Dalmatians are not a rare breed, they are just less popular to own than other breeds. This has a lot to do with the temperament and the general marketing of the breed. There are many horror stories of Dalmatians misbehaving because new or inexperienced owners are not well informed of their needs and wants to be a productive member of the household.
How rare are Dalmatians
According to the Kennel Club of America, Dalmatians rank number 49 out of 197 most popular dog breeds for 2021, putting them closer to the top of the table than the bottom. The table listed below helps put a number to how rare the breed actually is.
Kennel club of America Most popular dog rankings table for the Dalmatian
| Year | Ranking |
| 2013 | 64 of 177 |
| 2014 | 66 of 184 |
| 2015 | 62 of 184 |
| 2016 | 62 of 189 |
| 2017 | 63 of 190 |
| 2018 | 56 of 192 |
| 2019 | 60 of 195 |
| 2020 | 51 of 195 |
| 2021 | 49 of 197 |
Just in case you’re interested, the top 5 most common dog breed averaged over this period is listed below:
- Labrador Retriever
- German Shepherd
- Golden Retriever
- French Bulldog
- Bulldog
- Beagle made the list in the earlier years
Why Dalmatians are not rare
Dalmatians are an extremely well known breed amongst society in general, with their roles as fire dogs from the mid 1700s all the way up to the modern day, where firehouses still use Dalmatians as mascots and firehouse guards to this day. They are featured in cinema from movies to kids cartoons, making the breed known to basically everyone in society.
Why Dalmatians are considered rare
After the release of 101 Dalmatians, popularity for the breed grew dramatically as you can imagine. Shortly after, the rate of Dalmatians being put up for adoption and sent to dog shelters also grew dramatically as new and inexperienced pet owners didn’t know how to care for the breed, as they are quite different to the average dog breed temperament.
The temperament of a Dalmatian varies largely due to the breed’s history, so new owners of a Dal need to be well informed on what the Dal needs and how to bring out the best out of their new pet.
In short, if a Dalmatian isn’t treated or trained properly, the chances of unwanted and sometimes destructive behaviors are quite high, usually due to their super high energy levels. If Dalmatians are treated and trained properly, they are super loyal, loving and protective of their owners. Please read “Dalmatian Temperament and Personality” for a more in-depth discussion.
