It does mean they need regular exercise such as several long walks a day or some time to play in a fenced yard. However, they are also not backyard dogs. Dalmatians are very intelligent. They do not do well when left to grow up with no training. They respond very well to motivational training using positive reinforcement rather than pain avoidance.
Dalmatians make excellent pets for older, well-behaved children.
This statement was misinterpreted to mean Dalmatians were aggressive toward small children. A Dalmatian is high energy and grows rapidly. One wag of that tail can send a toddler flying. It might be funny the first time but after a while the child is afraid of the puppy and the puppy winds up in the shelter. Very small children are not always able to distinguish between a live puppy that can feel pain and a toy which cannot.