, he passed away when he was about 16 years old and dint have many health issues at all but he did have to get a lot of exercise. This one didn't have a real digging problem.
Good luck!
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M in Carolina
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Post by M in Carolina on Jul 13, 2016 8:04:13 GMT
They are high energy. Dalmatians were very popular here in the 90s after the live action 101 Dalmatians movie came out. I remember my dad being angry about it. I found this article Unwanted DalmationsIf you're going to compromise, I think finding a dog that is really easy going would be a must. High energy and/or high intelligence dogs require a lot more attention than just daily food and walks. If they don't get the exercise and mental stimulation they require to be healthy, they will act out since that's the only way they can communicate. Dalmations were popular as fire dogs in the US because they thrive in high energy atmospheres. Personally, I've never seen a family that was happy with their decision to own a Dalmation. |
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Post by miominmio on Jul 13, 2016 8:23:18 GMT
I know someone who has two. They are very high-energy, and just going for walks isn't enough to keep them happy (and out of mischief).
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Post by Rainy_Day_Woman on Jul 13, 2016 9:51:22 GMT
My neighbour has two and those dogs have energy. He works from home, and walks them four times a day at least (for fairly long walks). And they are still mischievous.  They are lovely dogs but high maintenance for sure. |
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Post by 2peafaithful on Jul 13, 2016 10:39:16 GMT
I had a friend that had one and he was very high energy and he needed a lot due to that. Unless dh is around to do the majority of that I wouldn't be OK with it if you don't have peace about it.
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lesley
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Post by lesley on Jul 13, 2016 10:51:42 GMT
One of the classroom assistants at the kids' school had two Dalmatians. They were constantly destroying her house, as they were left alone for about 5 hours most weekdays. I remember they dug up all of her pot plants one day, and dragged them all over her house. They're lovely dogs - if you have plenty of time and energy to keep up with them!  |
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Jul 13, 2016 11:37:21 GMT
Personally, I've never seen a family that was happy with their decision to own a Dalmation. The woman who was my nanny when I was little had one later (we've stayed in touch my whole life). He was a great dog. He did have a prolonged "puppy" phase of high energy and crazy behavior, but eventually settled into a lovely dog. |
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blue tulip
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Post by blue tulip on Jul 13, 2016 11:41:31 GMT
we had one for a short time when I was young. even living on a farm and being able to run all the time, that dog was high energy and got into trouble. he also seemed to be deaf, which didn't help. my parents ended up finding another home for him within the year.
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Post by brina on Jul 13, 2016 12:47:05 GMT
I used to volunteer at a shelter and they dreaded whenever Disney re-released 101 Dalmations. Invariably, whenever that cartoon was re-released, or when the live action version came out, 6 months to a year later the shelter would be flooded with dals. They are extremely high-energy dogs - like take them on a 6 mile run daily high energy. They chew, they dig. They are really not good dogs for people who have not thoroughly researched and committed themselves to providing them what they need.
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MerryMom
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Post by MerryMom on Jul 13, 2016 12:49:50 GMT
The fire department has always had a dalmatian (Sparky, Sparky 2, Sparky 3, Blaze, Smokey, TOG for "Turn out gear", Hurst for "Hurst tool") . They are high energy dogs for sure and the guys at the firehouse always got the "high energy" dalmatians. I agree with the statement about they seem to be in a "teen dog" high energy phase...for about 10 years. Then they slow down.
Walking the dog in the morning won't be enough exercise to get these dogs through the day until you get home.
The firehouse dalmatians stayed pretty exercised because there are 12 new guys every 24 hours to play with and exercise the dogs. The guys at the firehouse trained their dalmatians to walk on a treadmill. That helped considerably. They also had a big side yard in which to throw the ball for the dog. The dogs were well-trained and the guys had to be consistent about enforcing the training for all of them at all times. They can be a bit strong-minded. The dogs always had a Kong or Nylabone to help with the chewing issue. When the guys were out on a run (if everyone was gone), they put the dog in a huge crate in the engine bay. It really wasn't a crate, it was a kennel that they had inside the engine bay. The dogs were trained to go to the kennel when the tones went off so they didn't run out the bay doors as the trucks and engines were leaving.
Interestingly, the dogs always got very quiet and passive when the kids are at the firehouse for school tours, etc. Would just let the kids pet and pet and pet and pet and pet them.
It was always so sad when one the dogs died, the firefighters really miss them. The dogs definitely serve a purpose in terms of providing support for the guys. When they would sit in the La Z Boy chairs watching TV, the dogs would just go from one firefighter to another and get loved on and petted, then move on to the next, nudge the hand with the nose and get petted. When the dogs got to the end of the line, would start all over. Too funny to watch it.
They are lovely dogs, but always, you need to know the breed and what type of owner or family you are and whether it is a "good fit".
