Dalmatians have long been associated with fire departments, and while you can’t trademark a breed, the National Fire Protection Association registered “Sparky,” a cartoon Dalmatian. He was conceived at the 1950 NFPA Annual Meeting in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where the association announced that the Advertising Council had approved a national fire-prevention campaign to be launched in 1951. The new initiative needed a symbol, and Sparky was inspired by Smokey Bear, the bear who was really resonating with the public. NFPA decided to create a Dalmatian character, using the dog traditionally associated with the fire service. Since then, Sparky has been a world-famous ambassador and helps children learn important fire safety tips.
The tradition (of Dalmatians in firehouses) goes back over 100 years, and while the breed serves as a modern day mascot, Dalmatians had a very real job every time firefighters raced to a fire – and it had more to do with horses than flames.
Dalmatians have long been known to be comfortable running between the wheels of a carriage, mostly because Dalmatians are comfortable around horses. They typically ran in pairs, one on either side of a coach or running close behind the horses. The first folks to use Dals this way were English aristocrats in the early 18th century, and human nature being what it is, if a pair of dogs was good, several were even better! Dalmatians grew to become status symbols, and the more Dals you had running beside your coach, the higher your social standing.
It wasn’t a huge leap for the breed to be used by horse-drawn wagons driven by firefighters, and the dogs earned their keep! When a fire alarm sounded, the dogs ran out of the firehouse barking, and this notified strollers to get the heck out of the way because a fire wagon was about to rush by. Once the wagon was out on the street, Dalmatians ran beside it. They defended horses from animals that could spook or attack the horses, but also calmed the horses as they pulled the wagon closer to a blaze. Dalmatians also protected the wagon from thieves intent on absconding with the possessions belonging to the firefighter, and that includes the equipment or even the horses. Back at the station, Dalmatians would typically bunk in the stable alongside their equine friends.
Image of Sparky
This isn’t the complete story! The reason they are good under the circumstances is their characteristic trot, which is still judged for in competitions.
The trot is important because it soothes the horses, and keeps them from bolting. As you can imagine, going to a fire is a chaotic affair, and if the horses panic, it is a disaster. You have an overturned cart and frantic people and likely dead horses.
The trot soothes and effectively hypnotizes the horses so they run along calmly.
It makes no sense that it was a status symbol. It’s a fire. Who cares?
This is the key thing — the mesmerizing effect of the trotting dog on the high-strung horses.