Spot Splattered Dalmatians

Spot Splattered Dalmatians We aspire to breed AKC registered LUA dalmatians who are behaviorally sound, genetically healthy, and beautifully splattered.

will produce black spotted, liver spotted Dalmatians.

🐾💗 UNILATERALLY DEAF DALS: STILL 100% NORMAL DOG! 💗🐾Since the past two days have been all about Dalmatian’s ability to h...
09/03/2026

🐾💗 UNILATERALLY DEAF DALS: STILL 100% NORMAL DOG! 💗🐾

Since the past two days have been all about Dalmatian’s ability to hear and the possible deafness, I figured I’d make a small post about unilateral deaf Dalmatian puppies!

Did you know that a Dalmatian who is deaf in only one ear can typically live an incredibly normal, happy life? 🥰

Unilateral deafness means they have hearing in one ear, but not the other. And because they still have one fully functioning ear, most unilateral deaf Dals adapt so well that you may never even notice a difference! 👂🐶

They can still:
✨ Play and zoom around like any other Dal
✨ Learn commands and tricks
✨ Go hiking, camping, and on adventures
✨ Socialize with people and other dogs
✨ Sleep, cuddle, snore, steal socks, and generally be a Dalmatian 😂
✨ Live a completely normal lifespan

There can be a few small differences, though!

Because they only hear from one side, a unilateral deaf Dal MIGHT:
👂 Have a harder time figuring out exactly where a sound is coming from
👂 Startle more easily when approached from their deaf side
👂 Have trouble hearing quieter sounds coming from that side
👂 Need you to get their attention from their hearing side, especially in a noisy environment
👂 Occasionally struggle to locate you if you’re calling from their deaf side

But here’s the important part: these are possibilities, not guarantees. Many unilateral deaf dogs compensate beautifully using their other ear, eyes, nose, and that impressive little Dalmatian brain. 🧠❤️

They don’t sit around thinking, “Dang, I’m missing an ear’s worth of audio.” 😂 They just go about being energetic dogs!

And this is exactly why BAER testing matters. You cannot reliably determine whether a puppy is hearing in both ears just by watching how they react to sounds. A puppy can respond to a noise while still being deaf in one ear.

BAER testing at around 6 weeks tells us which ears actually hear, allowing breeders and families to know what they’re working with.

A unilateral deaf Dal isn’t broken.
They aren’t less lovable.
They aren’t less capable of being someone’s perfect adventure buddy.

Different hearing ≠ a diminished life. ❤️

PS- Hiccup has bilateral hearing, but he asked to have a picture posted of him so 🤷🏻‍♀️😂 here he is!

🐾 Deaf Dalmatians: Are They Hard to Care For? 🐾One question we often hear about deaf Dalmatians is, “How difficult are t...
09/02/2026

🐾 Deaf Dalmatians: Are They Hard to Care For? 🐾

One question we often hear about deaf Dalmatians is, “How difficult are they to take care of?” This was asked a ton yesterday after our post about BAER testing!

Honestly? Not very! ❤️

Deaf dogs can live completely happy, normal lives. They simply learn to communicate with you a little differently.

Instead of relying on their ears, you can use:
👋 Hand signals
🤚 Visual cues
✨ Consistent routines
🫶 Touch and gentle physical cues

And yes, there are even tools that make life easier! A vibrating collar can be used to get a deaf dog’s attention from a distance. It does NOT shock them. It simply provides a gentle vibration that the dog can learn to associate with looking toward you.

For example, you can teach your dog:

Vibration → look at me → hand signal → reward! 🦴

With consistency, a deaf dog can learn commands just like a hearing dog. The biggest thing is making sure they know where you are and teaching them safe habits. A deaf dog should never be allowed to roam loose near roads or unfamiliar areas, because they can’t hear cars, people, other animals, or other potential dangers approaching.

A deaf puppy deserves the same chance at a loving home, training, and a full life as any other puppy.

And that’s exactly why BAER testing matters. It allows us to scientifically determine which puppies can hear and which cannot, so we can be completely transparent with their families and make sure each puppy goes to the home that is right for them.

🐾 Different doesn’t mean less. 🐾

🎓🐾 STAR PUPPY GRADUATE! 🐾🎓Look who’s officially a STAR Puppy graduate! ⭐️🐶There’s nothing that makes us happier as breed...
09/02/2026

🎓🐾 STAR PUPPY GRADUATE! 🐾🎓

Look who’s officially a STAR Puppy graduate! ⭐️🐶

There’s nothing that makes us happier as breeders than seeing one of our Spot Splattered babies out there learning, growing, and absolutely thriving with their family. ❤️

From tiny spotted puppy paws to graduating puppy school, this little one has come such a long way! 🎓✨ We are SO proud of this beautiful baby we bred and all the hard work their family has put into helping them become the best dog they can be.

