Have you ever wondered why Dalmatians are linked to firehouses and firemen? There are many reasons why these amazing dogs were selected for service in firehouses many years ago. Here is a brief history of Dalmatian's vital role in fire stations in the past and present.
Back in the olden days of horse drawn carriages, Dalmatians were commonly known as "coach dogs" or "carriage dogs." Highway robberies and horse thieving were so incredibly rampant in the seventeenth through the early twentieth century that is was common practice for coachmen to sleep in a hammock nearby their horses and carriage in efforts to prevent theft. Once people came to the realization that Dalmatians have an affinity for getting along exceptionally well with horses, coachmen began giving Dalmatians the task of acting guard dogs; Dalmatians protected the carriages so effectively that they were able to keep the robbers at bay. Soon, coachmen trusted their Dalmatians so implicitly that they were able to sleep at night in the comfort of their own homes.
Dalmatians were also an excellent choice for coachmen because they are specifically bred for speed and endurance. The dogs were able to guard the horses and carriage by night, and by day they served as an excellent companion to man. Dalmatians are an extremely loyal, friendly (to familiar faces), energetic and fun-loving breed. These characteristics are attractive to those who enjoy having a pet companion. Also, because these dogs are bred for speed, Dalmatians would commonly run alongside the carriage or sometimes directly behind it, so they would be near the coach at all times. This attribute was particularly appealing to firefighters because the dogs needed to be able to keep up with the firefighters coach for long distances, sometimes covering distances up to 20 or 30 miles.
Because Dalmatians were so perfect for guarding coaches and running alongside them, firehouses adopted this breed as the most common firehouse dog. These Dalmatians not only kept the horses and carriage safe while the fire fighter's relaxed in the firehouse, they also proved themselves as an excellent playmate for the firemen when the hours between fires were long. Once a fire call came in, the dogs would traditionally run next to or in front of the horse drawn carriage to act as a siren declaring the advance of the speeding carriage. Because Dalmatians are white with pronounced black spots, they were easy for people to notice and recognize that a fire carriage was on it's way. Once people became accustomed to seeing Dalmatians running down the street, they knew to move out of the way so they would not get trampled by firehouse horses.
Though firehouses no longer use horse drawn carriages, Dalmatians still retain a heavy presence in firehouses. Not all firehouses have a Dalmatian, but some still do keep them on staff for old time's sake. Today, Dalmatians remain a strong symbol of nostalgia for firefighters and firehouses of old time's past. The fire station legacy of Dalmatians will remain for years to come, and their service and loyalty will not be forgotten.
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