Danish dalmatians leave their mark in Bali

Yudha Bantono, Contributor, Kuta, Bali

When Danish merchant Mads Johansen Lange landed on the island in the early 1800s, Bali was a serene paradise. There were no hotels, pubs, coffee shops, discotheques or fashion shops along Kuta and Legian roads.

Lange was well-known by many elderly people living in what is now the tourist hubs. The locals called him the White Rajah of Bali. Lange was one of the white pioneers who traveled faraway from Europe to search for romanticism in the tropical island of Bali.

Lange did flourishing business in Bali until he died in l856. His grave can be found near the Chinese cemetery in Simpang Siur area in Kuta center.

One of Lange's interesting legacies was the Balinese dalmatians currently spread across Bali.

Bali has long been famous for its dogs, which roam in every street in every village. However, the presence of local dogs has raised questions for local veterinarians.

Many believe it was Lange who contributed to the presence of Balinese dalmatians. At that time, apart from his merchandise, Lange also brought with him a male dalmatian that mated with a local dog in Kuta. It is assumed that this is where the present Balinese dalmatians originated from.

It is not strange for Balinese dogs to mate with other breeds. Between the 12th and 16th centuries, the famous Chinese Lee family brought chow chow dogs to Bali that later bred with local dogs. The mixed breeds are still found in Kintamani resort area in Bangli regency.

The dalmatian is said to have originated from Dalmatia on the Adriatic coast. Although spotted dogs are found in many parts of the world, the breed is common in Britain, where it was used as a carriage guard. In the United States, its affinity with horses and carriages earned it a place with horse-drawn fire engines, and it became known as the firehouse dog.

The most obvious feature of the dalmatian is its spotted coat. Dalmatians are also strong, muscular, active and have a good demeanor. They are graceful in outline, elegant and capable of great endurance. Dalmatians have great freedom of movement, exhibiting a smooth, powerful, rhythmic action with a long stride, which enables them to cover considerable distance. Sadly, a cute and cuddly image, fostered through films, novels and advertisements, in part contradicts the facts that the dalmatian is a big, strong dog in need of firm control and plenty of exercise.

How about indigenous Balinese dogs? They are part of the Asian dog family, which generally do not have specific anatomic standards. Balinese dogs are used as guard dogs or for mecaru (sacrificial) ceremonies.

The features of the Balinese dogs are similar except that the spotted parts are wider than the original dalmatian. The body size of the Balinese dalmatian is also smaller.

However, comprehensive research and studies would be needed to prove whether Balinese dalmatians possess similar genetic, DNA and RNA to their brothers in their country of origin. What's more important is that both Balinese and foreign dogs are related and live side by side happily. That was probably the idea of Lange when he let his dalmatian dogs mate with local dogs.