Good job, little spotted superstar! ⭐️🖤🤍 We can’t wait to see where life takes you next!

Let’s Talk About Deaf Dalmatians 🧬🦻🐾Here’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough:Even ethical, responsible Dalm...
09/01/2026

Let’s Talk About Deaf Dalmatians 🧬🦻🐾

Here’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough:

Even ethical, responsible Dalmatian breeders can produce deaf puppies.

That doesn’t mean they didn’t health test. It doesn’t mean they were careless. And it certainly doesn’t automatically make them a bad breeder.

Deafness is a known issue within the Dalmatian breed and is connected to the genetics involved in the breed’s white coat and spotting.

The important thing to understand is that there is no genetic test that can tell a breeder how likely a Dalmatian will produce a deaf puppy.

That’s where BAER testing comes in.

BAER testing is performed after the puppies are born, commonly around 6 weeks of age, and tests each ear individually.

A puppy can be:

🦻 Bilaterally hearing (full, normal hearing)
🦻 Unilaterally deaf, meaning deaf in one ear (20% chance on average)
🦻 Bilaterally deaf, meaning deaf in both ears (5-7% chance on average)

You may sometimes suspect that a puppy has hearing loss based on how it reacts to its surroundings. Those observations can certainly raise suspicion.

But puppies can also be inconsistent in how they respond to sounds, and behavior alone cannot reliably tell us whether a puppy is hearing normally, deaf in one ear, or deaf in both ears.

I know one breeder who SWORE that a certain pup was deaf. She was shocked when his BAER testing came back bilateral hearing. Then she realized that he must really not give a darn about his surroundings! 🤣

BAER testing is the scientific way to objectively determine whether each ear is functioning normally. And that’s why responsible breeders test.

But here’s where things get really sad…

There are breeders who, when faced with a deaf puppy, choose to treat that puppy as a problem. Some Dalmatian breeders produce deaf puppies and then surrendered them to shelters or rescues simply because they were born deaf.

Some breeders don’t want to deal with the extra responsibility. Some don’t want to disclose the result to a buyer. Some do not want to take the extra time and energy to find the right home for a deaf puppy. And some simply don’t want to keep a puppy that isn’t what they expected.

That is something I will never do.

If we ever produce a deaf puppy, that puppy will NOT be thrown away, dumped at a shelter, or treated as disposable because it didn’t pass a hearing test. A BAER result doesn’t change the value of that puppy. It doesn’t make them less deserving of a family.

This is why transparency matters. If a puppy comes back unilaterally deaf, we will disclose it. If a puppy comes back bilaterally deaf, we will disclose it. If every puppy passes, we’ll happily disclose that too. But we aren’t going to hide the results simply because we don’t like what they say. And pretending a puppy can hear because it “seems fine” isn’t the same thing as actually testing its hearing.

Ethical breeding isn’t about producing a perfect litter every single time. Genetics don’t work that way. There’s only so much you can control.

It’s about knowing the risks, testing what can be tested, being honest about the results, and taking responsibility for the lives you bring into the world.

We can’t promise that every puppy we produce will be perfect. What we can promise is that we will test what can be tested, accept the results, disclose them honestly, and stand behind every puppy we produce.

Even the ones who aren’t perfect. Because a deaf Dalmatian isn’t a mistake to be hidden. They’re a puppy who deserves a chance. And if one of those puppies are ever born here, they will have that chance. 🤍🐾

Real transparency means showing the results, even when they’re not the results you hoped for.

💕 Puppy Update! 💕One of the absolute best parts of being a breeder is getting those unexpected updates from families and...
08/30/2026

💕 Puppy Update! 💕

One of the absolute best parts of being a breeder is getting those unexpected updates from families and seeing just how beautifully our puppies are growing! 🥹🐾

Just look at this gorgeous girl! 😍 She is absolutely stunning, and it makes my heart so happy to see her thriving in her forever home. ❤️

These updates mean more than you know. Watching our puppies grow from tiny little spots into beautiful, happy dogs is such a rewarding part of what we do. 🖤🤍

Thank you to her family for sharing this beautiful picture with us! 🥰

Look at that face! 😍🐾

🐾 MICROCHIPS: A Tiny Chip With a BIG Purpose! 🐾One of the things happening behind the scenes as we prepare for our next ...
08/29/2026

🐾 MICROCHIPS: A Tiny Chip With a BIG Purpose! 🐾

One of the things happening behind the scenes as we prepare for our next litter is getting our Fi Nano Microchips ordered! 🥰🐶

Every puppy from our program will be microchipped before going home. A microchip is a tiny, permanent form of identification that can make a HUGE difference if your dog ever gets lost or separated from you. ❤️

But here’s something incredibly important that we want every puppy family to know:

📌 A microchip is only as useful as the information attached to it!

