The Dalmatian Lab Mix or Dalmador is a fantastic dog to own. They are a combination of intelligent, brave, easy-going, playful, and lovable. And did we mention loyal?
The Dalmador is a fantastic breed that can be owned by almost everyone including those who have had little or no experience with smaller dogs. Your Dalmador will require plenty of exercises, socialization, and training for the majority of his or her life.
This article provides you with an in-depth look at all the Dalmatian Labrador mix needs. We’ll cover the amount of exercise on a daily basis, socialization, training, grooming, to its health issues. We’ll also take you through both parent’s histories to give you a better sense of the offspring’s character.
The Labrador
- Weight – 55 – 99 pounds
- Height – 22 – 24 inches
- Lifespan – 10 – 14 years
- Major Health Concerns – Cold tail, Bloat, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Hip Dysplasia, Retinal Atrophy & Obesity
- Grooming – 4x weekly during shedding season 2x weekly during non-shedding season
- Fur or Hair – Fur
- Colors – Black, tan, white, yellow, & chocolate
- Eye Color – Brown
- Exercise – They need long walks (or runs) plus playtime in the yard several times a day
- Training – Labrador is very easy to train and very eager to be trained
- Socialization – Positive exposure to other people and dogs daily for best socialization
- Temperament – Playful, loyal, even-tempered, outgoing, agile, trusting, gentle & smart
- Good in an apartment? – No
America’s favorite breed of dog is the Labrador Retriever. He is an agreeable and friendly companion that is a popular choice for families. Labs are highly social and have a love for all people, children and animals alike, which explains their widespread popularity.
Labrador Personality and Temperament
- Loving
- Loyal
- Caring
- Easy to train
- Easy going
- Very intelligent
- Happy
- Playful
The Labrador came from Canada, where they were bred to help fishermen and hunters retrieve their catches. They needed a friendly dog that loved to go fetching and also enjoyed being in the water.
The Labrador was brought over to England by the 1800s by some English nobles. Those breeds are now the English Labrador Retriever, bred more as a show dog, a companion, and for its physical attributes.
The English Labrador is shorter, stockier, thicker necked, and more mellow than their American cousins. If you would like to know more, this article explains the American Lab VS the English Lab. There you can discover which Labrador breed is the perfect fit for you!
The Dalmatian
- Weight – 45 – 70 pounds
- Height – 19 – 23 inches
- Lifespan – 11 – 14 years
- Major Health Concerns – Hip Dysplasia, Cold Tail, Obesity, Urinary Stones, Retinal Atrophy, Seizures, Deafness
- Grooming – Brush 2x week during non shedding season, but brush as many times during shedding season
- Fur or Hair? – Fur
- Colors – Black & white
- Eye Color – Brown
- Exercise – 2 hours minimum of exercise daily
- Training – Train on a daily basis for thirty minutes or more
- Socialization – After your puppy gets his/her shots take him/her out with you wherever you go
- Temperament – Watchful, loving, gentle, playful, great family dog, eager to please, eager to greet people, and loyal
- Good in apartments? – No
The Dalmatians or Dals (for short) were created to guard horses and coaches against highway robbers. What had made them such great dogs for this job? It is that they have powerful hindquarters that let them move quickly for long periods of time. They also had a very strong bite force that made any highwayman think twice before trying to rob someone.
Dalmatian Personality and Temperament
- Intelligent
- Playful
- Friendly
- Outgoing
- Active
- Sensitive
Nowadays, we don’t travel on horses or in carriages, so they have lost most of their guarding instincts and so for that matter, they will not make for great guard dogs.
Even though Dalmatians have lost their ability to guard, they however still need at least two hours of exercise on a daily basis. Whether that’s running, jogging, or walking this is a great dog for those who live an active lifestyle.
However, if you do decide to get this dog, make absolutely sure to have them fully grown before you take them out for a long journey. You could severely hurt their growing joints or tendons if you take them out longer than 30 to 40 minutes. If you want to read more about this topic here’s a link.
