Dalmatian Price & Cost of Ownership: Are You Ready?

You may be asking yourself: What's the Dalmatian price and more importantly the lifetime costs of owning one? You’ve wanted a Dalmatian ever since you were a kid and you saw them riding on the backs of firetrucks in your picture books.

So, how much would it take to get one of these adorable doggos into your life?

You don’t want to spend the money on a dog, only to find out you need to surrender him because he’s not what you want.

Not only is this a waste of money for you, but it’s also not fair to the dog, nor to you and your family.

On that note, let’s take a deeper look into the Dalmatian temperament to see if he’s really the kind of dog you want.

Dalmatian Temperament and Personality

The Dalmatian is one active dog who needs lots of exercise. Therefore, if you have the kind of lifestyle where you’d rather relax with your dog on the couch, perhaps you should look elsewhere.

While he’s good with kids, the Dalmatian is the kind of dog who doesn’t look where he’s going and can easily bowl them over.

You, therefore, must supervise your Dalmatian to ensure he’s not getting too boisterous when he’s around small children.

Here’s something cute about the Dalmatian: have you ever had or known a dog who could smile? The Dalmatian is one of those dogs.

That’s right – he bares his teeth in a non-threatening way to let you know he’s happy you’ve come back home.

A Brief History of the Dalmatian

The Dalmatian has a rather regal history.

For instance, you’d often see high-class folks driving along in their horse-drawn carriages with Dalmatians jogging alongside them.

And while Dalmatians are known for their spots, it used to be that people valued the spottier Dalmatians more than those with fewer spots.

Some of this snootiness has traveled down the generations to today’s Dalmatian, who can act somewhat aloof at times.

In fact, to have a Dalmatian remains a kind of status symbol in some parts.

Dalmatian Size

A Dalmatian is what you would consider a mid-size dog, bordering on a large dog.

A healthy weight range for this breed falls between 33 and 71 lbs. for an adult Dalmatian, with females coming in at the smaller ends of that range.

As for height, these dogs tend to grow to a maximum height of between 22 and 24 inches. That’s decently tall but nothing too crazy.

Therefore, you may be able to manage this breed just fine if you live in an apartment.

Just know that, as mentioned earlier, a Dalmatian needs a lot of exercise.

So, if you live in the city and don’t have a yard, then you’ll have to walk him daily. And not just once, but a couple of times a day.

How Much Do Dalmatians Cost?

The Dalmatian price should not surprise you. Because he is a more “elite” dog breed, he can be a bit expensive.

The Dalmatian price range falls between $1,600 to $6,000 or more.

On average, though, you should expect to pay around $800 for the Dalmatian dog price.

Adopting or rescuing a dog is a good way to save money on the initial Dalmatian price of acquisition.

And, of course, the purebred Dalmatian price is always higher on average due to his superior lineage.

Dalmatian Rescue and Adoption

Some folks look to rescuing or adopting a dog when the price of a Dalmatian is too steep.

This is a good idea because the Dalmatian dog price for adoption can be hundreds to thousands of dollars lower.

However, if you don’t have at least some money put aside in the event of an emergency, then owning a dog is a bad idea period.

You have to imagine what would happen if you saved money on buying a dog, only to discover he had a chronic medical condition after you brought him home.

Would you be able to take care of a dog like this? If you adopt, this is even more of an important question because you don’t want the poor dog to go back to the shelter yet again.

Dalmatian Cost of Ownership

In addition to the initial price of a Dalmatian, you should also be prepared to budget for the more regular costs associated with owning this dog.

Food is generally easy for this breed, at around $35 a month or so. But it’s his health concerns and fringe expenses that you really have to consider before you

1. Health Care Expenses

Of course, nothing in life is a guarantee. Just because you buy a healthy dog does not mean he will stay a healthy dog.

Heck, even healthy dogs suffer accidents, like run-ins with moving vehicles, that leaves them needing medical care for the rest of their lives.

However, it can still be a comfort to know when a breed does not typically suffer any genetic issues or developmental problems.

The Dalmatian is one of these breeds. Deafness, allergies, and urinary stones are the most commonly suffered ailments for this breed – definitely manageable.

However, it’s still a good idea to put money away in the event of an unplanned health emergency.

And even if your dog is one of the healthier ones, animals are like cars when they get older – they start to break down more often.

You’ll need to take your older dog to the vet more often and possibly even provide him with prescription medication.

These things are, of course, not cheap and factor into the overall Dalmatian price.

2. Grooming Costs

Grooming is something most dog owners can handle themselves and save the costs associated with professional grooming.

However, certain dogs may come with certain challenges, like not letting you touch their feet.

You’ll then need to pay someone to cut your dog’s nails. The bonus to this is that it will be over in an instant, and you won’t have to worry about accidentally cutting the quick.

The quick is the dog version of a cuticle. If you accidentally nick it, your dog can suffer severe bleeding.

Therefore, many people play it safe and opt to pay a groomer instead of trying to do it themselves.

You can expect to pay between $30 and $90 for a groomer, depending on the amount of work you need to be done.

Because a Dalmatian’s coat is so short, there isn’t much work to do at all.

Therefore, if you’re not a fan of brushing and shedding, then the Dalmatian is a good choice. His short coat saves you time cleaning – and saves you money at the groomer!

Brush him once a week and give him an occasional bath, and you’re good.

And don’t forget to clean out his ears regularly. Any floppy-eared dog is at risk for developing an infection from the accruing moisture that his flop-ears hold in.

3. Training Programs

Training is incredibly important, especially if you buy or adopt a Dalmatian puppy.

When you train your dog as early as possible, you can kick out the bad behavior before it morphs into a bad habit.

Take the Dalmatian. If you train him early enough not to knock people over, he’ll be better at watching out for others as he gets older.

If this seems like something that you don’t think you’ll be able to do on your own, then you’ll have to account for the cost of a dog trainer.

Rates differ, depending on whether you enroll in a group lesson or individual one-on-one time.

For a group rate, you can expect to pay around $30 to $50 per class, on average.

However, if you want your dog to have some one-on-one time with the trainer, then you’re looking at between $45 to $120 per hour.

The cost of this, of course, depends on the skill and experience of the trainer.

You should be able to get a free estimate from some of the local trainers near you. And some may offer discounts if you sign up for a package of lessons.

Final Thoughts on the Price of a Dalmatian

The average price of a Dalmatian is affordable when you consider the average price of a Dalmatian is about $800.

However, this is an average, not a guarantee, so some will cost more, and others will cost less.

It all depends on where you live, where the breeder lives, and the background of the dog you’re interested in.

This may seem like a long piece just to tell you about the price of a particular breed you’re interested in.

However, it’s important to have all this information before you buy so you can accurately predict whether the dog will be a good fit.

You definitely don’t want to adopt or buy a dog only to surrender him when he’s not a good match for you and your family.

As the old saying goes, “the more you know…”

Calvin L.

Calvin is the co-founder and one of the main contributors to dogtemperament.com. He has been an avid dog lover all his life. He enjoys researching and sharing great ideas on how you can avoid common pitfalls of dog ownership and build the most loving and enjoyable relationship with your dog.