When you bring your puppy home, please make sure you activate/register the microchip in your name and keep your contact information up to date. If you move, change phone numbers, or get a new email address, update the registration!

The chip itself doesn’t have GPS and doesn’t magically tell someone who your dog belongs to. A shelter, veterinarian, or other facility has to scan the chip and then use the registration information to contact the owner.

So when your new spotted family member comes home, one of the first things on your puppy-parent checklist should be:

✅ Activate your puppy’s microchip
✅ Register it with your current contact information
✅ Save the microchip number somewhere safe
✅ Keep your information updated throughout your dog’s life

It’s a tiny chip, but it can be the difference between a lost dog staying lost and getting that life-changing phone call: “We found your dog.” 🥹❤️

We’re getting everything, (including microchips) ready now because those little spots will be here before we know it! 🐾🖤🤍

Picture: featuring Tilly

🐾✨ WAITING LIST IS OFFICIALLY OPEN! ✨🐾The countdown is on, and our waiting list is officially OPEN! 🥰🐾We will only accep...
08/28/2026

🐾✨ WAITING LIST IS OFFICIALLY OPEN! ✨🐾

The countdown is on, and our waiting list is officially OPEN! 🥰🐾

We will only accept 3 deposits for girls and 3 deposits for boys until the puppies are born. Once all 3 spots for a gender are filled, that list will close until the babies arrive!

I will only be posting initials to try to give privacy to those who wants privacy!

🎀 GIRLS

1. J.G.
2. ⏳ Available
3. ⏳ Available

💙 BOYS

1. ⏳ Available
2. ⏳ Available
3. ⏳ Available

✨ So what does your waiting-list spot mean? ✨

This is your picking spot, but official puppy selections don’t happen until the puppies are 6 weeks old. Why? Because Dalmatians are born completely white and their spots develop over time, plus we want to have their BAER hearing tests and temperament testing completed before final picks are made. 🐾🤍

At 6 weeks, we’ll have a much better idea of each puppy’s:
🐾 Spotting pattern
🐾 Hearing status
🐾 Temperament & personality
🐾 Overall fit for their future family

BUT… let’s be honest. Usually, everyone has already fallen completely in love with a puppy long before the official picking day! You’ll get to watch them grow, see their personalities develop, and start forming those little bonds while we wait for the official testing and selection at 6 weeks. Last time, everyone knew which puppy they wanted before we even had all the testing done. ♥️🥹🐶

I’ll be pinning this post and updating it as deposits come in, so this will always show the most current availability! 📌

If you’re hoping to bring home one of these little spotted potatoes, send me a message about joining the waiting list! 🖤🤍🐾

✨ Let the puppy countdown begin! ✨

💗 Tilly is growing WAY too fast! 💗She’s getting to the point where she’s almost too big for me to scoop up and carry aro...
08/27/2026

💗 Tilly is growing WAY too fast! 💗

She’s getting to the point where she’s almost too big for me to scoop up and carry around anymore, and I’m not emotionally prepared for that. 😂🐾

This girl is so incredibly special to me. She’s goofy, cuddly, sweet, and has the absolute best personality. Watching her grow into the beautiful girl she is has been such a joy. 🥹🤍

I cannot wait for the day she’s old enough and has completed all of her health testing so we can officially welcome her into our breeding program! 🐾✨

For now, I’m soaking up every cuddle, every goofy moment, and every stage of my sweet girl growing up. 💕

🧬 WHY HUU TESTING MATTERS IN DALMATIANS 🐾One thing we feel VERY strongly about when breeding Dalmatians is HUU testing.S...
08/26/2026

🧬 WHY HUU TESTING MATTERS IN DALMATIANS 🐾

One thing we feel VERY strongly about when breeding Dalmatians is HUU testing.

So let’s break it down in simple terms!

HUA = High Uric Acid

HUU = Hyperuricosuria

LUA = Low Uric Acid

🧬 WHAT DO PURINES HAVE TO DO WITH IT?

Purines are naturally found in the body and in many foods. When a dog breaks down purines, the body produces uric acid. Most dogs are able to break that uric acid down and get rid of it pretty easily.

Traditional HUA Dalmatians are different. Because of a genetic difference, they don’t process purines the same way other dogs do. They can have much higher amounts of uric acid in their urine.

