Schleich!

Company: Schleich | Products: Dalmatian, Lying (16319): Dalmatian, Male (16436): Dalmatian Puppy, Standing (16347): Dalmatian Puppy, Sitting (16348): Dalmatian, Male (16838): Dalmatian Puppy (16839): Buddy (| Established: 1935 | Location:Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany | Market: Model animal figurines + sets, 3-12 | Manufacturing: in house, additonal detailing done in China| Ongoing

Schleigh is a Germany-based model production company that is generally considered to produce affordable, high-quality toy models for children, earning the “high quality” signifier as a result of a few unique choices to set the apart from other toy suppliers.

Computer models are used to design Schelgh models, which allows for a higher level of precision and detail to be added to the mass-produced figurines. Details such as claws, divots in the nose, toebeans, and of course, balls, make Schleigh models recognizable in comparison to other similarly sized or even priced counterparts. These computer generated prototypes are then molded by hand and go through several weeks of revisions before finalization, which includes making a mold cast for mass production. Schleich toys are made via injection molding, which is in the mould cast is closed and filled with melted plastic and then rapidly cooled to harden. The resulting creature will then be hand-painted. This process is long practiced: Scheigh initially began production as a plastic-molding provider in 1935, supplying other companies with plastic building parts made via injection-molding, before eventually moving on to producing toys as well.

Schleigh has seven dalmatians, although none are currently avaliable for purchase outside of a playset.

The first Dalmatian to appear in Schleigh’s line-up was Dalmatian 16319, otherwise known as Dalmatian, lying or Dalmatian Mother as she would later be added to a family set. In the 1997 catalog, she is categorized under “Hounds”. Originally released in German, she is listed as “16319 Dalmatiner”. For 10 years, she was the only Dalmatiner, a pretty big deal -in 1999 and , she even got her own glamor shot. Below are all her solo appearances in the Schleich catalogs, from her intital release in 1997 to her familys debut in 2007, as well as her 1999 cover shot. Please right click and enlarge these photos yourself because I am not helping with that. All the photos are in chronological order left-right 1997-2006, with the cover photo in 1999 at the end.

She was the only Dalmatian in the lineup until 2007, when her she settled down and had a family. There is more to be said about 16319 because she has some bullshit coloring jobs over the years but that's a complaint for the end of this page.

2007 brought on the arrival of Dalmatian, Male (16346), Dalmatian Puppy, Standing (16347), and Dalmatian Puppy, Sitting (16348). This was the first hound collection to feature two parents and two puppies, although some other breeds were lucky enough to whelp one puppy: the German Shepard, Saint Bernard, Golden Retriever, and Bermese Mountain Dog had one pup each. The next year in 2008, the Husky family was released with same nuclear dog family set-up. In 2009, the Golden Retriever family received another puppy, and 2010 released the Pug family with two parents and two puppies. The Dalmatian family could be purchased separately but appear to have mainly been sold in a set together; the popularity of this set may have encouraged the additional puppies being added to the other dog breeds.

Below are photos of the catalogs 2007-2016, left to right. 2013 removes 16319. 2014 removes 16348. The final photo is a page from 2008, featuring 16348, 16349, and two models of 16319. They did not use 16346 because they are gay.

The Dalmatian family set was titled “The Nature Set” but was only labeled as such in the 2010s catalog. In the years 2007-2009, the family was only categorized under “hounds”. Here is a photo of the packaging.

Unfortunately, 16319 left behind a broken family after being retired in 2013, survived by her two puppies and mate. However, this wouldn’t last long as 16348 (otherwise known as Dalmatian Puppy, Standing) was retired the following year in 2014. 16347 and 16346 met the same fate two years later in 2016. This marked the end of the original Dalmatian family. They live on in our hearts.

Schleich was not without Dalmatians for long. In the latter half of 2016, they released a midyear catalog that included two new Dalmatians.

Dalmatians 16838 and 16839 are apart of the Farm World Series: this is interesting because, although Schleigh may not know, Dalmatians are not typically a farm’s black and white spotted mascot that comes to mind above all else: they may have instead been thinking of Giant Leopard Moths. This features a divorced dalmatian family, with an adult male Dalmatian and a single Dalmatian puppy.

Unlike the previous 'matians, 16838 and 16839 weren't sold together in a bundle, but instead were avaliable to purchase individually or coupled in sets with other non-matian animals. 16838, catagorized as "medium" was $4.99, while 16839, catagorized as "Small" was $3.99, standard for their size catagories that included the other dogs and puppies as well. These models have more dynamic poses than their predecessors: 16838 is off to work in a brisk trot, while 16839 is eager to play with a raised paw, far more active than the somewhat vacant poses of the 1997+2007 models. However, what they gained in energy that lost in realism, as their features almost become blurry, such as the blocky toes on their paws or smooth heads. Compare this to the indivudal toes and furrowed creases of 16346 and 16319 and you can see the slight downgrade in details. This may be in tune to Schleich's recent focus on playablity instead of high quality, focusing on "inspiring play" with active poses instead of collectiblity via realism.

These two didn't receive a long run. They were both retired in 2022, and 16389 was even suspisiously absent for purchase in some catalogs along those seven years. However, they are both still produced in bundles. 16838 is in the 7-Piece Farm Animal Bundle (77533) ($29.99), and 16839 is in two sets, the Veterinary Practice Set (42502) and the 6-Piece Baby Farm Animal Bundle (77534)($29.99).

