GENERAL APPEARANCE
Shoulder height: 56-61cm (22”-24”).
Colour: Black spotted or liver spotted. Spots not large but well defined.
Coat: Short, hard, dense and glossy.
Gait: Smoothly co-ordinated with strong fore reach and hind propulsion.
These clean cut elegant dogs should be muscular, active and free of coarseness. Their sparkling round eyes are set midway in well proportioned heads with the spotted ears hanging to the side. The elegant fairly long neck is free of loose skin and runs into a strong body with a deep chest. The strong legs are muscular with a good turn of stifle and finish with round catlike feet.
The tail should reach approximately to the hock and when moving, should be carried horizontally.
CHARACTERISTICS AND CARE
All Dalmatian puppies are born white, but by 2-3 weeks their spots start making an appearance. As a breed, they are outgoing and friendly with an affinity to horses - in the past they used to be seen following the horses under coaches and fire engines. Free from nervousness and aggression and liking to please, Dalmatians make excellent pets and are great companions to take jogging or for a walk in the park. While they do have a tendency to shed coat, regular brushing will remove the dead hair and control the situation. Apart from that their coat is quite trouble free.
HISTORY 
Although this breed received their official name from coastal Dalmatia by the Adriatic Sea, ancient friezes discovered in the Middle East, depict spotted dogs of the Dalmatian type from as early as 1250 BC. It is believed the breed made its way to Europe with the Romany gypsies during the 14th century and arrived in Britain a century later.