Although the most popular theory places the Dalmatian's beginnings in his namesake country, Dalmatia (part of Croatia), his actual origins are unknown. His history is a mysterious one, documented by pictures and paintings of spotted dogs strikingly similar to today's Dalmatian. There are pictures of spotted dogs following Pharaoh's chariots on the royal tombs of Egypt so it is possible the Dalmatian's heritage is more ancient than originally thought. No matter where his actual beginnings, he truly evolved into the dog he is today when he was adopted by the British. A spotted dog, popular in India, was introduced into Great Britain by the English aristocracy after their colonization of that country. His inborn love of horses, coupled with his handsome good looks, made him the first and only "Coach Dog". The function of the Dalmatian, however, was not simply ornamental. He also served as a guard dog for the coaches, protecting travelers' belongings at the frequent stops along the route.

Appearance
The Dalmatian is a distinctively spotted dog; poised and alert; strong, muscular and active; free of shyness; intelligent in expression; symmetrical in outline; and without exaggeration or coarseness. The Dalmatian is capable of great endurance, combined with fair amount of speed.

Character
The Dalmatian is a lively, active dog with plenty of stamina. It is a sensitive and loyal dog breed which bonds very closely with its owner. Friendly and playful, it can also be prone to behaviour problems if not provided with enough exercise and mental stimulation. The Dalmatian adapts easily to new places and responds well to all types of training. Although the Dalmatian can live outside in temperate or warm climates, it needs shelter, soft bedding and, most of all, companionship. Thus, the Dalmatian is best allowed to live in the house and play in the yard.
 

Temperament
As a result of their history as coach dogs, the Dalmatian is very active and needs plenty of exercise. The Dalmatians are very fast runners, with a great deal of stamina and self-reliance. Given freedom to roam, they will take multi-day trips on their own across the countryside. In today's urban environment, the Dalmatians will not likely survive such excursions and must be contained. Their energetic and playful nature make them good companions for children and they have an instinctive fondness for humans and horses. These qualities make them somewhat "unbreakable", and forgiving of rough handling by children. However, it is imperative that they be socialized with children while still puppies, and also that children be taught the correct way to play with a Dalmatian. These are powerful dogs that are easily capable of injuring a child in the process of innocent play.

The Dalmatians have very sensitive natures and never forget ill-treatment, and cannot be trained by using rough methods. However, their rambunctious and playful personalities necessitate constant supervision around very small children, whom they may accidentally knock over and hurt. Dalmatians are extremely people oriented dogs, and will get very lonely if left by themselves, and should be trained to accept their owners' absence if they must be left alone as otherwise they will pine severely. A better option is to provide companions. These dogs crave human companionship and do poorly if left alone in a backyard or basement. Dalmatians are famed for their intelligence, independence, and survival instincts. In general they have good memories and are usually kind natured (individual specimens may vary). Originally bred to defend carriages and horses, the Dalmatians can become territorial if not properly raised.

Exercise/Training
The Dalmatian loves to run, and it needs daily mental and physical exercise to keep it from becoming frustrated. It can be a good companion for jogging, hiking ore running along side a bike. Playing and obedience are very good types of mental exercise. 20 minutes obedience and playing with your Dalmatian will be more useful for the dogs exercise then an hour walk on the leash can provide.

Color
The ground color of the Dalmatian should be pure white. Black spotted dogs should have dense black spots and liver spotted dogs liver-brown spots. They should not run together but be round and well defined the size of 5 cent to a 50 cent coin, as well distributed as possible. Spots on the extremities should be smaller than those on the body.

Grooming
The coat of the Dalmatian needs only a very little grooming and coat maintenance. A good nutrition and regular brushing keeps the proper coat shine and the skin healthy. A good nutrition will also keep the coat color of the Dalmatian white! Bathing doesn’t harm the coat of the Dalmatian as long as you use a good quality shampoo that doesn't dry the skin and coat and is formulated for a canine coat. The ears of the Dalmatian should be kept clean and regularly inspected as well.

Any breed described as "good with children", the dog must be accustomed to children. Any dog that is not well socialized with children will not behave predictably around them. As with all dogs, they should never be left alone with young children.