That’s called hyperuricosuria, or HUU.

Higher levels of uric acid can increase the chance of forming urate crystals and bladder stones. That doesn’t mean every HUA Dalmatian will get stones! But it DOES mean it’s something breeders and owners should know about.

🧬 SO WHAT IS LUA?

LUA stands for Low Uric Acid.
The LUA gene is dominant.
Think of it like this:

🐾 LUA + LUA = Homozygous LUA

🐾 LUA + HUA = Heterozygous LUA

🐾 HUA + HUA = HUA

A dog only needs one LUA copy to be LUA. So a heterozygous LUA dog is still LUA, even though they carry one HUA copy. A homozygous LUA dog has TWO LUA copies, which means they will pass LUA to every single puppy they produce.

🚒 EMBER’S FIREFIGHTER LITTER

Here’s a real-life example from our own dogs!

Ember is heterozygous LUA.

The male she was bred to for her firefighter-themed litter (Toby) was also heterozygous LUA.

That meant there was a chance of producing HUA puppies.

The expected odds were:

🧬 25% homozygous LUA
🧬 50% heterozygous LUA
🧬 25% HUA

So we should have had some HUA puppies. But we didn’t have a single one! 🎉 We got lucky! Every puppy inherited at least one LUA copy.

And that’s exactly why testing matters. You can’t just look at a puppy and know what they are genetically. Without testing that litter, we wouldn’t be able to inform our puppy parents what they were getting!

🫧 SHILOH’S ESSENTIAL OILS LITTER

Shiloh was HUA. Hiccup is homozygous LUA.

Because Hiccup has TWO LUA copies, he can only give his puppies a LUA copy.
Shiloh could only give her puppies HUA.

So we already knew what every puppy would be:

LUA + HUA = Heterozygous LUA

There was ZERO chance of an HUA puppy from that pairing.

Because we already knew the genetics of both parents, there was no need to DNA test those puppies just to figure out whether they were HUA or LUA.

We already knew the answer.

🖤🤍 AND OUR UPCOMING LITTER?

Hiccup is homozygous LUA.
Ember is heterozygous LUA.

So Hiccup will give EVERY puppy a LUA copy.

That means:

🐾 50% expected homozygous LUA
🐾 50% expected heterozygous LUA
🐾 0% HUA

Every single puppy will be LUA! ❤️

❤️ WHY DOES ALL OF THIS MATTER?

We want our puppy families to understand what they’re getting.

There are absolutely ethical breeders who produce HUA puppies. Being HUA doesn’t automatically mean a breeder is unethical. The important thing is that the breeder knows what they’re producing and is honest with their puppy buyers.

Unethical breeders will not know their dogs’ genetics nor will they test their puppies and inform you of what you are getting.

You should know if your puppy is HUA or LUA. You should know what that means. Your breeder should be explaining this to you ESPECIALLY if you are receiving a HUA puppy.

And you should be able to ask your breeder questions without getting vague answers.

For us, responsible breeding means more than producing beautiful spotted puppies. It means testing, understanding the results, and being transparent. We’re not hiding the genetics. We’re explaining them.

A MESSAGE FOR OTHER BREEDERS: 🧬 Know your dogs. Know their genetics. Know what you’re producing. Explain what you are producing. Breed responsibly. 🐾

🐾💕 HAPPY NATIONAL DOG DAY! 💕🐾Today, on dog day, we’re celebrating the one-of-a-kind Dalmatian! 🖤🤍Dalmatians aren’t just ...
08/26/2026

🐾💕 HAPPY NATIONAL DOG DAY! 💕🐾

Today, on dog day, we’re celebrating the one-of-a-kind Dalmatian! 🖤🤍

Dalmatians aren’t just pretty spots and wagging tails. They’re loyal, loving, goofy, and completely full of personality. They bond deeply with their people, love being part of everything you do, and bring endless joy (and plenty of laughs) wherever they go. 🥰

✨ WHY Dalmatians are so special:
🤍 Incredibly loyal and people-oriented
🤍 Playful, silly, and full of life
🤍 Intelligent and love having a job to do
🤍 Strikingly beautiful, because no two spot patterns are exactly alike!

Dalmatians aren’t for everyone, but for the right family, they’re everything. ❤️

They deserve love, understanding, structure, and adventure… and in return, they’ll give you a friendship like no other. 🐾

Today we celebrate all the amazing Dalmatians who make life brighter, messier, louder, and SO much more fun. 😂🖤🤍

Thank you for being the best dogs ever. 🐶💕🐾

Happy National Dog Day from all of us at Spot Splattered Dalmatians! 🖤🤍

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Des Moines, IA
50313

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+13096652702

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