do dalmations make good first dogs, i have LOTS of experience working with dogs but this will be my first, and the smae goes for flatcoated retreivers, which would people personally have?thanks for any advice,
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Wow, these are two very different breeds! About the only thing they have in common is general size. I'm biased - I've kept dalmatians for almost 30 years, and have never had a flatcoat, so you can guess what I think is best!

Dalmatians are highly intelligent, easily bored dogs, who think for themselves and don't respond at all well to harsh treatment or being misunderstood. With the right training they can learn to do anything - agility, gunwork, obedience - some are even used as Guide Dogs. With the wrong type of training you will have a menace. They also shed short, white hair continually (and like a snowstorm when they moult), which you will never get rid of and can get right under your skin like a splinter and hurt.

But to me they're the best! :)

:D JeanGenie, as you can see, not so dissimilar after all!! :D

Flatcoats are highly intelligent, easily bored dogs, who think for themselves and don't respond at all well to harsh treatment or being misunderstood. With the right training they can learn to do anything - agility, gundog work, obedience, flyball - some are even used as Guide Dogs, PAT dogs and assistance dogs. With the wrong type of training, or no training you will have a menace. They also shed long, black hair continually (and leave piles like tumbleweed all over the place when they moult).

They can be crazy dogs, but some are also as soft as butter. But to me they're the best! :)

Monty's Mum (and her crazy flatcoat) :)

Seems like it's just the shed hair, then!! :D

Do you like long black hair in the butter, or short white hair everywhere else?! :)

:D :D

I should think they probably are quite different really, in a similar kind of way. But never having handled a Dal I can't add to that. Actually, John is probably the one to ask about this, cos I'm sure he once owned a Dal in his dim and distant past. And he's certainly met more than a few wayward Flatties. :D

You found them in the butter aswell?? :Eek: i thought it was just me!! :D

Short white hair or long black hair? Believe me the short white hair can be like little spears! I have has several actually penetrate into my feet! All you know is that your foot hurts and there is a little red spot! They also thread into the carpet worse that the longer hair. The Flatcoats tends to lay more on the surface.

As Monty's Mum said, I've never owned a Flatcoat but I have been around so many for so many years! One thing is certain, you need a sense of humour with both breeds. As Jeangenie says, you must keep the interest of the Dalmatian or he will not bother to learn. My fella used to drag me up the mountains in North Wales and on the way down he was always behind, holding me back so I would not fall!

Both are lovely breeds so really it comes down to preference.

Regards, John

We've had the hairs stuck in our feet, too, John. And because hair is composed of scales, they act like barbs, and the hairs work their way further in...they can only be pulled out with tweezers, and it can make your foot bleed! (but I do have delicate feet!)

this is like something out of a horror movie. i'll never sleep tonight

Guess what? I've just found a long black hair in my cheese-on-toast! :D yeuk! Wonder where that came from? ;)