Dalmatians like all dogs need to have a period of training when young to learn basic commands and good manners. Dalmatians are large, energetic dogs and if they are not under the full control of their owner, they can be a serious liability. As part of this training an extended period of socialisation should take place as early on as possible in your young dog’s life allowing them to grow up happy and confident. In welfare, many of the Dogs needing re-homing have issues relating to poor socialisation and training as a youngster. Training of any breed of dog is a commitment with many hours of work needed to achieve results. All too often we see owners who have bought from a breeder or kennels who find themselves unprepared for the task of training and socialisation.
Choosing a puppy and preventing problems!
We would always recommend that you approach the Dalmatian breed clubs when planning to purchase a puppy. The UK Dalmatian breed clubs produce a puppy list of members who have litters. These members have a strict code of conduct to follow and will give you support, advice and help you plan for your new dog. Responsible breeders should be able to recommend a dog trainer or canine society near your home, go along and meet the trainers before you get your puppy have a chat and see what they offer. Most canine societies or Dog trainers will offer classes daytime or evening and are a wonderful opportunity to meet other dog owners and make new doggy friends. The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) have a great website and will direct you to a Dog trainer near you. The Kennel club offer awards for training your dog and run the UK’s largest dog training scheme called the Kennel Club Good Citizen Training Scheme or KCGCDS for short!
Follow this KCGCDS link for more details and explanation of the classes.
Welfare Dogs
Often people do not want a puppy or young Dalmatian for many reasons, and some find the entire process of training and dealing with puppy accidents and chewing daunting, however most dogs need lifelong, ongoing training and Dalmatians are no exception. Many of the dogs we get in welfare are being given up as they may have problems with obedience or have issues relating to their lack of socialisation. So, if you are considering a welfare dog be aware that you may have to be prepared to put in some work. All our dogs have a period of assessment before being taken on by us, but we must rely on old owners being honest and sadly this is not always the case and problems that we were not aware of can arise when dogs are moved to their new homes. We do provide extensive support for adopters including funding behaviourists and dog trainers in certain circumstances. We can call of the resources of several hundred members of the British Dalmatian Club and their collective knowledge of the breed. Please do not be put off by this. Training your newly adopted Dalmatian can be great fun and will assist in helping you and your family form a bond with your new spotty dog.
Problem Dalmatians
Many of our Dalmatians are given up through no fault of their own and are happy healthy examples of the breed. We find these dogs easy to re-home.
We do however have Dalmatians that have had an extremely poor start in life. Many welfare dogs have rarely met people and other dogs and may have been kept in outbuildings or in crates without the comforts that many of us feel are basic requirements for any dog. In welfare, we are often surprised by the sweet nature of these dogs and despite their ordeal will still wag their tails and be pleased to meet people. Thankfully, we rarely see Dalmatians that have been cruelly treated, but occasionally we are asked to help a Dalmatian in this situation. All these Dalmatians need a special kind of home, with experienced adopters who have the time to re-train, nurture, and care for these special dogs. We do ask that if you are able to, please consider these Dalmatians – don’t they deserve a second chance at a happy life?
Deaf Dalmatians
Some deaf Dalmatians who come into welfare are already very well trained to respond to hand signals. Even so, the change of ownership may be a bit more stressful for them as they can often be extremely attached to their original owner and trainer. In other cases, the dog’s deafness has not been recognised or there has been little effort to train them to respond to hand signals.
We select homes for deaf Dalmatians very carefully, often with people who have had a deaf dog before. We provide additional information in advance on what it is like to live with a deaf Dalmatians and, where possible, arrange in advance for a meeting with a deaf Dalmatian and their owner so that they can see at first hand the hand signals that can be used and the techniques to use so the dog remains focused on their owner. If required, we supply additional support and training to adopters who take on a deaf Dalmatian from experienced owners of deaf Dalmatians.
Despite, or perhaps because of, their deafness these Dalmatians can become very loyal and rewarding companions and can take part on many activities such as agility and can pass the Kennel Club Good Citizens tests.
British Dalmatian Welfare would provide you with full support with our special dogs for life and we are able to provide trainers and behaviourists to help our adopters, help these dogs.
If you have decided to re-home one of our Dalmatians, it will most probably have been in a previous home(s) and we recommend is to strip the training right back to basics, as if you’ve taken on a puppy.
A lot of Dalmatians will end up in rescue or welfare before they have reached full maturity because people feel they have taken on too much, or that a Dalmatian is “untrainable”!
SOCIALISING
The reality is, that a training foundation was not put into place when the decision was made to have one. Socialisation is paramount for any dog, they are social creatures, but they need the right experiences from the start. Socialisation isn’t just about meeting other dogs, it’s about meeting people, being slowly acclimatised to different environments, sights, sounds, smells. This all takes time, and must be done at a slow and steady pace. This is especially true when introducing them to other dogs. The world is a scary place for puppies, who have recently left the litter and their mum. Choosing appropriate playmates, in order to learn the right social skills, and have positive experiences, is so important. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that any of this has been done correctly, if at all, and the dog that was so highly sought after, sadly ends up being discarded, and in need of someone else to care for them.
All of this is a very stressful experience for any dog, and Dalmatians are a very sensitive breed, so it’s paramount to make sure that the new home you have chosen to give them, is a very loving and patient one.
