That the Dalmatian is the only spotted breed in existence today is not news.  Less clear, however, are the origins of this canine icon, and the AKC breed club, itself, concedes that the breed’s origins are buried so deep in the past that researchers can’t agree on where he came from, let alone the breeds that “made” him.

Some cynologists strongly believe that the Istrian Pointer (the result of dalliances between the Harlequin Great Dane and a Pointer native to an area of Yugoslavia) was an early predecessor, and it’s hard to argue the viewpoint given the Dal’s Pointer characteristics marked with small black patches and tickings, as well as the geography involved. Others suspect that the Le Braque de Bengale, a spotted dog from India, and the ancient Talbot were the earliest ancestors.

The breed has been accredited with a dozen nationalities and as many names (the English Coach Dog, the Carriage Dog, the Plum Pudding Dog, the Fire House Dog, the Spotted Dick),  – but ultimately, the Dalmatian got his name from the Croatian province, “Dalmatia.”

Runners From Eden by Victoria Fomina is available in prints here