Looking for a unique spotty and fluffy friend? Then a Long-Haired Dalmatian dog is the breed for you! These outgoing, friendly dogs are good family dogs and are sure to keep the kids playing outdoors for hours.
Long Haired Dalmatians are slightly harder to come by as the dog breed has been bred away over the years so you can expect to pay up to $ 1200 for long-haired dalmatian puppies.
Be sure to be prepped for your puppy before it comes, with the basic supplies such as a bed, food, toys, etc, to ensure sure the new family addition is comfortable.
At around 6 – 8 weeks your new long-haired puppy will need its first set of vaccinations against canine parvovirus, distemper, canine hepatitis, and parainfluenza virus. There are 2 follow-up vaccinations against rabies and other viruses that will need to be done at 10 – 12 weeks and 14 – 16 weeks as well as deworming.
Unless you are considering breeding, sterilization will need to be done at around 6 months old. All this considered you can expect to spend roughly $1800 in the first year.
Thereafter, your annual cost will decrease as puppy food costs are more than that of an adult dog, you also no longer have the cost of puppy vaccinations and buying supplies. Annual costs after the first year will be based on food, grooming, and general medical checkups and procedures. Around $1700 per year.
Long-haired dalmatians have an average lifespan of around 10 – 15 years making the lifetime cost of owning one from $25 000 and up.
About long haired dalmatians
Breed & Genetics
Are long coat dalmatians purebred? Though the long-haired dalmatian may not look like the dalmatians we are used to don’t for a second think these dogs came about from cross-breeding. This long coat is rare and is dependent on the recessive gene being present in both parents. So yes the long-haired dalmatian is indeed purebred.
Long-Haired Dalmatian Appearance
Commonly it is thought that this dog breed’s standard coat color is white with black spots, however long haired dalmatians can also have liver, lemon (pale yellow), tan, brown, blue, or tricolor spots. This again is all dependent on their genes.
Just like the short coat dalmatian, they are born with a plain white coat with some lights colored spots that will develop into more prominent spots at around 10 – 15 days after birth and will continue to develop spots on their ears, tail, and legs up until 18 months of age.
They are smaller in stature in comparison to most large dog breeds and have slender legs. Most dalmatians have brown eyes though some can also have blue eyes. The average height is between 20 and 23 inches for a male long-haired dalmatian and 19 – 22 for females. The average weight is 45 – 60 pounds. The miniature long-haired dalmatian however has an average height of 8 – 12 inches with an average weight of 18 – 24 pounds.
Health Problems
The long-haired dalmatian is a dog breed that unfortunately is prone to genetic health problems. The two main genetic conditions they can develop are hyperuricemia and deafness.
While there is no guarantee that your dalmatian will or won’t suffer from one of these, their chances are high because of their dispositions. Of course, there are exceptions to this and some dalmatians have lived long and healthy lives.
You can also read more here: Dalmatian Lifespan: How Long Do Dalmatians Live?
Deafness
Hearing loss is something found to be more common in Dalmatian puppies than in other dog breeds. The loss of hearing at times is only partial but in more extreme cases there can be a complete loss of hearing.
A reputable breeder will usually get their long-haired puppies’ hearing tested by taking them for a BAER test (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response).
Hyperuricemia
This is when an animal’s body produces too much uric acid causing them to develop things like kidney stones, bladder stones, and sometimes even gout. This is more common in male long-haired dalmatians than in females.
Obesity
The dalmatian breed has a predisposition to overeat when not monitored. Dog owners need to ensure they are active and get lots of exercise daily, then weight gain won’t be an issue.
Factors That Affect Long-Haired Dalmatian Price
Many factors will affect how much your long-haired dalmatian will cost. Long-coat dalmatians cost more simply because they are so rare in comparison to short-coat dalmatians. Here are some other factors that could influence the long coat dalmatians’ price:
Breeder
A reputable long-haired dalmatian breede
r will charge more for their puppies for a few reasons: firstly their dogs will be purebred long-haired dalmatians, they will also have them checked and tested for various medical conditions as well as have the puppy receive its first set of vaccinations.
Purchasing your long-coat dalmatian puppy from long-coat breeders will help give you peace of mind that you are getting a well-bred, healthy dog.
Age
Puppies are more expensive to purchase than adult dogs. Puppies are purchased from breeders and because they are still young they can easily be trained to suit your household needs.
An adult dog is normally rescued from a shelter and therefore you will only have to pay the shelter’s adoption fees.
Coat Colors
Long Haired Dalmatians come in a variety of colors other than classic black and white. Another standard color is white and liver brown.
Though less common, other recognized long coat dalmatian colors are white & lemon, white & orange, white, black & tan, and white, liver & tan.
Associated Medical Costs
Some puppies receive their first round of vaccinations before being. Some dalmatian breeders will also have their long-coat dalmatian puppies screened for any medical conditions, this all affecting the cost of the puppy.
Lifetime Costs of Long-Haired Dalmatians
Feeding Costs
Long Haired Dalmatians are food lovers and can eat 1.5 – 2 cups of kibble a day divided into two meals. This equates to roughly 22 lbs. of kibble a month. Depending on the brand, you can expect to spend between $30 and $60 per month. Purchasing high-quality dog food is advisable to ensure your long-coat dalmatian has a well-balanced diet and gets all the vitamins and minerals they need.
Medical Costs
Routine visits to the vet usually cost between $40 and $55 depending on where you reside and the reason for the visit.
Getting pet insurance can help alleviate the stress that medical procedures cost as you only need to pay a small monthly fee to ensure your dog is covered. This would be a good idea since the long-coat dalmatian is prone to medical conditions as we mentioned earlier.
Training Costs
Long-haired Dalmatians are energetic and headstrong, they need the training to help them become well-mannered and disciplined to avoid ending up with an unmanageable dog. Training also helps to socialize your long-haired dalmatian with other dogs and cats.
Training can be done in a group or private sessions. Group sessions are good if you want to have your dog socialize with others and also help lower the cost per session, you can expect to pay between $50 and $110 per session.
Since dalmatians are high-energy dogs they are perfect for competitive sports such as flyball or agility courses, for this, they may require private training. These sessions are more costly starting at $100.
American Kennel Club & Long-Haired Dalmatians
Though the long-haired is a purebred dalmatian, the AKC does not recognize long coats as a breed standard, therefore they cannot compete in any shows, though they are allowed to compete in agility courses.
