This breed loves to be around their ‘hoomans’ for any reason; whether watching you fold up washing or going on a long walk around the park. However, their extreme energy means that they are not the ideal pet for everyone, as they can be exhausting to live with. You need to have a very active lifestyle in hope of ever matching their energy levels and if not, they’ll need to channel their energy into things like dog competitions, in categories such as agility and flyball, where they can really let loose! Not only are these guys super-energised, but they’re also super-intelligent as well. For this reason, they need to be trained from a very young age in order to establish rules. It’s also important to know how to spot a deaf dog, as 24% are born with hearing in just one ear, and 8% with none at all, in which case they will need extra special training and love from ‘hoomans’ who have experience in this area.

Exactly how this breed came about is unknown, but what we do know is that they are at least several hundred years old and were first seen travelling with Romani Gypsies. Their name came about during their stay in Dalmatia, found in the Adriatic Sea (now known as Croatia!). They have been utilised in lots of different jobs, including acting as guard dogs, retrievers, circus and coaching dogs, where they would run in front of horses pulling a coach. The Dalmatian’s strong affinity with horses is what makes them such good firehouse dogs, which they can still be found doing to this day! But they are probably more famously known for featuring in the film 101 Dalmatians, a Disney favourite!