Why Do Dalmatians Have Spots?

Born, for the most part, in pure white suits, dalmatian puppies grow their first spots during their first weeks of life. Interestingly, the spots continue developing throughout a Dalmatian's life. The spots generally range from the size of a dime to the size of a half-dollar, according to the American Kennel Club's standards. But why do dalmatians have spots in the first place? The answers to this question may lie in this breed's genetic makeup and history, which remains for the most part enveloped in mystery.

  1. Purpose

    • Spots can help camouflage in desert landscapes.

      In nature, spots are present for two distinct reasons: for the purpose of attracting or for the purpose of camouflaging. It may very likely be that the dalmatian's coat blended well into light sand and surrounding pebbles, which proved invaluable when hunting over desert landscapes, according to the Britisth Carriage Dog Society.

    Selection

    • The dalmatian's coat was selectively bred for centuries.

      Back in history, dogs were selectively bred to fit different purposes. Greyhounds were selectively bred for velocity, scent hounds were bred for their tracking abilities and terriers were bred to dig and hunt vermin. In a similar fashion, dalmatians may have been selectively bred for the beauty of their spots. Indeed, according to the American Kennel Club, the Dalmatian's flashy spots are the result of ages of careful breeding.

    Genetics

    • Spots are inherited by the puppy's parents.

      Due to selective breeding, dalmatians have a genetic predisposition for spots. Inside each cell of a dalmatian puppy's body, there are instructions derived from its parents. When bred properly, a dalmatian puppy's mother and father have spots; therefore, the puppy ends up with spots as well because spots are in the dalmatian puppy's DNA. Dalmatian breeders carefully select dogs with spots that fit the ideal breed standard.

    Details

    • The extreme piebald gene in dalmatians has been linked to deafness.

      Tapping deeper into genetics, dalmatians have spots because they have an underlying coat color of black or liver. The extreme piebald gene colors the coat white, while the dominant ticking gene punches holes through the white coat with the end result of revealing the underlying black color, writes George M. Strain in the book "Deafness in Dogs and Cats".