The Dalmadoodle is a very unique doodle with an equally unique history. 🧑‍🚒 Their spotted coat and hard working dog attitude makes them a great doodle for active owners. They are loyal and attach easily to their owners and can be protective in nature. Dalmadoodles are equally as charming as they are attractive. They can be energetic and playful but also smart and attentive for owners that are willing to train them and channel their energy. 🔋

There are theories about where Dalmatians actually originated. Some say the British Isles, Europe, North Africa and Asia. This inconsistency about where they originated may be rooted in the job the Dalmatian was originally bred for. Dalmatians were bred to accompany and protect horse 🐴 drawn carriages. Many of these carriage duties involved gypsy caravans. As we all know, gypsies are naturally wanderers of the world, taking the Dalmatian with them. 🌎

An undisputed historical location of the Dalmatian was in the 1800s in central Europe along the Adriatic Sea, a region known as Dalmatia. The Dalmatian’s working dog job description is unique from other working dogs, as a coach dog. They were bred to guard horses and coaches for nobles, firefighters 🧑‍🚒 and gypsies. The Dalmations would jog alongside the carriages and guard the coaches and horses when they were left unattended. Some of these old protective instincts are still intact in the Dalmation today. The relationship between Dalmatians and FireFighters started as far back as the 1800s when fire engines were pulled by horses. These days Dalmations can be found trotting alongside the Budweiser 🍺 Clydesdales. 

Dalmatians were entered into the American Kennel Club in 1888.

Let’s take a quick look at the other half of the dalmadoodle hybrid.

The Poodle is called Pudel in Germany 🇩🇪 and Caniche in France 🇫🇷 . Both of these names are a nod to the Poodles original breeding use as a water retriever. The German Pudel name translates to puddle or splashing water . The French Caniche name translates to duck dog. 🦆

The Standard Poodles were originally bred as hunters of wildfowl to retrieve the game out of the water. The Miniature Poodle was also bred in France as a talented circus performer 🎪 . These Miniature Poodles were trained to walk tightropes and even perform card tricks and skits. 

Both the Dalmatian and the Poodle have long histories as working dogs and companion dogs. 

Sizing it all up

There is not a whole lot of size variation when it comes to dalmadoodles. They can weigh between 40 to 75 pounds and be 14 to 19 inches tall. Female ♀️dalmadoodles usually weigh less than male ♂️ dalmadoodles. 

Color Coding, Fur Real

Dalamdoodles can have either curly or wavy coats that are usually pretty thick. They will need to be brushed everyday or every other day to keep their fur from matting. They will also need a bath once per month 🛁 and a hair trimming about every 4 to 6 weeks. Owners can either hire a groomer or learn the grooming skills and do it themselves. ✂️ Dalmadoodle can be prone to having sensitive skin so owners may need to choose their doodle cleaning products more carefully. Additionally, all doodles need to have their ears cleaned and dried once per week to remove debris and prevent ear infections. 👂  They may also need to have their ear hair trimmed for the same preventative reason. 

Dalmadoodle can come in different colors and patterns depending on their parents used for breeding. 

 The AKC states that “there is no such thing as a completely hypoallergenic dog”. Unfortunately people with dog allergies are usually allergic to the dog dander 🦠, not the dog’s fur. Granted the dog fur can be a carrier for the dog dander it is not the cause of the allergen. The old school of thought was that less dog hair = less allergen. So breeders would attempt to have as many Poodle genes in a dog breed to lessen dog hair shed. Unfortunately, this does not change the level of dander. Please be cautious regarding the labels of “hypoallergenic” if you have dog allergies. If you would like more info on this please read 22 Hypoallergenic Doodles. ◀️

Working it out

Dalamdoodes are very high energy doodles that require a lot of physical activity. 🎾 Both of their parent breeds are high energy working dogs that are smart and can get bored easily. Dalmadoodles need a significant amount of exercise per day to stay happy and healthy. They will need about 2 hours of exercise each day. Dalamdoodles make great doodles for people with an active lifestyle who either run 🏃 or hike or some other high energy activity. Dalmadoodles can be active athletes and compete in many activities that their owner choses. They enjoy running, jumping and playing fetch and they would also excel at any more challenging work including agility or dock diving.  Dalmadoodle are not a good doodle choice for an apartment, they will need a yard to run around in daily. 🏡

⚠️ One word of warning, it is not recommended to have your doodle participate in highly strenuous activities prior to the age of 10 months due to underdeveloped joints and bones. ⚠️

Come, Sit, Stay

Dalmadoodles are very intelligent doodles that are easy to train. They can learn commands quickly and have a strong drive to work. Dalmadoodles can be taught to do many things including agility and obedience training. 🥏 They also can make very dependable watch dogs. Some Dalmatians can have strong personalities and be a bit stubborn so your doodle may inherit this quality as well. This may require a tad more patients. Dalamdoodle respond best to positive training methods with non repetitive activities.

Dalmadoodles can become bored and if this happens they can become destructive leading to excessive barking or destructive behaviors. Make sure that your doodle gets enough daily physical activity and does not become bored. 🐕

As with all dogs, dalmadoodles will need early socialization and puppy classes to build good habits for life. 

Quality of Life

Dalmadoodles are relatively healthy doodles. They can still be susceptible to any medical issues that either of their parent breeds are prone to. 🩺 Some of these medical issues include hip dysplasia, epilepsy, deafness and eye and ear issues to name a few. Some of these medical issues can be tested for by your veterinarian. 🧪

So now you want a Dalmadoodle….

If you are thinking about getting a dalmadoodle you must make sure that you are in love with any combination of traits that a doodle surprise could offer. 🎁 Your doodle may look exactly like a Dalmatian but act exactly like a Poodle. Would you be ok with that? What about the other way around? If you can love 💗 ALL of the traits of both parent breeds then DO IT! Doodles are the best! 

I would check at Poodle rescues and also at Dalmatian specific rescues, they may have a mixed breed/hybrid there as well. Also check regular rescues. Just realize that if you want to rescue you may have to wait to find your dog or travel to pick it up. But there are great benefits to rescuing instead of buying. 👍👏

If you decide to buy a puppy please do your research on the breeder and don’t be afraid to ask the right questions. And good luck to you! I hope you find your forever puppy! 🥰