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One of the first
things you should know about Dalmatians as a breed
is that they are very friendly and playful animals,
and love to be with you and around you most of the
time. We urge you to use this natural tendency in
training your pet and getting them comfortable in
their new home, but do not rely on their great
personality alone. The Dalmatian, if left alone for
a long time, can become destructive, not because
they turn mean but because their natural energy and
playfulness pushes them to stay active and involved
in something.
With this in mind, most owners will find that the
Dalmatian is quite easy to housebreak and train
to follow basic rules. They can be wonderful
companions to children, especially if the breeder
has made the effort to socialize them properly.
Their medium size and general sturdiness allows them
to play and romp with family members without risk of
serious injury to either the dog or the person.
However, as with all dogs, some limits should be set
so that your puppy will know from the start that
some things are fine and others are not.
Dalmatians are very
intelligent and willing to learn, if the owner uses
firm and consistent methods. However, the breed is
naturally sensitive, meaning it does not respond
well to physical punishment. Prevention in
housebreaking and other training is always the best
method with this breed. One misconception about
Dalmatians is that they are “hyper” dogs, but this
is because people mistake the breed’s natural energy
and playfulness as hyperactivity. If you will spend
a good amount of time with your new dog and make
sure that outside exercise is part of the daily
routine, you should not have to be worried about an
overactive pet.
Dalmatians have the lean, sturdy lines similar to
pointers and other working dogs and have excellent
endurance. They were bred to work with their owners
and have always been quite comfortable around horses
and horse drawn vehicles. For this reason, they are
not great yard dogs, to be left alone to entertain
themselves and lay about, because they want to be
involved with people and even other animals. Males
can sometimes be aggressive toward other male dogs,
but in general, they are comfortable with other dogs
if they were properly socialized at a young age.
Dalmatians make good watchdogs and have a strong,
distinctive bark that will help in this task.
One of the keys in training a Dalmatian is to use
positive reinforcement. The breed can be trained to
a high degree of obedience and agility but not when
using pain such as jerking or pulling. One trainer
emphasizes a toy or treat, as a motivator and has
excellent results with Dalmatians because, as a
breed, they are eager to please and enjoy learning.
Using a simple sound or word as part of this
reinforcement seems to be the best way to train the
Dalmatian to respond to verbal commands. A program
such as a “puppy kindergarten” should work well for
your Dalmatian, as long as the emphasis is on
positive response and not on physical punishment.
If you decide to enroll in obedience training with
your Dalmatian, it is best to use only a loose lead
and to go beyond simple walking and heeling as soon
as possible. The Dalmatian is usually a quick
learner, responding to higher levels of training if
the method is consistent and the experience is
positive. Dalmatians are said to have a long memory
and can recall harsh treatment for a long time after
it happens. Make the learning a good experience for
you and for your new pet and you will have many
great times with this wonderful breed.
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