Dalmatians have long been associated with firefighting. According to the American Kennel Club, Dalmatians commonly ran with carriages, guarding the people or goods inside, as early as the mid-1700s.
In the 1870s, the Fire Department of New York began employing the breed to clear the way for horse-drawn fire carriages and defend the horses from other dogs or animals along the way.
The tradition continued long after engines replaced the horses, and Dalmatians continue to be mascots in firehouses around the U.S. to this day.