Below are three million photos. From left to right 2016-2022. 16389 is not listed in 2016

The Farm Animal Bundle includes a Dalmatian (16838), a rooster (13825), a pig (13933), a pinto foal (13933), a goat (13828), Texas longhorn calf (13828) and Cat, Standing (13770) (they ran out of descriptors for that). In this equation, 16838 is only worth $4.28. Guess he wasn’t that expensive after all, eBay :/

77534 comes with Dalmatian Puppy 16839, as well as a lamb (13883), a Simmental cow calf (13802), a donkey foal (13746), a goat kid (13829), and a piglet (13934). This bundle sold for $29.99.

42502 is a large playset with a decorated Veterinary office with 20 small accessories such as a dog bed, a carrot, and a medicine bottle, and seven figures. These figures included are Dalmatian Puppy 16839, Halfinger Foal (13951), two rabbits (42500), a mouse, and a brown kitten. The latter four are not sold independently and only appear in the Veterinary Practice set (42502) so i don’t know how to identify those guys.

However, 16839 may have the chance to live on a bit longer, for as well as still being produced for 77534, they also make an appearance in the Pet Hotel set (42607) produced as of 2024…kinda. This set features a puppy of the same make and model of 16839 but with a new coat of black paint, now rebranded as a German Shorthair Puppy. This puppy does not appear to be blessed with their very own ID number or official listing…possibly because they aren’t a new puppy, but rather 16839 in an ill-gotten disguise, to avoid retirement for as long as they can. Has anyone seen 13835 lately…?

Anyways. Meanwhile, on a different farm, there lurks yet another Giant Leopard Moth -I mean, Dalmatian. “Horse Club” is one of nine ‘Play Worlds’ that make up Schleigh’s lines of collections; marketed mainly towards aspiring young horse girls, Horse Clubis mostly horses, their riders, and the odd farm animal. In the case of Riding Arena Peppertree, the odd animal was Buddy the Dalmatian!

The Horse Club map consists of plenty of locations sold separately and is populated by some recurring characters. The playsets are often built around a set of kids and their horses (Sophia, Helen, and Tom), and named locations include the Lakeside Riding School, the riders cafe, and Big Horse Show™. Several of the large location sets include a dog (42619 with a Golden Retriever, 72205 with an English Cocker Spaniel, 42466 with a ‘puppy’, 42458 with ‘Ruby the Dog’), likely as a ‘filler’ figure in the higher-priced sets with a bit of a collectibility aspect considering the different breeds of the dogs. Large sets that lack dogs likely include a foal, cat, or goat; any medium-sized figure will do to convince someone to hand over their extra change.

Buddy the Dalmatian is a part of the Riding Arena Peppertree (42639) set, which is a large playset with 179 pieces, including 7 figurines and plenty of accessories within a riding hall set piece. It was released in 2024, and is currently sold on their website for $99.99. Below are photos of the set and the spreads from the dealer’s catalog. After three pictures with Buddy as the model, he is replaced by a Golden Retriever as the set's token non-horse animal. This could be because of a scheduling error or maybe Buddy just fell behind the couch ("fell"? what a lucky coincadence that Goldy was here to save the day) (it's actually because the Peppertree Riding Arena is marketed as a 'mega set' along with a camper van that includes the Golden Retriever)

Two things: I like Buddy's mold, I think it's a fun pose with some personality to it although something seems off about his proportions (his legs seem somewhat gangly to me) and I don't really like Horse Club's 'cartoony' vibe to their animals. Regardless, I would like to add this little guy to my collection and I might even consider the whole set: the greenscreen photodrop really tugged at both my heart strings and my wallet. That's the second thing: this little photoshoot is so gay, I hate it. Do you really think you can trick me shrimply by potraying a little girl having a relgilous experience playing with this reasonably-priced set: you thought you were clever spotlighting the set in welcoming golden light, the backdrop of a homey, nostagically-aged attic with a rocking chair. Is that really what's meant to convince me? You throw in some golden spirals and fancy camera tricks and that's supposed to make me want to spend One Hundred Whole Dollars on this? That's twenty, four different times. you can't buy anything with twenty dollars. This could be my grocery money three times over (I don't buy a lot of groceries) and theres like a room full of executives who are confidently betting that their corny little photoshoot is gonna convince me to fork over the equivelent of buying 1,200 eggs at Costco Wholesale(TM). Just, do you think I'm Stupid? Do you think i'm a Puffin? "Oh, look at how happy this kid is! If only I had some little horses, than I'd be happy too!" Sadly for every executive ever, I aged past 5 years old successfully and can now see past their tomfoolery and trickery. So, I didn't like their ad very much.

As of 2024, dalmatians are only avaliable in attachment to other sets.

*1 (16838 and 16839 are retired at the moment with no original record of their prices online. My guess is based off of similarly sized products. $5.99 for 16838 is based on the prices of the single-pieced Great Dane, German Sheperd, Wire-Haired Terrier, and Bull Terrier adult. $4.99 for 16839 is based on the prices of Golden Retriever Puppy, Bichion Frise, and Polar Bear Cub I refuse to consider if the original price was lower due to the rapid inflation, as economics is the practice of the devil.)