Do you think Cruella de Vil knew thatthere were also long-haired Dalmatians? I'm thinking not. Surely one of the wickedest Disney villains would have loved a longer, fluffier coat
Infact, not many people know thatthese spotted dogs exist, often mistaking them fora Dalmatian mixed breed. They look different from their short-haired counterparts, with a distinctive feathery coat andadorable fluffy ears.
They're intelligent, regal, funny, andalert dogs thatare bound to catch everyone's eye asyou walk down the street. They're sure to gain popularity with pet owners around the world.
Here's everything you need to know about this fluffy Dalmatian.
Origin andhistory of the long-haired Dalmatian
It's thought thatthis dog breed originally came from Croatia. In1374, a Croatian Bishop first wrote about a white hunting dog from Dalmatia (a region inCroatia) thathad black spots all over it.
Inthe 17 and1800s, Dalmatians were loved by the nobility inmany different countries fortheir appearance andtheir ability to run alongside carriages. Their regal manner, muscular bodies, andprotective instincts made them the perfect carriage dogs to accompany noble men andwomen onlong journeys andto protect them from bandits.
Inthe 1800s Dalmatian dogs were taken to England andthe US wherethey became much-loved pets.
In1888 the American Kennel Club officially recognized these spotted dogs asa breed. Eventhoughthe Dalmatian breed was listed, it wasn't untilGlenn Close, Pongo, andPerdy hit the screens in1996 thatDalmatian puppies really became aspopular asthey are today.
So, what is a long-haired Dalmatian?
Ifyou see one of these familiar, yetfluffy pups you'd be forgiven forthinking they're a cross-breed. They look like short-coat Dalmatians (they're justasspotty) butwith distinctively fluffier, featherier fur. Their coat is particularly noticeable around their ears, chest, legs, andtail! They are, however, purebred Dalmatians andjust a variety of the better-known pups.
Eventhoughthey're purebred, the AKC doesn't recognize long-haired Dalmatians asstandard.
Are long coat Dalmatians rare?
Yes. Incomparison to short-haired Dalmatians, they are rare.
The long coat gene is recessive, meaning thatiftwo parent pups with this specific gene breed, there's a possibility thatthey'll have a litter of long-haired Dalmatian puppies.
Becausethis coat isn't considered standard, Dalmatians with a long coat have been bred out over time. It's thought thatatone point long-haired Dalmatians were 50% of all Dalmatians.
Temperament andpersonality of a long-haired Dalmatian
Long-haired Dalmatians are balls of adoring energy.
They're loyal, protective, andlove to be around their family members. They're eager to please andwill constantly be looking foryour attention.
These dogs can be a little goofy andwill do all sorts of silly things inan attempt to use up their energy.
Becauselong-haired Dalmatians are soexcitable, it's really important thatthey get enough exercise andare entertained throughout the day.
They're very intelligent dogs andthis intelligence can easily be used ina destructive manner ifthey're left to get bored. They need plenty of space to play in, puzzle toys, attention from you, andinteresting exercise throughout the day.
It's really important to train all Dalmatian puppies (long coat Dalmatian puppies included) from an early age.
Ifnot done correctly, they can grow up to be badly behaved. Luckily, becausethey're soeager to please, it's not too difficult to train a long-haired Dalmatian puppy.
They respond really well to positive reinforcement (especially iftreats are involved) andwill be really happy to learn new things andtricks.
Becauseof their past, you may also find thatyour long-haired Dalmatian excels incarriage training andthey'll love being enrolled inobedience classes.
How much exercise do long-coat Dalmatians need?
Althoughnot specifically sporting dogs, Dalmatians need a lot of exercise. They're very athletic andhave a high level of physical endurance (after all, they could keep up with carriages).
These dogs need atleast 2 hours of exercise per day.
This could be a long walk, run, orplaying inthe doggie park. It's also a good idea forthem to have a yard to blow off some extra steam in.
