The Dalmatian has excellent endurance.  He is a fast runner, with a great deal of stamina, and self-reliance.  Dalmatians were used as dogs of war, guarding the borders of Dalmatia.  To this day, the breed retains a high guarding instinct; although friendly and loyal to those the dog knows and trusts, it is often aloof with strangers and unknown dogs.  Dalmatians have a strong hunting instinct and are an excellent exterminator of rats and vermin.  In sporting, they have been used as bird dogs, trail hounds, retrievers, or in packs for boar or stag hunting.  Their dramatic markings and intelligence have made them successful circus dogs throughout the years.  Dalmatians are perhaps best known for their role as a fire-house mascot.  Back in the days of horse-drawn fire carts, Dalmatians provided a valuable service.  Dalmatians and horses are very compatible, so the dogs were easily trained to run in front of the carriages to help clear a path and quickly guide the horses and firefighters to the fires.  The dogs were sometimes also used as rescue dogs to locate victims in burning structures.  Dalmatians are often considered to make good watchdogs, and it is believed that Dalmatians may have been useful to fire brigades as guard dogs to protect a firehouse and its equipment.  Fire engines used to be drawn by fast and powerful horses, a tempting target for thieves.  So, Dalmatians were kept in the firehouse as deterrence to theft.  The horses have long since gone, but the Dalmatians, by tradition, have stayed.  Dalmatians are still chosen by many firefighters as pets, in honor of their heroism in the past.  The Dalmatian is also associated, particularly in the United States, with Budweiser beer and the Busch Gardens theme parks, since the Anheuser-Busch company's iconic beer wagon, drawn by a team of magnificent Clydesdale horses, is always accompanied by a Dalmatian carriage dog.  The company maintains several teams at various locations, which tour extensively.  According to Anheuser-Busch's website, Dalmatians were historically used by brewers to guard the wagon while the driver was making deliveries.  Dalmatian is often misspelled as Dalmation.