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The Dalmatian's reputation as a firehouse dog appears to
be rooted in the popular use of the
Dalmatian as a carriage
dog, that is, a dog whose role was to run along, beside, and
sometimes even under horse-drawn carriages (therefore also
known as Spotted Coach-dog). Carriage dogs were useful for
clearing the way in front of the carriage, possibly for
helping to control the horses when at a full run (such as
for horse-drawn fire engines), and undoubtedly because they
were attractive and eye-catching. This use might have
transferred to horse-drawn fire engines although it is
unclear why this link is made in the US and not other
countries.
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