6 Fetching Facts About Dalmatians

As many of you know at Sophie Allport, we adore dogs of all kinds, breeds, shapes, colours and sizes, and the new addition to Sophie’s pet designs is her striking Dalmatian range, which features on some lovely home linens and pet mattresses. We’re taking a look at some pawsome facts about dalmatians.

1. Dalmatians are born spotless. Although dalmatians are known for their striking spotted coats, they are actually born completely white and develop spots from two to four weeks old. Their beautiful markings are easily recognisable and are usually black or brown, however, they can also appear lemon, blue or brindle. 
   
2. Each Dalmatian has unique spots. Just like our thumbprints, dalmatians have spots that are unique to them, and you can find them all over their bodies, including inside their mouths!
3. It’s not known where they originate from. Dalmatians are an old breed, so it’s not known where they first originated from, although they have had numerous names over the years including, the English Coach Dog, the Carriage Dog, the Fire House Dog, the Pudding Dog and the Spotted Dick. 
   
4. They became popular in the 1800's. During the 1800's Dalmatians were used as coach dogs and would run alongside carriages to protect them and the horses from any threats or other dogs.
5. Dalmatians are known to have an increased risk of deafness. Between 15% and 30% of dalmatians suffer from deafness, with 5% being deaf in both ears. Their deafness is associated with their piebald colouration, which is what causes the majority of their coat to be white, and their eyes to be blue (those of which have blue eyes).
   
6. They are as charming in real life as they are in the Disney film 101 Dalmatians. They can go from being goofy to being fearless in seconds, and they also make a great jogging partner as they have high energy levels. 
   

There we have it, our six facts about dalmatians! We hoped you enjoyed learning something new about these spotted dogs. If you haven’t yet had a browse of Sophie’s latest dog design, then be sure to check it out, there’s a beautiful range of kitchen linens and pet mattresses too.

Do you have any dalmatian facts of your own? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear them.