Dalmatian dogs originated from which modern day country?

The Dalmatian is a breed of medium-sized dog, noted for its unique black or liver spotted coat and mainly used as a carriage dog in its early days. Its roots trace back to Croatia and its historical region of Dalmatia. Today, it is a popular family pet and many dog enthusiasts enter Dalmatians into kennel club competitions.

The Fédération cynologique internationale (FCI) recognized Croatia as its country of origin, citing several historical sources.

The first illustrations of the dog have been found in Croatia: an altar painting in Veli Lošinj dating to 1600–1630, and a fresco in Zaostrog. The first documented descriptions of the Dalmatian (Croatian: 'Dalmatinski pas', 'Dalmatiner', 'Dalmatinac') trace back to the early 18th century and the archives of the Archdiocese of Đakovo, where the dog was mentioned and described as 'Canis Dalmaticus' in the church chronicles from 1719 by Bishop Petar Bakić and then again by church chronicles of Andreas Keczkeméty in 1739. In 1771, Thomas Pennant described the breed in his book "Synopsis of Quadrupeds", writing that the origin of the breed is from Dalmatia, he referred to it as 'Dalmatian'. The book by Thomas Bewick "A General History of Quadrupeds" published in 1790 refers to the breed as Dalmatian or Coach Dog.