In the 1800s, fire … The horses have long since gone, but the Dalmatians, by tradition, have stayed. Sure, his coloring makes him look good against a red background, but it turns out that in the early days of firefighting, the Dalmatian served an important purpose. In this way, the Dalmatian became the firefighters' companion and a symbol of the fire service. So, Dalmatians were kept in the firehouse as deterrence to theft. We all are aware that there is no need for a Dalmatian with today’s fire apparatus, yet we still see them in many firehouses, and they are great mascots when firefighters visit local schools. Today, Dalmatians remain a strong symbol of nostalgia for firefighters and firehouses of old time's past. However, their characteristics as fire pups are still noted: In Newark, Calif., Bella, a 10-year-old Dalmatian , began barking when the washing machine in her owner's garage caught fire. That tradition holds across America. Today the Dalmatian serves as a fire house mascot, but back in the days of horse drawn fire carts, they provided a valuable service. Dalmatians and horses are very compatible, so the dogs were easily trained to run in front of the engines to help clear a path and guide the horses and the firefighters to … Today, Dalmatians are still found in many firehouses in England, Canada, and the United States. When fire apparatus was pulled by horses, it was natural for the fire service to use dalmatians for the same purpose. (1) In this way, the dalmatian became the firefighters' companion and a symbol of the fire service. Because of this loyalty, the Dalmatian continued in the Fire Service once … Still, the Dalmatians haven't lost their old status as the fireman's friend. Though firehouses no longer use horse drawn carriages, Dalmatians still retain a heavy presence in firehouses. Today, dalmatians are still found in many firehouses in England, Canada, and the United States. Not all firehouses have a Dalmatian, but some still do keep them on staff for old time's sake. Dalmatians are still chosen by many firefighters as pets, in honor of their heroism in the past. This story originally appeared on … Today, enthusiasts still participate in coaching trials with their Dalmatians, where they test the dog’s ability to “coach,” or remain by the cart or rider, and the dog’s endurance. As a result, in the U.S., Dalmatians are commonly known as firehouse dogs. Dalmatians are still kept by some firehouses, and the breed is still largely an icon of fire departments in the United States and in other countries. Dalmatians coexist particularly well with horses and were able to guide the carriages en route to fires. For example, in Middletown Connecticut alone, individual fire fighters own Dals named "Hydrant", "Chief", and "Cinder". Dalmatians were originally working dogs that were often used by rich persons to guard their horses and coaches. 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