The Dalmatian Lab mix
- Weight – 48 – 78 pounds
- Height – 19 – 23 inches
- Lifespan – 11 – 13 years
- Major Health Concerns – Hip Dysplasia, Cold Tail, Obesity, Urinary Stones, Retinal Atrophy, Seizures, PRA, & Deafness
- Grooming – Brush 2x weekly during summer and winter, brush as many times as needed during shedding season
- Fur or Hair? – Fur
- Colors – Brown, white, and or black
- Eye Color – Brown
- Exercise – Two or more hours daily as a fully grown adult 30-45 minutes as a puppy
- Training – Train daily as a puppy and as needed when an adult
- Socialization – Take puppy to classes and or take him/her out on a daily basis to see other people, animals, and sounds
- Temperament – Kind, loving, playful, easy going, great with kids, watchful, non-aggressive to strangers, & great family dog as long as you exercise them
- Good in apartments? – No- needs a yard and a house
The Dalmatian Lab mix is great for people who have had many dogs and/or are a first-time dog owner/s. Even though the Dalmatian has lost its aggressiveness, proper training, socialization, and exercise are needed from an early age.
The Dalmatian Lab mix appearance: they will have a double coat, a deep chest, a strong personality that will become almost immediately obvious, & some may have a spotted coat while others will have a plain solid coat.
So since the Labrador Dalmatian mix is a very active dog that needs daily exercise, this breed isn’t suitable for couch potatoes. Conversely, if you are a very active outdoors type, this breed is for you!
Training Needs of the Dalmador
Training is one of the three most essential components of raising your Dalmatian Lab Mix. When you’re not away at work or hanging out with friends, then training will become your new best friend.
Once you get home with the new puppy, start with the basic commands: sit, stay, lay down, and come. Then once the puppy has mastered those, move on to different commands. But always make sure to go over what you have taught your Dalmador frequently so that they don’t become rusty with their old commands.
In the very beginning, take your puppy out wherever you go. Allow the Labrador Dalmatian mix to experience new smells, sites, people, and animals.
The more they see and experience the better the Dalmatian Lab mix reacts to strange and uncertain circumstances. You want them to be more comfortable no matter the environment.
The less you socialize your pup, the more aggressive or territorial they’re likely to become. So, socialization is an important fundamental step to have a fantastic and upstanding citizen of the dog world.
The one place you should never go when your dog is still a puppy is to the dog park! Your puppy is still very young. If things get out of control with an ill-behaved dog, it could scar your puppy for life. Also, they shouldn’t socialize with other puppies and dogs before they’re vaccinated in order to avoid disease.
The Temperament of the Dalmatian Lab Mix:
- Loving
- Deeply loyal
- Caring
- Watchful over the family and house
- Intelligent
- Patient
- Obedient
The Lab Dalmatian mix is a friendly dog to anybody and any animal. They will greet anybody who comes to the house with a happy tail wag and a friendly bark. Their days of being great guard dogs who guarded horses and coaches against highway robbers are long over.
The Exercise Needs Of the Dalmatian Labrador Mix
Exercise for this breed means running about a giant property or on lots of trails, this breed needs the proper amount of exercise. Suppose you don’t give them the proper exercise that they require, which is 2-3 hours. Then, the Dalmatian Lab mix can become frustrated and can act out:
- Digging holes
- Aggressive/territorial
- Escaping from the yard
- Chasing animals
The Health of The Lab Dalmatian Mix
- Hip and Elbow Dysplasia – This comes from over breeding
- Cold tail – Cold tail is an injury that happens mostly to sporting or working dogs
- Obesity – If given a chance they will eat as much as they can then some.
- Urinary stones – Dalmatians get urinary stones quite often, so the Dalmatian Lab Mix may have a higher chance at getting them as well.
- Retinal Atrophy – which means a gradual loss of eyesight.
- Seizures – Dalmatians can have seizers
- Deafness
The Conclusion of the Dalmatian Lab Mix
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
We here at Labrottie give the Labrador Dalmatian Mix four stars! They have earned their high rank due to their ability to be multi-use dogs and still be the family’s friendly pet with proper training at an early age.
All in all, the Dalmador is an awesome dog for anyone. You most likely will not have any behavior problems, because you’re keeping your dog mentally balanced and actively balanced.
But if your dog does start showing a different behavior check to see if you have slipped any in the three most important things to give your dog over their lifespan!
Not what you are looking for?
If the Dalmador seems a little too tame for your taste, don’t worry! We have several articles that may fit what you are looking for:
Have a Dalmador Mix? Or a Mixed Dog and Want To Share It With the Labrottie Nation?
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Happy Tails!
The Labrottie Team!