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Post by lisacharlotte on Jul 13, 2016 13:05:25 GMT
We had a great Dalmatian. Yes they shed and our dog could play fetch ALL. DAY. LONG. We didn't have issues with home destruction. He was a lovely pet.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 13, 2016 13:14:37 GMT
Shelter dogs make get pets.
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Post by Patter on Jul 13, 2016 13:15:07 GMT
We do not have a Dalmatian but have two Rough Collies (15 months and 18 months). The reason I wanted to chime in is because of the energy level. My boys have high energy levels as they are herding breeds. I have to walk them long each morning. I have to play outside fetch and fun with them at least 4x a day. They take a LOT of work but I love them dearly, and I am at a point in my life that is okay. If we leave town, they have to go to a kennel that can provide activities for them all day long so they are worn out before putting in their kennel run at night. They are very happy and well-behaved boys but that's because of the huge amount of time I invest in them each and every day. I cannot have a sitter at the house unless they could provide the amount of time with them that I do when I am there. The kennel is better because they have been going since 8 weeks of age and LOVE it. Just wanted to speak from the "energy level" side so you know what might be involved there. If they were alone all day, I could not have this breed.
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Post by littlemama on Jul 13, 2016 13:38:43 GMT
My grandma's neighbor had 2 of them. They were deaf, which it was my understanding, is not uncommon due to inbreeding. They were also energetic and liked to run. Pretty hard to call back a deaf dog...
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Post by SockMonkey on Jul 13, 2016 13:48:08 GMT
Dalmations tend to be really inbred, so think carefully about this breed. They can be deaf, have allergies, and honestly, aren't all that smart. I'm SURE there are exceptions, but the only two dalmatians I've known were dumb as heck, and one had such severe allergies it could only eat rice and boiled chicken. I hope you will consider rescuing! |
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artbabe
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Post by artbabe on Jul 13, 2016 14:16:01 GMT
I used to work at a pet boarding facility. The dalmatians who stayed there always seemed a bit dumb to me. I also saw two different ones with bandaged tails because when they wagged them they hit things and injured them. They were also pretty hyper.
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carhoch
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Post by carhoch on Jul 13, 2016 14:33:02 GMT
Dalmatians are great dogs for people that run 5 or 10 miles everyday ...
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scrapngranny
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Post by scrapngranny on Jul 13, 2016 14:43:42 GMT
High energy and high strung. They are good dogs for the right family, no so good for others.
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freebird
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Post by freebird on Jul 13, 2016 15:02:01 GMT
Personally, I've never seen a family that was happy with their decision to own a Dalmation. The woman who was my nanny when I was little had one later (we've stayed in touch my whole life). He was a great dog. He did have a prolonged "puppy" phase of high energy and crazy behavior, but eventually settled into a lovely dog. I had 3 dalmatians with my ex (he's a firefighter). Only one was way too high energy... that was the female. We had 2 males and they were just amazing dogs. so much so that I seriously considered dalmatians when we were thinking about dogs. I ended up with boxers so maybe my "high energy" scale is completely skewed. lol |
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jul 13, 2016 15:38:08 GMT
A friend had one, and my FIL had a mixed breed that was part Dalmatian. They are big dogs and VERY high energy. I agree with the others who said one walk a day will not be enough. Like any dog, they can be destructive if they are bored and are left home alone and unstimulated for long stretches.
For me, the shedding would be the deal breaker. We have three that shed right now, and the need for constant vacuuming and sweeping up dog hair (plus it gets on EVERYTHING, ugh) drives me totally insane. Since I'm the one stuck always cleaning up that mess, if and when we ever get another dog when the current ones are gone it will absolutely be a non-shedding breed or mix. I'm not caving in on that point ever again. I would much rather deal with the occasional hassle of getting a dog groomed than the constant hassle and mess of dog hair on every stinking thing in my house.
