Dalmation facts

Dalmation facts...
During the past century, there has constantly been a strong bond existent between British dog fanciers and the Dalmatian.

It is said that these dogs have been known there for the past 200 years, and there has even been investigation of a theory that they are actually partially descended from the early English hunting hounds, the Talbot in particular, so comparable are they to these dogs in type, character, and hunting ability.

Very possibly a century or two ago there was some Talbot blood infused into the European dogs who, by their astounding look, caught the eyes of travelers from Great Britain, then gained their appreciation by their intelligence, along with their strong guard dog tendencies, and thus were brought back to Britain with the tourists.

There seems no disputing the fact that the Dalmatian has his roots in really ancient times, and that the evolutions in the breed have been many.

When, in 1860, Great Britain held its second dog show there were only five breeds represented. These included Dalmatians, and so far as history records, this was the breed's initial arrival in dog show competition. Were it not for a gentleman named Fred Kemp, who was President of the British Dalmatian Club and a third generation owner of this breed with which he himself was involved for more than half a century, Dalmatians might not have survived World War I.

Mr. Kemp is credited with having kept alive dogs in his kennel through the hard and in many cases devastating duration between 1914 and the Armistice in 1918, providing breeding stock at the end of this time. It is stirring to behold what happened to Dalmatians in England at the close of World War I. They somewhat leaped ahead in popularity, the two Dalmatians registered with the Kennel Club in 1918 having increased to 125 by 1925 and to 889 by 1932. When the world famous dog show resumed, following World War I, there were two Dalmatians entered. In 1934, no less than 199 Dalmatian entries filled the classes for the breed.

The History Of The Dalmatia Breed of Dalmatian

Dalmation facts
Dalmatia identifies the Dalmatians bred, owned, and/or shown by noted professional handler Wendell J. Sammet, who back in the 1940's at Hingham, Massachusetts, laid the base for a highly capable breeding program which produced, and to this day, stands behind some of this country's most famous Dalmatians. Now located at Bryantville, Massachusetts and most widely associated with the other breed he loves Poodles.

Wendell has at no time lost his interest in Dalmatians. In fact it would be hard to say which breed has given him most delight over the years as he has a host of really noteworthy achievements in both.
The early names in the history of Dalmatia Kennels include, from the late 1940's, Champion Dalquest Rhythm from Dalmatia, born in 1947, by Champion Williamsdale Sunstar ex Champion Hamilton Belle.

Wendell bred this magnificent dog to the well known Champion Colonel Bones, son of Champion Williamsdale Sunstar, and in February 1951 she produced a litter which included the dogs Bellehop From Dalmatia and Blue Bolero From Dalmatia, and the dog who was to emerge as Champion Boot Black From Dalmatia.

This black spotted dog, breeder/owner handled by a Mr. Sammet, had nine Group wins to his credit (in the days when dog shows were far and away less numerous than in current times), and won Best of Breed at Westminster, Morris and Essex, and the Southern New England Dalmatian Specialty in 1954 and 1955 as well as the Chicagoland Specialty in 1955 and 1956.

But it was not only as a show dog that Boot Black was renowned, for amongst his ten champion offspring was the litter that included Champion Roadcoach Roadster and Champion Roadcoach Roadmaster, bred by Mrs. Mary P. Barrett.

Boot Black's son, Roadster, was, like his sire, black spotted. He completed his championship at age 13 months and was sold to Mrs. S.K. Allman, Jr., of In The Valley Dalmatians at Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Handled by Charley Meyer, he climaxed his show career by winning Best in Show at the legendary Morris and Essex Kennel Club classic, which was one of a total of 17 Best in Show honors for this memorable dog.

His 64 Group wins included such shows as Westminster, Eastern Dog Club and Chicago International in 1957. He was Best of Breed at the Dalmatian Club of America National Specialty in 1956, and at the Chicago Specialty in '57. His champion progeny included Champions Tioga Sportscar, Roadcoach Random, and Kiss and Tell From Dalmatia. Another of Wendell's earliest female dogs, Roadcoach Frou Frou, C.D.X., was bred by him to Champion Roadcoach Racing Colors, producing, in April 1947, the lovely dog Champion China Doll From Dalmatia.