Dalmatians - Pictures

Thousands of Pet Pictures, Classifieds, Ecards.
Pets for Sale, Pet of the Month, Pet Products.

www.GotPetsOnline.comAdvertise here

Dalmatians are ancient dogs that have seen much along the way. They associated with many people around the world and carried out various functions. No matter what sort of activity Dalmatians were involved in, be it hunting, carriage assistance, circus performance, or simply enjoying its owner, they always were one of the most popular breeds of dog.

The 20th century played a decisive role in the breed's development and aroused a lot of questions concerning the benefits of unimaginable popularity. Dog fanciers seemed to realize the importance of balanced population for both dogs and society.

Dalmatians - 101 Dalmatians

The famous Dodie Smith's novel "101 Dalmatians" meant to inspire the warmest feelings in adults and guide children when dealing with pets. Obviously, it fulfilled the task. The Dalmatian's popularity rocketed highly, and the numbers of dogs produced increased greatly all over the world. Spotted dogs became frequent visitors of children's dreams, and a headache for many parents who were attacked with entreaties to buy a Dalmatian puppy.

These persistent, sometimes even annoying, supplications were only a tip of the iceberg. Really, who can claim that they never wanted a dog when kids? Nobody has died yet of dreams that never came true. Surely, as time went by children acquired other dreams and everybody turned out to be happy.

Dalmatians - Destruction

The consequences of an extremely high rate of the Dalmatian's popularity appear to be devastating when one comes to think about the impact it produced on the breed. Demand for Dalmatians led to a great number of inconsistent breedings that harmed the dog's physical and mental health. Hearing problems and unacceptable appearance were accompanied by unsound personalities, one of the leading factors when abandoning Dalmatians.

The problem was aggravated by the fact that the novel created a misconception as to the Dalmatian's personality. Charmed by the image of easy-going, intelligent dogs, capable of performing miracles, many people failed to find out more about the Dalmatian's peculiarities. The meaning of the statement that the Dalmatian is not the dog for everyone seemed to have faded under the universal admiration. This ignorance about the breed and a passing fancy of numerous pet owners resulted in hundreds of abused and abandoned Dalmatians.

The first Disney film based on the novel by Dodie Smith was released in 1961. Millions of people fell under the Dalmatian's spell once again. Officers from animal welfare organizations stated that the number of abandoned Dalmatians increased by about 100%.

Dalmatians - 102 Dalmatians

They became especially concerned after the announcement of the second Disney movie in the 1990s. Activists accused the company of making a profit on exploitation the image of the Dalmatian without giving a single thought to the possible breed destruction. Disney authorities assured the public that their new "102 Dalmatians" was an educational motion picture produced in assistance with the American Dalmatian Club.

Hopefully, the Dalmatian survives this stage of its development and preserves all the wonderful qualities it is famous for. Needless to say, numerous shelters and rescues will gladly receive any kind of help from volunteers, and continue to educate people about the breed. The main thing to keep in mind is that Dalmatians should never suffer from their popularity no matter how high it is.

Mouse over the thumbnails to view image and photo credit