Dalmatians have become such an iconic part of a firehouse. Right up there with the pole they slide down, the fire truck, and their yellow and black uniforms. But out of all the dog breeds why Dalmatians?
The Dalmatian tradition in firehouses started more than a century ago. These days they mainly are there to be adorable mascots and companions, but before fire trucks had engines, they played a very important role.
Back then there were no engines so they firefighters would race to the blaze on a horse-drawn carriage. The Dalmatians would bark as the firefighters left the fire house to warn people to get out of the way. They would continue to run alongside horses, keeping pace with them to keep going. Sometimes they would even have to fight off other dogs or animals that could spook or attack the horses during trip to the destination.
So not only are Dalmatians super cute they are also very smart and a big help.
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