Dalmatian History history

The breed was named in the 18th century after Dalmatia, then a part of the Venetian Republic. In 1955, the Fédération Cynologique Internationale set the origin of the dogs to the former Yugoslavia (and Croatia claimed it in 1994). However, no historical evidence of this breed being present in the Balkans dates before the early 20th century, when they where brought there by England. Because of these inconsistencies, various claims exist about the breed's origin. Similar dogs are known from archaeological findings and historical sources in ancient Egypt, Greece or Rome, but it is not exactly known if they are related to the modern Dalmatian. According to some scholars, the name could stem from a 14th century painting in Florence by Andrea Bonaiuti, in which a group of dogs similar to the modern Dalmatians are shown next the a group of friars donning a stoat fur called "Dalmatica". These dogs were found frequently in the company of Gypsies, and are known to have been popular in the Vatican in the 16th century.

The breed's origins are as a generalized working dog. They were used for so many tasks – herding sheep, hunting rodents or in a pack, and working as a retriever and as a bird dog – that they were never specialized into one particular area.

The Dalmatian's reputation as a firehouse dog appears to be rooted in its popular use as a carriage dog; that is, a dog whose role was to run alongside, and sometimes even under, horse-drawn carriages (therefore also known as Spotted Coach-dog). Carriage dogs were useful for clearing the way in front of the carriage, possibly for helping to control the horses when at a full run (such as for horse-drawn fire engines), and undoubtedly because they were attractive and eye-catching. This use might have transferred to horse-drawn fire engines, although it is unclear why this link is made in the United States and not other countries. It is less well known that Dalmatians were also used as guard dogs, protecting a firehouse and its equipment from its rival firehouses.

The Dalmatian is also associated, particularly in the United States, with Budweiser beer and the Busch Gardens theme parks, since the Anheuser-Busch company's iconic beer wagon, drawn by a team of magnificent Clydesdale horses, is always accompanied by a Dalmatian carriage dog. The giga-brewer maintains several teams at various locations, which tour extensively. According to Anheuser-Busch's website, Dalmatians were historically used by brewers to guard the wagon while the driver was making deliveries.