There's no arguing that every dog is absolutely incredible in their own special way. They have such unique personalities and characteristics that make us instantly fall head over heels for them. They're loyal to a fault and will love you tremendously. Of course, they never run away from a good belly rub, which, to be honest, is comforting for you and them. Dalmatians are no exception. They're adorable, and they're kind of awe-inspiring. I mean, just look at those beautiful spots!

There's something about seeing an adorable Dalmatian that gives us so much love. Here are a few things you ought to know about them:





1. THEY HAVE MANY NAMES.

Over the years, the breed has gone by other nicknames. These include the carriage dog and English Coach Dog, the Carriage Dog, and the Fire House Dog. Those make sense, but other British names include the Plum Pudding Dog and the Spotted Dick. Not hard to figure why that last one went out of fashion.





2. THEIR ORIGINS.

Like many other old breeds, the origins of the Dalmatian are hard to pin down. Some people believe the dogs come from Dalmatia, a region in modern day Croatia. The canines were dogs of war and used as sentinels. Others believe the dogs are as old as the ancient Egyptians—paintings of spotted dogs running by chariots can be found in the tombs.





3. THEY’RE BEST KNOWN AS FIREDOGS.

Dalmatians have many talents, but they’re possibly best known for their skills as coaching dogs. The canines get along famously with horses, making them the ideal dog to run alongside carriages. The helpful Dals warded off stray dogs, guarded the coach at stops, and most importantly, kept the horses calm.

This job eventually translated to the firehouse, where Dalmatians would run behind fire trucks. Horses were skittish around fire, but the Dals kept them composed. Their distinct features also make them a great mascot, so you can still find the dogs riding in modern fire trucks today. As a bonus, they’re also excellent ratters and keep firehouses pest-free.





4. BEST MATES WITH HORSES.

Because they were bred to follow coaches and spent a great deal of time in the stable, dals tend to get along very well with horses. If you trail ride, a well-trained dal can easily keep up with you and your horse.





5. BUDWEISER STILL USES THEM.

Keeping with the tradition of coach dogs, Budweiser keeps three Dalmatians to travel with the Clydesdale hitches. The breed has been associated with the brewery since 1950, when a Dal was introduced as the Budweiser Clydesdales' mascot. The current Budweiser dogs are named Chip, Brewer, and Clyde.





6. THEY WERE BORN SPOTLESS.

Despite being covered in spots in adulthood, puppies are born white, without spots. Pups generally don’t grow their trademark spots until about 10 to 14 days, and spots continue to appear on the dog's body as it grows. This news might come as a shock as it directly negates what the Disney movie 101 Dalmatians might have suggested.





7. SPOTS CAN BE FOUND EVERYWHERE.

No two dalmatians have the same number and pattern of spots. Your dal's coat is absolutely one-of-a-kind, just like a snowflake. Cruella DeVille probably didn't know this fact when she was plotting to make herself a dalmatian coat. If she'd succeeded, the pattern wouldn't have matched. While most dals are white with black spots, others are white with liver, or brown spots. These two colors are permitted in the breed standard. Dals with yellow spots or tri-colored dals, those with brown and black spots, can't be exhibited in the show ring. While the spotting process slows as the dog ages, even older dals continue to get new spots. Every Dal is different, but most have these marks all over their body. If you open up a Dal's mouth, you can even find spots in their mouth.





8. GENETIC PREDISPOSITION TO DEAFNESS.

According to the Dalmatian Club of America, up to 30 percent of Dalmatians are deaf as a result of their spotted markings. Breeding dogs with this coat can lead to a lack of mature melanocytes (melanin producing cells) in the inner ear. Without these, dogs can become hard of hearing. Dogs with larger patches of black are less likely to be deaf. Many other dals can hear in only one ear.





9. THE DISNEY MOVIE.

101 Dalmatians in any of its several screen versions might have been your introduction to the breed. The downside of those popular films is that some viewers decide the dal is the breed for them without doing the right research, and unscrupulous breeders start mass-producing poorly-bred puppies. That means many dals ended up in shelters when their owners realize what an energetic dog they bought. If you really want a dal, research the breed and only buy from a reputable breeder.