Advice about Dalmation crosses and finding a puppy

[Equimum]

Okay, so I’ll start by saying that I am fully aware that getting a puppy is nigh on impossible at the moment, and that prices are absolutely crazy.

The upturn in the market will probably change out plans a bit, as we had always planned to get a puppy this Autumn, once our youngest had started school and I would have lots of time for it. We know this is now unlikely to happen, but we are still starting to plan ahead in the hope it might happen at some point in the future, and that we can perhaps try to get on breeders lists etc.

So, to my question. DS is obsessed with dalmations (he’s never seen the film, just fallen in love with the one we see being walked). We have looked into purebreds, but understand cross-breeds can be better due to overcoming genetic issues. So, does anyone know what the best crosses are (with dalmations), and how one goes about finding reputable people who breed them?

For the record, we would love to consider a rescue, but as we have primary school aged children and will do for some time, it’s not an option for us this time.

TIA

Big sigh
They are rescues not dumped! - they came to rescue with paperwork as many rescue dogs do.

You are in agreement that collies need exercise as you are now saying you walk from early morning till night and also take your dogs on 4 hours walks and Vanillaandhoney is now saying she sees the collies more than an hour a day so not really sure what you are disgareeing with....

You are in agreement that collies need exercise as you are now saying you walk from early morning till night and also take your dogs on 4 hours walks
I think you haven’t read my posts thoroughly.

I never suggested they didn’t need exercise.

I said they don’t need hours and hours of exercise and training.

I said my collie is calm and placid and sleeps all day in the house and that (high energy) exercise and mental stimulation makes her agitated.

I said in more than one post that my collie gets a varied amount of walks.
By ‘varied’ I mean:

Some days she gets no walks.
Some days she gets 30 minutes or so.
Other days she’ll get an hour or two.
Some days she will get a 4 hour walk.
And sometimes on a not too hot summers day she’ll be out all day; we’ll leave in the morning with DH and the kids, walk round the countryside, visit some parks, eat at some pubs and won’t get back until early evening.

I am very glad and they are too that they are not restricted to a boring life with no stimulation and a hours walk. Fine if yours are but as I have said before and as everyone knows collies love to be busy and to say that most collies need limited exercise is ridiculous and misleading. I hope you are ready to pick up the rescues that will be rehomed for you giving out this incorrect advice.

Yet again, you're pretending I've said things that I haven't. Nowhere in any of my posts have I said collies need limited exercise!

I have, however, said that they don't need the hours and hours that some people insist that they do. I don't know any dogs, even working ones, who get 2.5 hours of exercise and the same again in mental stimulation every single day.

Of course a breed like a collie will need more exercise than say, a King Charles spaniel, but to say they need hours and hours of exercise and stimulation to be happy is silly imo.

Sorry, I thought that post was aimed at me when you were quoting frostedviolets.

However, you still seem set on believing that I think they need limited exercise when nobody on this thread has said that at all!

I have a Dalmatian. He's high energy but nowhere near as demanding as the internet would lead you to believe.

In terms of health they should be hearing tested as a minimum before birth as deafness is a relatively common problem.

Bladder issues are the other thing to watch for but if you get the right direct of the bat (low in purine) this shouldn't be a bother.

If you have any other young Dalmatian owner questions let me know. Ours isn't one and a half yet and we got him at 9 weeks.

Also he's great with the kids. He can be clumsy but he loves them and will ait hanging out with them really nicely.

Do Dalmatians really shed loads? We've a total mutt who is white with spotty ears and some people have suggested she could be part Dalmatian. She sheds more than any other dog I've ever known!

@icedaisy

That's sad *@PrimalLass*. We have had a lot of guidance from KC assured scheme and breed association on this.

I know some will do it but I had hoped the majority of reputable breeders would not.

For us the money is neither here nor there. My responsibility if anything has gone up, more vetting etc of buyers.

I guess for some breeders it is their income and they still have to make a certain amount each year.