Are long-haired Dalmatians aggressive?
Unfortunately, Dalmatians ingeneral have a bit of a reputation forbeing aggressive. This doesn't, however, have to be the case.
Inall likelihood, long-haired Dalmatians will become aggressive ifthey haven't been trained well orif they've not been socialized properly. Bored pups can also become aggressive ifthere's nothing ‘better' forthem to do, somake sure their bodies andbrains are entertained!
It's fairly common forboth long andshort-haired Dalmatians to suffer from hearing difficulties andeven complete deafness.
It's important you approach all dogs with caution butespecially Dalmatians. Ifthey don't hear you coming, their natural reaction could be aggression.
Appearance of long-haired Dalmatian
Actually, a long-haired Dalmatian looks exactly asyou'd imagine. They look like regular Dalmatians with longer hair (roughly 2-4 inches long)!
They're medium-sized dogs with sleek, muscular bodies. They have a well-defined muzzle andtriangular-shaped ears whichflop down. Of course, these pups are iconic thanks to their white bodies covered inspots!
Long-haired Dalmatian puppies are actually born all white andtheir spots start to develop after10 days orso(we all remember Cruella de Vil waiting impatiently forthe puppies to get their spots)!
Long-coat Dalmatian size
Aswith many dog breeds, females are slightly smaller thanmale long-haired Dalmatians. Males can grow to be between 21 and23 inches tall andfemales between 19 and22 inches tall.
Long-coat Dalmatian weight
Long-haired Dalmatians weigh between 45 and60 pounds. Dalmatians are known forloving food andtreats andcan easily put weight on. It's important thatyou don't overfeed your long-haired Dalmatian andthat they get enough exercise to stay ata healthy weight.
Long-coat Dalmatian color
Of course, most of us think of black andwhite pups whenwe think of Dalmatians butthey can also be white with liver brown spots, brindle, tri-color, andeven lemon (a beautiful orange-like shade).
Grooming long-haired Dalmatians
Do long-haired Dalmatians shed?
Yes! Long-coated Dalmatians do shed. Sodo standard Dalmatians.
They're known forbeing all year round moderate shedders, soif you're thinking about adopting a long-haired Dalmatian puppy oradult dog, you'll need to accept thatgrooming will be part of your daily life!
We recommend brushing your dog oncea day to keep vacuuming to a minimum. You may want to do it outside sostray hairs don't blow around your house too! It's also a good idea to take your pup to a groomer sothey can trim their feet andears.
Aswith all dog breeds, it's important you take care of their dental health andtake them forregular trips to the vet. You should bathe your long-haired Dalmatian every sooften andmake sure their ears are clean to prevent infection.
Are long-haired Dalmatians hypoallergenic?
No! Becauselong-haired Dalmatians shed, they're not considered to be hypoallergenic orgood forthose with dog allergies. Here's a list of pups thatare better forallergy sufferers (although every dog sheds to some extent)!
Long-haired Dalmatian health problems
Different breeds of dogs have different common health issues. Generally speaking, purebred dogs are likely to have more problems thanmixed breeds.
There's no sure way to know ifyour pup will suffer from the following conditions, butsome breeders will do tests to minimize the risk.
- Deafness/hearing problems. Almost 30% of all Dalmatian puppies have hearing problems orsuffer from hearing loss. That's a pretty big percentage. It's normally inherited from their parents and, unfortunately, is untreatable. You can ask your breeder orvet to do a BAER (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response) test whichmeasures their hearing.
- Urolithiasis. Purebred Dalmatians (both short andlong-haired pups) have a unique urinary tract system. Becauseof the high levels of uric acid intheir urine, stones form easily andcan get lodged intheir urethra. It can be painful foryour dog, andeven fatal. Regular urine tests, aswell asa specific diet, can help manage Urolithiasis.
