Dalmatian spotting

Dalmatian spots are only found in one (pure) breed, namely the dalmatian. Dalmatians, like ticked and roaned dogs, are born white (though one can see the spotting of their skin, it is not yet visible in the coat). As the puppies age, their colour will become visible. It may be of interest to note that patches, which are undesirable in dalmatians, are visible right from birth. This is a way for a breeder to be able to tell if a dog is patched or if a number of spots are simply placed close to each other, giving the impression of a patch.
Dalmatian spots can vary in size, placement and amount. While dalmatians are only allowed to have either black or liver spotting, the pattern can be combined with any colour.

At this time, it is not know what causes dalmatian spots. One suggestion is that it is the same gene as ticking, but while the two share similiarities there are also many differences in looks and possibly inheritance. Dalmatian crossbreeds can exhibit dalmatian spotting to different degrees.

These newborn dalmatians have not yet developed visible spots

Every dalmatian has an unique spotting pattern