Yep they do. It's constant. All day every day all tear. And the hairs are stiff and rough so they stick in everything.

Yep they do. It's constant. All day every day all tear. And the hairs are stiff and rough so they stick in everything.

Yes moult their body weight in short white hairs daily. They get everywhere. It’s why ours is restricted to certain rooms, sleeps in a crate and has a ‘blanket of permission’ before he’s allowed on any furniture.

@CherryPavlova ours is restricted to downstairs (all wood floors) and the garden. Sweeping his hair up is surprisingly efficient.

I think the debate about Dalmatians and collies is a difficult one because the pet owner/dog walker experience will always be a self limiting one. A dog walker is unlikely to have met a collie that does better on more stimulation. They would only tend to meet those dogs who could cope with being left for a bit and having a walker in. Those dogs that could not cope with that are likely to have been rehomed - probably into a working home that never uses a dog walker.

Ditto pets. Those people who found themselves with dogs that could not cope would be unlikely to be here talking about it. Or out talking to other collie owners on walks. So we only hear from people who have dogs who are fine on a bit less. It’s a self selecting viewpoint.

I think you’d have to look at surrender rates and reasons to get a different perspective.

@PalTheGent

I think the debate about Dalmatians and collies is a difficult one because the pet owner/dog walker experience will always be a self limiting one. A dog walker is unlikely to have met a collie that does better on more stimulation. They would only tend to meet those dogs who could cope with being left for a bit and having a walker in. Those dogs that could not cope with that are likely to have been rehomed - probably into a working home that never uses a dog walker.

Ditto pets. Those people who found themselves with dogs that could not cope would be unlikely to be here talking about it. Or out talking to other collie owners on walks. So we only hear from people who have dogs who are fine on a bit less. It’s a self selecting viewpoint.

I think you’d have to look at surrender rates and reasons to get a different perspective.

I do think this is a really good point.

However, like PP's, I also own a breed that's often re-homed because they're deemed to be too difficult to cope with (beagles). I've seen them criticised a huge amount on here - and I've heard it in person too! However, I've had very few issues with mine. I don't know whether that's luck, genetics or training - I suspect it's a fairly even mix of all three.

And I'll admit, I do find it frustrating (and quite upsetting sometimes) to see numerous posts saying how awful beagles are. They're loud, they're stubborn, they're untrainable, they shouldn't be pets - yada yada, I've heard it all!

Unfortunately, a lot of those posters give out wrong advice - the people commenting (with the best of intentions) have never had any experience of a hound dog, and are speaking as owners of spaniels or labradors. They're totally different types of dog and require totally different methods of training. If you apply gun-dog training (for example) to a beagle, you'll end up with an unhappy, frustrated owner and a very confused hound. Their brains are wired differently.

I suspect PP's feel the same about collies - they're just coming at it from opposite ends of the spectrum. One has a laid back collie who they've had from a pup, whereas the other has rescues (which normally come with issues of their own) who maybe need more effort and attention than average.

rescues (which normally come with issues of their own) that is bollocks. I would say that 96% of rescues have no issues of their own but are in homes that are totally unsuitable for them. That is a very different angle.

Dalmatians are beautiful family dogs, they do not need hours and hours of exercise every day!

I have 4, all rescues. I take them to the stables in the morning and they have the run of the field for an hour. That's it, sometimes we'll take them for a local walk in the evening.
They are very sociable, they love to curl up at the side of you.
Their hair loss is ridiculous, I hoover a couple of times a day!

Have a look at Dalmatian rescue society on FB.....

As dalmatians don't tend to "work" anymore I'd say all the experience will be pet ownership or show ownership.

Obviously there are downsides to a big moulty dog who wants to be with their pack the whole time. I wouldn't leave him alone for longer than an hour or two and I couldn't leave him without walking him before I go out. But we both work from home so
It's rare he's on his own at all.

But the exercise quantities I see bandied about by non spot owners are off the scale ridiculous, I've not met one (and we tend to meet up) who needs the amount the websites seem to suggest.