- Elbow andhip dysplasia. These are both conditions normal inmedium-sized andlarge dogs. It's whenthe leg bones don't properly fit into the hip orelbow joint. It can sometimes go unnoticed, andother times be very painful andcause your pup to go lame. Your long-haired Dalmatian may also develop arthritis asthey get older asa result of this. Regular checkups with the vet can help to diagnose different types of dysplasia early on. Dogs with hip orelbow dysplasia should not be bred asit's a hereditary condition andit's worth asking your breeder forproof thatneither parent had it.
- Skin allergies. It's common forboth varieties of Dalmatians to suffer from allergies. These could be air-born (such aspollen), food-based, orsubstance-based (such asallergies to a specific shampoo). They can be diagnosed andtreated by a vet orby a change inenvironment anddiet.
Ethical breeding andcatching any conditions early oncan help to minimize the risk of your pup suffering from these issues.
Life expectancy of a long-haired Dalmatian
Whenadopting a pup, it's important you get them from a respectable andethical long-haired Dalmatian breeder. Doing this will ensure thatyour pup is ashealthy ascan be andhelp them to be a part of your family foraslongaspossible.
Generally speaking, long-haired Dalmatians live between 13 and16 years. Aswell asthe unique genetics of your pup, lifestyle will also have an effect onhow long your long-haired Dalmatian lives.
Regular trips to the vet, plenty of exercise, nutritious food, andkeeping their brains engaged should keep them healthy andhappier forlonger.
How much does a long-haired Dalmatian cost?
This really depends onwhich breeder you go to, butlong coat puppies can cost anywhere between $600 and$1200. Ifyou go to a responsible breeder whoprefers the short-haired variety (so they can compete inshows), you may get any long-coat puppies they have fora cheaper price.
Seeing asthey're purebred dogs, it's unlikely thatthey'll be ina doggie shelter. Butit's always worth looking! Try checking inDalmatian-specific shelters too.
Fun facts about long-haired Dalmatians
Do long-coat Dalmatians like to swim?
Most Dalmatians love water! They're very energetic dogs andsplashing about inwater is a great way forthem to play, exercise, anduse up some of thatenergy!
It's interesting thatsomany Dalmatians like water whenit isn't intheir breed history. They were never used specifically aswater pups butswimming seems to come naturally to them!
Can long-haired Dalmatians live inapartments?
Dalmatians are not the best choice indog breed forapartment dwellers. They have a lot of energy andlike to play inquite a boisterous manner, meaning a bigger space with a yard is more suitable.
Of course, ifyou have a lot of free time andare happy to take your pup out more regularly, having a Dalmatian inan apartment is possible.
How long does it take a long-haired Dalmatian to be fully grown?
Dalmatians are fully grown afterroughly 16 months.
Can long-haired Dalmatians be left alone?
Dalmatians are real people pups andlove to be around their owners. They don't do well being left alone formore than2 hours andcan easily develop separation anxiety.
Do long-haired Dalmatians bark a lot?
Of course, not all dogs are the same, butgenerally speaking, long-haired Dalmatians don't bark much. They may bark occasionally ifthey feel threatened butare normally pretty quiet.
Are long-haired Dalmatians smart?
Yes! Absolutely. Both long andshort-haired Dalmatians are intelligent dogs andare relatively easy to train. They're eager to please andwill excel inall kinds of training classes. They also make great watchdogs!
So, there you have it. Everything you need to know about these wonderful dogs thatmake justasgood pets asthe short-haired variety. They're loyal, caring, funny, intelligent, andwill just love spending time with you!
Had you ever heard of a long-haired Dalmatian? Would you consider getting one? Why?
Credits to @charlie.the.dalmatian forthe picture. Go follow him!
Charlotte
I’m Charlotte, a content and copywriter from the North of England and currently living in Berlin. Animals have always been a huge part of my life, so writing about dogs is a total pleasure! I love all kinds of dogs and their cheeky personalities, but I’d have to say Weimaraners are my favourite!
