dignified breed of nonsporting dog known for its short, dense, glossy white coat peppered with dark, round spots; ears are short, broad, and pendantlike; tail is long, thin, and tapering; eyes are medium-sized, slightly rounded, and dark black; adult stands 19–23 in. (48–58 cm) tall at shoulders and weighs 35–50 lbs (16–23 kg); puppies born pure white and develop spots only after a few weeks; can run tirelessly for long distances; origins of breed are ancient and disputed; name refers to Dalmatia, a region now in Croatia, where the earliest written records of the breed showed that it was used for a variety of functions; once used by aristocracy as a coach dog to trot beside carriages and protect them from highwaymen, but later used strictly as a companion dog; commoners used them as gun hunting companions; in 19th-century England the breed cleared the way for firemen on the way to the scene of a fire; today the breed is still a firehouse mascot; the popular book ‘101 Dalmatians' (1956) and subsequent Disney movie propelled this breed to fame,