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Post by sillyrabbit on Jul 13, 2016 15:44:54 GMT
We had a male Dalmation, and I loved that dog. He was such a sweetheart. He loved toys but knew he wasn't supposed to bother the Raggedy Ann and Andy DH's grandmother had made before she passed away. You would hear him sneaking around and tiptoeing to get to it occasionally.  He'd drop it and just look like, "What?" when he got busted. He was a little headstrong and stubborn at times, but I don't remember him being exceptionally high-energy. Like freebird we have boxers now so maybe my definition of high-energy is a bit jacked up. |
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bethany102399
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Post by bethany102399 on Jul 13, 2016 16:47:16 GMT
I had friends when I was in my 20's who had one. He was VERY high energy, and a big dog. His head was waist high on me and I'm 5'6. He was also very protective of his owners, to the point of lashing out and snapping at people who came near them. He came after me one day, and his owner, who was/is very petit, struggled to hold on to him. Scared the you know what out of me. I'm glad others have had a better experience with them, becuase based on my own interactions with that one dog there's no way I'd ever want to own one.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 13, 2016 17:22:59 GMT
I had friends when I was in my 20's who had one. He was VERY high energy, and a big dog. His head was waist high on me and I'm 5'6. He was also very protective of his owners, to the point of lashing out and snapping at people who came near them. He came after me one day, and his owner, who was/is very petit, struggled to hold on to him. Scared the you know what out of me. I'm glad others have had a better experience with them, becuase based on my own interactions with that one dog there's no way I'd ever want to own one. Wow. This is the first time I have ever heard of one being aggressive. I am sorry you had that experience. I find them to be on the scale of a gifted/talented ADD preteen. They live to interact, learn and show off. That is why they are used for safety demos. I have met some that actually know sign language. They were breed to run along side carriages.so long distance running is their thing, and they usually still have energy. |
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Post by crimsoncat05 on Jul 13, 2016 17:27:48 GMT
just had to say, MerryMom , I love your story about Dalmatians at the firehouse and their interactions with the firefighters... it sounds like they really ARE a perfect fit together.  |
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Post by cmpeter on Jul 13, 2016 17:45:04 GMT
We have one. She was a rescue after being abandoned in a friends back yard. We got her when she was about 2 (vet's estimate) and have had her for almost 11 years now.
She is the sweetest thing. She's never been high energy or destructive. Doesn't care for toys or chewing. Super smart, doesn't lick or jump up on people or furniture. People often comment that she seems so low key for her breed.
She does shed, regular grooming and the furminator brush help a lot with that. She's been pretty deaf for the past year or so. She can hear some loud claps or banging sounds. We had to train her to come in at night when we flash the back deck light since we can't call her in.
We live on a wooded acre and have an invisible fence. She's never tried to test it or left the yard since the first day when we started training her on it. Besides running around the yard, she doesn't get any other regular exercise.
I do work from home. She spends most of her time with me in the office. She doesn't like being alone in the dark (has her own nightlight) flashlights or cameras.
She is a great dog, but from what I have read and what others have said when they meet her and compare her to other Dalmatians she's much less energetic. Oh, and before she lost her hearing, she would bark a ton whenever she heard a knock or doorbell sound (real life, on TV, someone knocking on wood, etc) and howl at every siren sound. Smart as she is we couldn't train that out of her. We could get her to shush pretty quickly if we were with her.
She's also small for her breed at 45 lbs.
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Post by gmcwife1 on Jul 13, 2016 18:10:24 GMT
From what I've seen Dalmatians are similar to Huskies, both are wonderful breeds but need the right owner/family. I like both breeds and know owners of both, but neither breed are for me. In general they both take more work then I feel comfortable taking on.
I have a working breed that is considered a high energy breed but all three of ours have adjusted to our lifestyle. They are fairly laid back and can be pretty lazy for their breed.
If you don't want to deal with shedding, I would not get a dog. But for us, that isn't our major concern. If we didn't want to deal with shedding we wouldn't have a dog at all.
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Post by Patter on Jul 13, 2016 18:34:16 GMT
I had friends when I was in my 20's who had one. He was VERY high energy, and a big dog. His head was waist high on me and I'm 5'6. He was also very protective of his owners, to the point of lashing out and snapping at people who came near them. He came after me one day, and his owner, who was/is very petit, struggled to hold on to him. Scared the you know what out of me. I'm glad others have had a better experience with them, becuase based on my own interactions with that one dog there's no way I'd ever want to own one. Wow, wonder how big that one was. Rough Collies are larger than Dalmatians, and I don't think my boys are big. I am 5 foot tall, and they weigh 65 lbs. with their back coming to the top of my thigh. All Dalmatians I have seen at our day camp are smaller than my boys. I hope my boys even get a bit bigger. LOL! |
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bethany102399
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Post by bethany102399 on Jul 13, 2016 20:30:17 GMT
Wow. This is the first time I have ever heard of one being aggressive. I am sorry you had that experience. Good, I'm glad to know my experience was not the norm. My one and only interaction with the breed was this dog, and it was enough to put me off ever owning one. Makes me wonder how much of his aggressiveness was owner incompetence. |
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Post by sparkyduchess on Jul 13, 2016 21:15:41 GMT
I had 3 growing up. They were all MASSIVELY high energy, and the third was brain damaged so never fully house trained. She also never learned about glass doors, we had to put stickers on them so she'd remember it was a solid surface, rather than running straight at it and giving herself concussion!
Lovely natures, but they shed everywhere, get bored in an instant and need a lot of exercise.
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Southern Side eyed Pea 
He'd drop it and just look like, "What?" when he got busted. He was a little headstrong and stubborn at times, but I don't remember him being exceptionally high-energy. Like _on_the_beach.jpg)