Now don't get me wrong, they clearly need more than a smaller and/or less physical dog. But not some of the crazy figures you see bandied around.

Mine is fine on one big walk (4miles give or take) or two smaller walks a day. The biggest thing for him is to go places he can be off lead as he likes to range back and forth.

They are also intelligent so training, agility, games etc are all really good and tire them out.

If you look at almost all the opinions on here about any breed at all it tends to be they are wonderful and every family should have one or they are hard work and not for the faint hearted. I've seen beagles recommended and warned against in threads - depending on the specific experience of that poster with a few examples of the breed they liked or didn't.

The reality for most is somewhere between the two - all dogs are individuals first and breed examples second. I generalise as much as the next person but breed is a man made construct - the differences between individuals are greater than the differences between breeds.

Generally the more time you can dedicate to a dog, the happier they will be. Not always, not with all dogs and not all to the same degree - but it's not a bad aim.

@PollyPolson

rescues (which normally come with issues of their own) that is bollocks. I would say that 96% of rescues have no issues of their own but are in homes that are totally unsuitable for them. That is a very different angle.

But would you not agree that being in an unsuitable home can cause issues for a dog? Such as separation anxiety, destructive behaviour, poor health and poor socialisation?

Issues are not always a negative thing, they're just a fact. I've had my dog from a puppy and he has anxiety issues around being left, for example.

It's just I think if a dog is in a home where it's owners can't cope, that can cause some issues in behaviour.

You make a good point Vanilla. There's no point getting a dog that can never be left if you have to leave a dog regularly. There's no point getting a dog that needs miles of exercise every day if you want a Potter in the park. I'd think starting with what you can offer a dog and then finding the breeds that would match give the beat chance of a successful relationship

You make a good point Vanilla. There's no point getting a dog that can never be left if you have to leave a dog regularly. There's no point getting a dog that needs miles of exercise every day if you want a Potter in the park. I'd think starting with what you can offer a dog and then finding the breeds that would match give the beat chance of a successful relationship

@dalmatianmad
Many dogs running around together in a large space equates to hours and hours of lead walks daily . It's not the same !

@MsMarvellous

You make a good point Vanilla. There's no point getting a dog that can never be left if you have to leave a dog regularly. There's no point getting a dog that needs miles of exercise every day if you want a Potter in the park. I'd think starting with what you can offer a dog and then finding the breeds that would match give the beat chance of a successful relationship

Absolutely.

Mine can't be left for long but I don't need to leave him, so it's not a problem. He comes to work with me, or my in-laws will take him at short notice (and thoroughly spoil him in the process ).

People taking on dogs they can't cope with (normally because they've done no research) is what causes problems. They end up causing issues for their dog, which rescues and subsequent owners have to try and fix. Lots of dogs with very bad starts in life sadly end up being passed around from owner to owner because sometimes, they just need expert help and a certain kind of home life to really settle.

OP, if you like the size and shape of Dalmatians, have you considered some of the hunt-point-retrieve breeds like German pointers, Weimaraners and Vizslas? They are active, intelligent and biddable and thrive on lots of exercise. German pointers IME are particularly good with DC - they may and now and then skittle a toddler out of sheer exuberance but with no malice.

There is no clear split between show and working lines like there is with labradors and cocker spaniels, but you can find less work focussed breeders who produce less drivey dogs.

Vanilla I am sorry I may be being unneccessarily grumpy but you really are being a bit thick tonight.

I have said exactly what you have said but you then say it as if I haven't.

Dogs do not have the issues they are caused by the incorrect environment is exactly what I was saying. Put a rescue dog with what you are saying are "issues" in the correct home and the issues will not be there.

So where you are saying a collie who maybe need more effort and attention than average is not correct they need the effort any collie would need not more because they are rescue.

So do not put a collie in a house where it will get 1 hour exercise and is left all day.

Grumpymiddleagedwoman a pointer would be a fantastic fit for the OP