[7] When fully grown, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC) breed standard, it stands from 19 to 23 inches (48 to 58 cm) tall.

[citation needed] Another coloration pattern is a larger solid patch of colour, which appears anywhere on the body, but most often on the head, ears, or tail.

The standard variety's short, stiff hairs often weave into carpet, clothing, upholstery, and nearly any other kind of fabric and can be difficult to remove.

[12] A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 13.2 years for the Dalmatian compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds.

[15] The breed is predisposed the following dermatological conditions: atopic dermatitis, solar dermatosis, and squamous cell carcinoma.

[clarification needed] The Dalmatian Club of America's position on deaf pups is that they should not be used for breeding, and that humane euthanasia may be considered as an "alternative to placement".

The British Dalmatian Club recommends only purchasing pups who are BAER-tested, and requests all members to provide BAER testing results of their puppies so that the true deafness statistics can be looked at.

[3] In the UK blue eyes are considered a breed standard fault so blue-eyed Dalmatians will not be rewarded in the show ring.

[24] A North American study of veterinary hospital records found that of over 9,000 Dalmatians, 1.36% had hip dysplasia compared to the overall rate of 3.52%.

[26] Dalmatians' livers have trouble breaking down uric acid, which can build up in the blood serum (hyperuricemia) causing gout.

[27] To reduce the risk of gout and stones, owners should carefully limit the intake of purines by avoiding giving their dogs food containing organ meats, animal byproducts, or other high-purine ingredients.

Hyperuricemia in Dalmatians responds to treatment with orgotein, the veterinary formulation of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase.

The only possible solution to this problem must then be crossing Dalmatians with other breeds to reintroduce the normal uric acid transporter gene.

This led to the foundation of the Dalmatian-Pointer Backcross Project, which aims to reintroduce the normal uric acid transporter gene into the Dalmatian breed.

In June of the same year, DCA members were presented with an opportunity to vote on whether to reopen the discussion of the Dalmatian Backcross Project.

[4][37] The first known written reference to a Dalmatian dog is from 1375, when Peter, Bishop of Đakovo, mentions a hunting dog principally found in Dalmatia, with short white hair and black round spots on various parts of the body, naming the breed Canis Dalmaticus.

[38] The earliest illustrations of the breed have been found in Croatia: an altar painting in Veli Lošinj dating to 1600–1630, and a fresco in Zaostrog.

[4] The first definitive documented descriptions of the Dalmatian (Croatian: Dalmatinski pas, Dalmatiner, Dalmatinac) trace back to the early 18th century and the archives of the Archdiocese of Đakovo, where the dog was mentioned and described as Canis Dalmaticus in the church chronicles from 1719 by Bishop Petar Bakić and then again by church chronicles of Andreas Keczkeméty in 1739.

[39] The book by Thomas Bewick, A General History of Quadrupeds, published in 1790 refers to the breed as Dalmatian or Coach Dog.

In sporting, they have been used as bird dogs, trail hounds, retrievers, or in packs for wild boar or stag hunting.

In 2003, Disney released 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure, the official sequel to the original 1961 film.

[45][better source needed] Dalmatians were abandoned in large numbers by their original owners and left with animal shelters.