Are dalmations any good at the yard?

[BuzzyBea]

We are looking to rescue a dog having lost one of ours recently.

I'm going to see a 6 month old liver spotted dalmation tomorrow who sounds ideal but hasn't been taken off lead yet.

Does anyone have experience of the breed at all and think I would ever manage to get it behaving at the yard off lead?

Are they great characters in general?

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

There is some one at our yard who has two Dalmatians - they are quite high energy especially when younger.

I guess as with most dogs it depends how much time and effort you put into them - I think they can be quite wilfull and stubborn The two at our yard are brother and sister which may not help with their behaviour I don't think they had to much consistent training when they were younger and would bugger off across fields at warp speed while being deaf

Should say they are lots better now they are older and are nice friendly dogs and sociable with others

 

[The Original Kao]

A livery at a yard I worked at years ago had a dalmation and she was great at the yard. Her owner had her well trained tho. She took no interest in the horses, she was more interested in the people.
I think if you put a good amount of time into his training, no reason why he shouldn't be fine.

 

[Archangel]

My grandmother had one and he used to come and stay with me in the summer. He was actually deaf sadly, but a great dog. He was a great dog to take out riding as almost endless stamina and didn't chase small furries. When you were walking he would bound off ahead but as soon as you trotted or cantered he tucked himself in behind and stayed there right at their heels. I really like them.

 

[mcrobbiena]

I worked in a yard who had one and my friend who has horses had one. They both farted ALOT and it has put me off them. Smelly b*ggers. There is nothing worse than stopping for lunch and sitting in the office with a farting dog. They both had farts that smelled as if their inside were rotting. (owned by different people and on different diets, I asked what the hell they were feeding them to make them fart like it)

 

[echodomino]

They should be very good with horses if you can control the energy, they were originally bred as carriage dogs to run alongside

 

[Archangel]

I They both farted ALOT and it has put me off them.

OMG I had forgotten that, they do fart a lot and it is eyewatering.

 

[echodomino]

I worked in a yard who had one and my friend who has horses had one. They both farted ALOT and it has put me off them. Smelly b*ggers. There is nothing worse than stopping for lunch and sitting in the office with a farting dog. They both had farts that smelled as if their inside were rotting. (owned by different people and on different diets, I asked what the hell they were feeding them to make them fart like it)

Would that really put you off a breed??

 

[dalidaydream]

They both farted ALOT and it has put me off them. Smelly b*ggers.

I've had 2 dalmatians and they are the least farty dogs I have ever come across.

They are also the most rewarding, loving and loyal dogs but they do require a great deal of human attention and do not like to be left for long. As regards being good at the yard, the one I have now is completely unaware of the fact that horses feet hurt and will happily run under my horse. Fortunately he is good as gold and adores her but I have to be forever vigilant that she doesn't put herself in danger.

As a plus, she is brilliant at cleaning up any stray bits of poo I may have missed in my horse's bed