The first dog I every walked as a child, and I mean a child (was different when I was younger lol!) was a Dalmatian bitch called Cassie. She was wonderful, not a mean bone in her body, very elegant and petite so I;ve always had a soft spot for Dallies but I've not seen one with her elegant lines for a long time.
Becky

What a shame your breed being classed as mean.Thats all they need eh?Does ignorance spring to mind?

I only ever thought of Dallies, the same as Boxers - wired and slightly mental when it comes to play.

Mean is a very human characteristic, I don't think a dog is capable of intentionally being mean...

When Walking My Two Last Night,met Another Dog Walker And During Our Conversation I Mentioned That I Used To Have A Standard Poodle,the Guy Looked Horrified And Asked Me How I Had Coped With Such A Temperamental Breed,tara Never Had A Mean Bone In Her.

I think all people have got there own breed of dog they don't really like due to bad experiences.
Because we live near lots of working farms we have a lot of boarder collies around here and boarder collie crossies there just everywhere, and for that reason there are a lot of problems with them around here, but we used to have a rescue boarder collie who was amazing, so was our rough collie. Again it's to do with people taken on a dog that they don't know anything about, collie need loads and loads of exercise and most people don't give them what they need. My mother in law hates huskeys and malamutes she can't tell the diffrence, but an old neighbour og hers had three tied up all day in the back garden doing nothing, one day they got out and killed her cat and attacked her to. When I told we were getting a malamute she was like "oh my god they are awful nasty dogs"

Hi,

I've heard it said before but again the dog(s) in question were untrained and desperate for an outlet. I believe that all dogs have the potential to bite/attack, as they do not put the same connotation on it as humans. For me a dog has to earn trust and until then I will treat it kindly and fairly but will be firm in any questionable situation.

For example in our bunch we have a dog that I dont trust with dogs, a dog that I don't trust with men, and four that will go all out to cuddle everything. Though one is slightly child obsessed in that he cant get enough of them!

JMO but blame the deed not the breed. Our most bombproof dog is Darcy the GSD, children have hit her before and she just stared at them (I had a few words mind!) and she's even had a terrier clinging onto her nose while blood poured (she has the scars bless her) and she didnt respond just held still while we detached it!!!

She's also the most pleasent dog to walk/hug, however she doesn't "do" training or playing really! though she can do everything she likes to do it in her own time - you just cant help but love her!

When Nelson was a young dog I was always the one to walk him.We regularly met this woman who walked her son's Dalmation and she always let it of the lead in the park. I never went into the park with Nelson but skirted the road surrounding it and as he was still young he was always on the lead. I cant tell you how many times this stupid woman had to be told of because her dog always had a go at mine.He was a nasty piece of work but I dont think it was entirely the dogs fault but it left Nelson with a hate for Dallies. So I was always careful after that when I saw one although Nelson was never an aggressive dog I never took that chance as I hate to see any dogs fighting.

Sadly, in the U.S., Hollywood has ruined the Dalmatian. I knew several very friendly and quite clever Dally's in my younger days but since the "101 Dalmatians" movies came out, the back yard breeders and puppy millers have destroyed Dalmatians in the U.S. They ARE mean and neurotic. They have more nervous energy than sense and have endless behavioral problems This isn't true of all Dally's here of course, but most Dals on the pet market are like this, unfortunately, which has led to a decline in their popularity in the past few years.

I have to admit that the only Dally I've ever known was mean with other dogs and sulky with his owners. And the owner he had was pretty good with the dog. It was a lot of work. But I wouldn't class every Dally as a mean dog.

Thanks for all responses.

Eddy's not good with other dogs but I don't know if that's due to a lack of socialisation or an attack before we got him (his owner told the rescue he was good with other dogs but her boyfriend let it slip to us later that he'd had a 'problem' with a JRT).

I can completely understand how, if understimulated they'd become snappy - Takara's extremely wired and needs a lot mental and physical exercise and training.

Unfrtunately, as previously mentioned 101 Dalmatians has damaged the breed reputation quite a bit and people don't think about what they're taking on.

I also tend to meet a lot of people walking dogs who say 'oh we used to have a dalmatian' - it's always in past tense!!