Such a tough issue….I read and read when trying to choose my current dog, as I’d had Dalmatians for 20 years and with the awful chronic renal failure of the last one, had plenty of time while doing her subcutaneous fluids 5X/day to consider I needed something smaller if it needed carrying around at times since I’m already 60 w 3 back surgeries.
My oldest at 14 was a female Dalmatian, adopted at 2 from a show breeder as she was a “failed show dog” due to a super minor conformation issue…what great luck for me! She was spayed after her first heat, which came late at 2, and I fed her Science Diet (1990’s) and some frozen Bil-Jac. These foods were probably simpler then.
Youngest was a German Shepherd at 8 who I had to put down from lymphoma. She had been my father’s dog, was spayed at 1 year, and he fed her WalMart Old Roy’s of some kind until I moved home and put her on Blue Buffalo Wilderness and also Cosequin for arthritis for years 5-8. She had autoimmune issues as a young dog, requiring steroids for 2-3 years, so I think the lymphoma probably came from that condition and/or treatment.