That’s not to say that the dog you choose won’t slot into it’s new life easily, but it pays to err on the side of caution and start from scratch in order to build a great relationship with your new family member.
SETTLING IN
Give them time to settle in, and get used to all other family members, with slow introductions, not expecting too much of them. It’s the old adage that “less is more”. They can be incredibly insecure so let them find their own way around, with little interference. Don’t worry about taking them out for walks for the first few days, let them get used to the garden. You can scatter feed their meals (if feeding kibble) around the garden, to encourage them to use their nose to sniff the food out. This will have a lovely calming effect on them. If you don’t feed kibble, hide treats around the garden, so they can seek them out.
If you already have another dog(s) in the household, introduce them to each other slowly, out in the garden, so they have plenty of space to get used to one another.
QUALIFIED TRAINING SUPPORT
Training can wait for a while if your new addition is feeling overwhelmed with everything. It will be difficult for them to focus on learning new things, so it’s a good idea to seek advice from a trainer/behaviourist when you’ve made the decision to adopt. Even if you have previous experience of dogs or Dalmatians, each dog is different and complex, so having a plan in place is really useful.
When you do begin a training programme, make sure it’s positive reinforcement only. Research about dogs, their brains, and how best they learn, has changed remarkably over the years. Gone are the days of dominance theories, and comparisons with wolves (the ones that were studied, were captive bred, so the information gathered wasn’t relevant to domesticated dogs).
There are many trainers and classes around that embrace a more holistic approach to teaching, so look around and see which one suits your needs the most.
PULLING AND LEAD TRAINING
The first things to focus on are a good recall and loose lead training. Dalmatians are renowned for pulling on a lead, so this can be quite a time consuming issue to tackle. Always do it when you have time to devote, and are in the right frame of mind as frustration can get in the way, and spoil the whole training experience.
Dalmatians are big strong dogs, so ensure you have the right equipment. A collar and lead aren’t sufficient as constant pulling around their neck could have serious physical implications so we always recommend a well fitted harness.
A long lead (around 3 to 5 metres), and a well fitting harness are the best tools for you.
Which harness?
There are a number of harness sets available from a wide variety of retailers. When choosing a harness suitable for your dog, remember to select one which will be well tailored and fitting for your dog. Look out for quality of fittings ensuring they are strong, robust and suitable for your dog. Look out for a good fit ensuring they don’t rub your dog under its chest or armpit. Consider a durable wearing material that will put up with the rigours of an active Dalmatian including the perils of mud and water! Finally, choose an easy to fit that is quick and fuss free to fit to your dog.
The idea of a crate is to provide a safe haven that your dog chooses to go to and can become a useful tool should you ever have to restrict its movement such as travelling in a car. This involves an element of training and must be done over time, so that your dog acclimatises to it, without stress. When you bring your dog home (whether it be a puppy, or an older dog), if they are not used to being in a crate on their own, it can be a traumatic experience for them.
The best way to introduce your dog to crate training and avoid any trauma is to have a large crate in a quiet part of the room where you spend most of your time as a family. Cover ¾ of the crate with a blanket (only having the entrance uncovered), make it inviting, with a bed, toys, and something to chew on. Allow the dog to investigate of it’s on accord. You can reward its curiosity by throwing in treats when they go in – even if it’s just their nose that goes in. Don’t make a huge fuss; quiet praise of “good dog” is sufficient. Sometimes you don’t even need to say anything, rewarding with food tells your dog that they are on the right track.
Continue to do this for as long as you can until your dog is happy to spend a bit longer in there. At this point, you can shut the door for a brief period, then open it again and quietly walk away. Again, don’t talk, your actions will speak louder than words.
You can very gradually build up the time that the time that the door is shut, just so that your dog gets used to the idea of it being shut from time to time.
It is important to stress that the door does NOT have to be shut when your dog is in there. Once they have a good association with it, you’ll be surprised how long they will stay in there to sleep or just to have quiet time when the house is chaotic.
A crate is a great aid for toilet training when they are puppies (remembering to build up their association with it first, a stressed puppy will likely do their toilet in the crate), useful if your dog has had surgery and needs crate rest, or a nervous dog that struggles with visitors in the house.
As an alternative to the crate, if your dog really does not like the concept (never force a dog to do anything it doesn’t want to do, or feels it needs to do it through fear), put a bed behind the sofa or chair, and teach an “on your bed” command. The command won’t need to be used for long as your dog will understand that there is another option of where to lie down, away from all the hustle and bustle.
British Dalmatian Welfare
Registered Charity 1086519
British Dalmatian Welfare is the leading charity in the United Kingdom for safeguarding and rehoming Dalmatian dogs. As a charity, we are very much dependent on the goodwill of our volunteers, helpers and generosity of our kind benefactors. As a voluntary organisation all our funds are used for the benefit of the dogs.
You can make a direct bank transfer payment using these details:
Account Name: British Dalmatian Welfare
Bank Account: 51526170
Sort Code: 40-19-23
Reference: Your name
Your kind donation will certainly help make a difference.
Thank you
Correspondence Address:
The Hon Secretary
British Dalmatian Welfare
Farm Cottage
Studley
Warwickshire
B80 7AH
Registered Charity 1086519