GENERAL APPEARANCE- The Dalmatian
should be a balanced, strong, muscular, active dog of
good demeanour. Symmetrical in outline, free from coarseness
and lumber, capable of great endurance with a fair amount
of speed.
TEMPERAMENT- Of good demeanour.
HEAD AND SKULL- The head should
be of fair length, the skull flat, reasonably broad
between the ears but refined, moderately well defined
at the temples, ie. exhibiting a moderate amount of
stop; not in one straight line from nose to occiput
bone. Entirely free from wrinkle. The muzzle should
be long and powerful, never snipy, the lips clean, fitting
the jaw moderately close. The nose in the black spotted
variety should always be black, in the liver spotted
variety always brown.
EYES- The eyes, set moderately
well apart, should be of medium size, round, bright
and sparkling, with an intelligent expression, their
colour, depending on the markings of the dog; dark in
the black spotted, amber in the liver spotted. The rim
around the eyes should be complete; black in the black
spotted and liver in the liver spotted.
EARS- The ears should be set
on rather high, of moderate size, rather wide at the
base, gradually tapering to a rounded point. Fine in
texture, carried close to the head. The markings should
be well broken up, preferably spotted.
MOUTH- The teeth should meet.
The upper slightly overlapping the lower(scissor bite).
NECK- The neck should be fairly
long, nicely arched, light and tapering. Entirely free
from throatiness.
FOREQUARTERS- The shoulders should be moderately oblique,
clean and muscular. Elbows close to the body. The forelegs
perfectly straight with strong round bone down to the
feet, with a slight spring at the pastern joint.
BODY- The chest should not be too wide but deep and
capacious with plenty of lung and heart room. The ribs
well sprung, well defined wither, powerful level back,
loins strong, clean and muscular and slightly arched.
HINDQUARTERS- Rounded, muscles clean with well developed
second thigh, good turn of stifle and hocks well defined.
TAIL- In length reaching approximately to the hocks.
Strong at the insertion gradually tapering towards the
end, it should not be inserted too low or too high,
be free from coarseness and carries with a slight upward
curve, never curled, preferably spotted.
FEET- Round, compact, with well arched toes(cat feet)
and round tough elastic pads. Nails black or white in
the black spotted variety, in the liver spotted - brown
or whit
GAIT/MOVEMENT- The Dalmatian should have great freedom
of movement. A smooth, powerful rhythmic action with
a long stride. Viewed from behind, the legs should move
in parallel, the hind legs tracking the fore. A short
stride and paddling action is incorrect.
COAT- The coat should be short, hard and dense, sleek
and glossy in appearance.
COLOUR- The ground colour should be pure white. Black
spotted dogs have dense black spots and liver spotted
dogs liver-brown spots. They should not run together
but be round and well defined, the size of a FIVE to
a TWENTY CENT COIN, as well distributed as possible.
Spots on the extremities should be smaller than those
on the body.
SIZE- Overall balance of prime importance, but the
ideal height to be aimed at is
· Dogs 58.4- 61 cm (23-24 ins)
· Bitches 56- 58.4 cm (22-23 ins)
FAULTS-
· Blue eyes
· Patches
· Black and liver spots on the same dog (tricolour)
· Lemon spots
· Bronzing an other faults of pigmentation.
NOTE- Male animals should have two apparently normal
testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
