Do dalmations make good pets? are they good with kids?

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

We have been offered a dalmation, I know they're beautiful but are they good with kids? Thanks

[FabulousBakerGirl]

They grow pretty big.

Next door has two.

[callalilies]

I've got a nagging feeling they're not but I can't put my finger on where I heard that. Not much use, sorry!

There's one that lives near us that's Very Smelly though!

[peggotty]

They are mad. Like weimeraners. Too boisterous to make a good family dog imo

[callalilies]

Handy website?

[CMOTdibbler]

No, and no.

They need a huge amount of exercise (remember they were bred to run alongside coaches), and get ratty when they don't get it

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

It's an adult dog (well, bitch) so it'll be full size and we should be able to get an inkling of its temperament. I just don't want to get a breed of dog reknowned for being snappy or nasty or anything. Mad isn't too bad!

Don't know if we'll be getting her yet anyway, waiting on an opinion from dp.

[starshaker]

i had a dalmation and he was fantastic. was the best behaved dog i ever owned and he was deaf. very clever dogs and my dog was a big softie. but yes he needed lots and lots of exercise

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

Think this one is half deaf. That doesn't put me off but I think I will have to speak to the owner again for more information on the dog's temperament. She reckon's she's good with kids but I think it's worth being a little cautious since they aren't exactly small dogs.

[Sariska]

Might depend on the age of your children? They are very lively and while I don't think the breed could be classified as a snappy or nasty one, their liveliness could be said to border on the hyperactive at times. They can grow big so perhaps aren't the best match for small children. We got a dalmatian bitch when I was 11 as a friend for our Irish setter. (We liked lively pets!) She - the dalmatian - was lovely bar the fact that she ate anything - and I mean anything: right down to concealed chewing gum left on pavements. And that, I fear, is a breed characteristic. My mother still has a dalmatian and that dog's stomach obsession is just as pronounced as that of my childhood pet. They're also (IMO) rubbish guard dogs. Ours once came steaming in from the garden one night, practically wetting herself in terror, because she'd bumped into a couple of local low lives trying to break into the shed.

[ouchitreallyhurts]

we, very sadly, had to rehome our dally. we'd had her from a pup but she was too much to manage with our young children and when I found out number 3 was on the way, we made the painful choice. she went to a lovely home with older children.

we live in the middle of the country and despite hours of walking she still barked non stop for more

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

My dc is very young, 22 months, so to be honest it doesn't sound like the dog for us. Thanks all

[whooosh]

Ditto Sariska-really love Dalmations but very definitely better suited to children 6+

[RacingSnake]

Lovely dogs. I had one as an 11th birthday present. My mother said NEVER again! He was lovely; very mad, needed loads of exercise, hard to train. I adored him but would not recommend one to a family with young childen.

[Heated]

Prone to deafness, mad as hatters, not very clever, need exercising to run off the silliness. Beautiful and sleek to look at.

[bishboschone]

my mum has a dalmatian and we always had them as children..This is the 4th!. All the others have been fine but this one is untrainable.Believe me I tried!! She is not aggresive in any way but very excitable and will easily knock my dd over.She is a big dog and although my dd is happy with animals..even she gets a bit worried around the dog.
Please thi nk very carefully as you dont want to have to re home her again.

[mrsmaidamess]

My friend has a new one. It's a bloody scratchy jumpy nutter.

[evuscha]

We had a dalmatian for 12 years and he was the best dog ever. My nephew was born when the dog was about 10 so we were worried how they would get on, but they became best friends and even now, a year after his death my nephew keeps mentioning him and how sweet he was.
But he needed a loot of exercise as others say - when he didnt get long enough walk, he was quite happy to pull all his strength and run off and then come back an hour later )) (so we used to get phone calls from people around the village telling us where he was) - so although trained (I managed to teach him lots of tricks as he was very eager to learn), he had his untrainable bits. So maybe for a family dog I would choose a calmer breed. (although if you know the temperament of this one and are happy with it..) And also, they loose quite a bit of hair and especially the white ones are very hard to get rid of (from clothes and house) - although for all the fun we had with him the cleaning was worth it )
(you can tell I miss him quite a bit ))

[paranoidmother]

We have a dalmatian who is coming up to about 11 with DD who is 4 and DS who is 2. Never had a problem with him and the kids. He is totally daft and everyone who I know who has a dalmatian has said that they will eat anything and I mean anything. The worst ours has had is a tv remote and the worst i've heard is a frozen chicken. He loves to eat plastic and anything made of natural material.
He's also epileptic, needs lots of walks as he's quite big.
We've got a almost totally black dalmatian with only white feet and black spots on them.

He is always excitable and quite difficult to train but once he's been walked for about 3 miles he's alot calmer.

[abraid]

We had a dalmation bitch as children and she was a honey: very gentle and kind.

She was dotty and she needed a lot of exercise, but that's kind of the point with a dog like that.

[abraid]

We were five and three when we got her, I meant to say. My mother still comes over weepy when we talk about how great a dog she was.