A dog makes a good pet when it fits into your current and future lifestyle. Dalmatians make excellent pets when this is the case. They are very unique animals in both look and temperament, which seems to be part of the attraction to the breed. Purchasing a dog breed you like the look of, or getting what’s available at the time without doing your research is a mistake made by many and can land you with a dog that doesn’t suit your lifestyle. This usually leads to a bad pet-human relationship which can get out of control and lead to all kinds of problems and maybe even adoption.
What makes a good pet?
A good pet will slot into you and/or your family’s lives nicely. It’s important to understand why a dog is being added to the family, and how that dog will fit into your current and future lifestyle. You need to be happy with your new dog purchase, so getting the pet that you want is important, but research needs to be done on the specific breeds you’re interested in. The 3 main categories of research are:
- Size – basically small, medium and large…pretty self explanatory.
- Temperament – general personality traits exhibited in different dog breeds.
- Trainability – how easy is the dog to train? Takes into account intelligence, etc
All dogs can be somewhat moulded into the pet you want them to be, taking into account the breed’s general temperament, training methods and treatment of the animal over time.
Usually the 2 reasons a dog isnt a good pet are 1. Not fitting into your lifestyle properly 2. Poor treatment or training by the owner.
Another important factor when purchasing a dog is at what stage of its life it is at. This ranges from purchasing a puppy to rescuing or adopting an old dog near the end of its life. If purchasing a puppy, you are starting from scratch. The responsibility is on you to raise and train the dog into the perfect pet. When rescuing or adopting a dog the age can vary widely. Some may want an older dog that’s already trained, others may want to rescue dogs that have had a hard life and are near the end of it. It’s important to note when rescuing or adopting any animal, it’s impossible to know its complete history and past treatment.
Will a Dalmatian fit my lifestyle?
Dalmatians have a very unique temperament (click here for more info). They are high energy animals with a playful personality and a need to be close to their owners. Any Dalmatian owner will tell you that they need lots of attention, love and exercise to keep them happy and healthy. They are extremely loyal dogs and usually develop very close relationships with their owners/family. Dals have a specific diet requirement to help keep them healthy and avoid future health problems. They also need to be able to and encouraged to drink plenty of water and urinate frequently to avoid developing urinary stones.
Dalmatians are suited to owners/families that are home frequently (maybe work from home types) that can give the dog loads of attention and plenty of daily exercise. Dalmatians hate to be left alone for long periods of time. Personally, my Dal gets left alone for a few hours each morning because of work, but has access to a doggy door to my secure backyard. Sometimes, if I get held up and am late home, my Dal gives me the cold shoulder for a few minutes to let me know how mad he is haha…he can’t keep it up for long though (Dals love their humans too much).
It’s impossible to be around your dog 24/7 in today’s complicated society, but it’s unfair to purchase a Dalmatian if you have a super busy lifestyle leaving the dog home alone for most of the working week. One of the main reasons dalmatians are put up for adoption is because of this and the negative effects it has for the dog and the owner.
Dalmatian ownership positives
- Extremely loyal
- Have guarding/protective instincts
- Usually have a deep love for their owners
- Playful personalities
- Sensitive
- Very strong with great endurance
Dalmatian ownership negatives
- Can be aggressive
- Require lots of exercise
- Require lots of attention
- Stubborn
- Mischievous
- Can hurt small children accidentally
- Need a special diet
If you require more information about Dalmatians, please click here for access to our long list of articles specific to the Dalmatian breed.
Dalmatians make excellent pets when you know what you’re in for. If you have read through this article and decided a Dalmatian is the perfect pet for you and your family, there’s little doubt that it will be a great fit.
