Dalmatians were used as stable and carriage (or coach) dogs as early as the mid-1700s. Their speed, endurance, and affinity to horses made them a good fit for guarding stables and running alongside passenger coaches.
The Fire Department of New York City began using dalmatians to run alongside horse-drawn fire engines in the 1870s.
Dalmatians would clear the way by warning pedestrians with their loud barks. They would also stay with the horses and keep them calm while the firefighters did their job.
Dalmatians remain iconic firedogs, but nowadays are mainly used as mascots, for boosting morale, and sometimes in teaching fire safety to children or keeping fire halls free of rats.
Sources
- “This Is Why Firehouse Dogs Are Usually Dalmatians” by Isabel Roy via Reader’s Digest
- “Why Are Dalmatians the Official Firehouse Dogs?” by Remy Melina via LiveScience
- “The History of Dalmatians as Fire Dogs” by Shannon Sharpe via the American Kennel Club
- “Why are Dalmations Firehouse Dogs?” via Windsor Fire & Rescue Services
Interesting! Dalmatians are pretty. I wonder why we don’t see many of them around.
Good question. I read that they are prone to blindness and also very active and intelligent so they need to be well trained.