OFFICIAL DALMATIAN STANDART

FCI Standart N. 153 / 14.04.1999/ GB
Traslation: A.J.E. Beekes and Mrs. R.Binder
Origin: Dalmatia, Croatian Republik
Date of publication of the original vallid standard: 14.04.1999
Utilization: Companion dog, family dog, easy to train as working dog and as an ambulance dog.
Classification FCI: Group 6 Scent hound and related breeds
Section 3 Related breeds
Without working trial

SHORT HISTORICAL SUMMARY

The origin of the Dalmatian dog is still obscure and rests solely on suppositions. From illustrations discovered in the tombs of ancient Egyptian pharaohs and similar to paintings dating back to the period from the 16th to the 18th centure, one can suppose that the Dalmatian has been in existence for some thousands of years. Church chronicles from the 14th century and from the year 1719 definatly suggest that the breed originated in the Mediterranean region and especially in the neighbourhood of the Dalmatian coast.
The earliest illustrations of the breed can be found in pictures by Italian painters of the 16th century and a fresco in Zaostrog (Dalmatia) that can be dated back to the year 1710 approximately.
A work of Thomas Bevick, published in 1792, contains a description and the drawing of a Dalmatian, which Bewick refers to as "the Dalmatian or Coach Dog". The first Dalmatian standard was written by an Englishman named Vero Shaw in the year 1882; in 1890 this standard was transferred to the official breed standard.

GENERAL APPEARANCE

The Dalmatian is a well balanced, distinctively spotted, strong, muscular and active dog. Symmetrical in outline , free from coarseness and lumber and as a former "coachdog" capable of great endurance and a fair turn of speed.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS

Length of the body : height at the witers = approximately 10:9
Length of skull : length of muzzle = 1:1

BEHAVIOUR/TEMPERAMENT

Outgoing and friendly, not shy or hesitant, free from nervousness and aggression.
HEAD Of fair length.

CRANIAL REGION

Skull: flat, fairly broad between the ears, with well defined temples. Slight frontal furrow. Entirely free from wrinkle.
Stop: Moderately well defined.

FACIAL REGION

Nose: In the black spotted variety always black, in the liver spotted variety always brown.
Muzzle: Long, powerfull, never snipy. Nasal bridge straight and parallel to the upper outline of the skull.
Lips: clean, fitting the jaw rather closely, not pendulous. A complete pigmentation is desired.
Jaw/Teeth: Jaw strong with perfect and regular scissor bite. Desirable is a complete set of 42 teeth (in accordance with the teeth formula). The teeth are evenly proportioned and white.
Eyes: Set moderately vell apart, medium size, round, bright and sparkling with an intellegent and alert expression. Colour dark brown in black spotted, light brown up to amber in liver spotted . Eyerims completely black in the black spotted and completely liver brown in the liver spotted dogs. Eyelid close to the eyeball.
Ears: Set on rather high, moderate size, rather wide at base. Carried close to the head, gradually tapering to rounded point. Fine in texture, marking vell broken up, preferably spotted.
NECK Fairly long, nicely arched, tapering to the head, free from throatiness.

BODY
Withers: Well defined.
Back: Powerfull, level.
Loins: Clean, muscular and slightly arched.
Croup: Very slightly sloping
Chest: Not too broad, but deep and capacious. Brisket should reach to the elbows. Forechest well visible in profile. Ribs well proportioned, long, nicely sprung, never flat, barrel-shaped or malformed.
Flanks: Narrow.
Lower line: Belly distinctly tucked up towards the loin.

TAIL

Reaching approximately to the hock. Strong at the base, gradually tapering towards the end; free from coarseness. Inserted neither too low or too high. At rest carried pendent with a slightly upward curve in the lowest third part of the tail. When moving carried higher slightly above the topline, but never upright (gay) or curled. Preferably spotted.

LIMBS

Forequarters: Forelegs perfectly straight and with strong round bone down to feet.
Shoulders: Moderately oblique, clean and muscular.
Elbow: Close to the body, neither turned in or out.
Pastern: Strong, with slight spring.
Hindquarters: Rounded, muscular, clean. Viewed from the rear hindlegs vertical and parallel.
Stifle: Well bent.
Lower thigh: Strong.
Hock joint: Strong, well bent.
Feet: Round, compact with well arched toes (cat feet). Pads round, tough and elastic. Nails black or white in black spotted variety; in liver spotted brown or white.

GAIT/MOVEMENT

Great freedom of movement. Smooth, powerful rhythmic action with long stride and good drive from hindquarters; viewed from the rear legs moving parallel, hindlegs tracking the fore. A short stride and padding action are incorrect.

COAT

Hair: Short , hard, dense, sleeck and glossy.
Colour: Ground colour pure white. Black spotted variety with black spots, liver spotted variety with brown spots; not intermingling but round, well defined and as well distributed as possible. Size 2-3 cm in diameter. Spots on the head and extremities smaller than those on the body.

SIZE AND WEIGHT

Overall balance of prime importance.
Heigth at the withers for dogs: 56-61 cm
Height at the withers for bitches: 54-59 cm
weight: for dogs approximately 27-32 kg
for bitches approximately 24-29 kg.

FAULTS

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
Bronzing (tempory bronze-like discolouring of the black spots)

ELIMINATING FAULTS:

Definitely over or undershot mouth
Ectropion, entropion; wall eye, eyes of different colour (heterochromia)
Blue eyes
Deafness
Limited patching around eyes (monocle) or elsewhere, yet acceptable for breeding
Tricolor (black and brown spots on the same dog)
Lemon (lemon or orange spots)
Very timid or aggressive behaviour
NB: Male animals should have two normal testicles apparently fulldescented in the scrotum.

RECOMMENDATION:

In order to reduce the incident of deafness in Dalmatians (20%-30%)/
Bilaterally deaf Dalmatians and Blue-eyed Dalmatians should be discarded from breeding, ideally unilaterally deaf dogs likewise.
Dogs with limited patching around eyes (monocle) or elsewhere should be accepted for breding
Dogs with pigmented scrotum should be preferr.