Alano Español
Encyclopedia
Alano Español, sometimes called the Spanish Bulldog in English, is a very large breed
of dog
of the molosser
dog type
, originating in Spain
. The breed is best known for its former use during Spanish bullfights
.
type
, with a large, strong head. Males should be no smaller than 58 centimetres (22.8 in) at the withers
, and should weigh 34–40 kg (75–88.2 lb) with females somewhat smaller.
The coat
is short and thick but never velvety, and is most often a brindle
of any color; leonardo (fawn);black and brindle; sable wolf. White chest flashes are acceptable but prevalence of white is not. The face may or may not have a black mask
.
The muzzle is short with the lower jaw slightly concave, and has a very large, broad, black nose. The ears are set high and may be drop or cut short. The skin is very thick, with neck folds and some wrinkles on the face.
in the 5th Century. These peoples were known to keep large livestock guardian dog
s and pursuit dogs which became the basis for the many regional Alaunt
types. The first formal, written reference to the breed in Spain is in a chapter of the 14th century "Book of the Hunt of Alfonso XI
" (Libro de la Montería de Alfonso XI) in which hunting dogs called Alani are described as having beautiful colours.
Dogs of this type traveled with Spanish explorers and were used as war dogs (as was their role in Eurasia before migration) in the subjugation of Indian (Native American
) peoples, as well as in the capturing of slaves.
Bull baiting done in the bullfighting ring with dogs of this type was recorded by Francisco de Goya in his series on La Tauromaquia in 1816. Besides their use in the bullring Alanos were also used for hunting big game such as wild boar.
The large dogs began to disappear as the work they did began to change. Big game became rare, stockyards were modernized and no longer used dogs to hold the cattle, use in bullfights was outlawed, and by 1963 Alanos were thought to be extinct. In the 1970s
a group of fanciers
and veterinary students made house-to house surveys in western and northern Spain, and found a few examples of the dogs in the Basque areas of Enkarterri and Cantabria
, being used to herd semi-wild cattle
and hunt wild boar. A standard was written and the dogs were documented and bred, and the Alano Español was recognised as independent breed by the Spanish Kennel Club in 2004, though earlier studies at the University of Cordoba clarified the Alano as distinct from any other breed at genetic level. The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture (Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación) recognises the Alano Español as an indigenous Spanish breed.
Although the breed in Spain is still small in number and the breed has not yet been recognised internationally by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale
, examples of the Alano Español have been exported to North America, where a few breeders are promoting for temperament and hunting ability.
such as the Dogo Canario (Perro de Presa Canario) as well as the Mastín Español (Spanish Mastiff) The Cimarron Uruguayo
is a South American breed that also looks somewhat similar, and is descended from the dogs of the Spanish explorers and conquistadores. The breed is also sometimes called the Spanish Bulldog in English. English dog dealer Bill George
imported a dog he called "Big Headed Billy" in 1840. He was used to increase size in English Bulldogs.
Dog breed
Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
of dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
of the molosser
Molosser
Molosser is a category of large, solidly-built dog that includes several breeds, probably all descended from the same root stock. The name derives from Molossia, a subregion of ancient Epirus, ancient Greece, where the large shepherd dog was known as the Molossus.The proper noun "Mastiff", however,...
dog type
Dog type
Dog types are broad categories of dogs based on function, with dogs identified primarily by specific function or style of work rather than by lineage or appearance....
, originating in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. The breed is best known for its former use during Spanish bullfights
Spanish-style bullfighting
Spanish-style bullfighting is called a corrida de toros , or fiesta brava. In traditional corrida, three toreros, also called matadores or, in French, toréadors, each fight two out of a total of six fighting bulls, each of which is at least four years old and weighs up to about Spanish-style...
.
Appearance
The Alano Español is a very large dog of the MolosserMolosser
Molosser is a category of large, solidly-built dog that includes several breeds, probably all descended from the same root stock. The name derives from Molossia, a subregion of ancient Epirus, ancient Greece, where the large shepherd dog was known as the Molossus.The proper noun "Mastiff", however,...
type
Dog type
Dog types are broad categories of dogs based on function, with dogs identified primarily by specific function or style of work rather than by lineage or appearance....
, with a large, strong head. Males should be no smaller than 58 centimetres (22.8 in) at the withers
Withers
The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of a four-legged animal. In many species it is the tallest point of the body, and in horses and dogs it is the standard place to measure the animal's height .-Horses:The withers in horses are formed by the dorsal spinal processes of roughly the...
, and should weigh 34–40 kg (75–88.2 lb) with females somewhat smaller.
The coat
Coat (dog)
The coat of the domestic dog refers to the hair that covers its body. A dog's coat may be a double coat, made up of a soft undercoat and a coarser topcoat, or a single coat, which lacks an undercoat...
is short and thick but never velvety, and is most often a brindle
Brindle
Brindle is a coat coloring pattern in animals, particularly dogs, cats, cattle, guinea pigs, crested geckos and, rarely, horses. It is sometimes described as "tiger striped", although the brindle pattern is more subtle than that of a tiger's coat...
of any color; leonardo (fawn);black and brindle; sable wolf. White chest flashes are acceptable but prevalence of white is not. The face may or may not have a black mask
Melanistic mask
A melanistic mask is a dog coat pattern that gives the appearance of a mask on the dog's face. The hairs on the muzzle, and sometimes entire face or ears, are colored by eumelanin instead of pheomelanin pigment. Eumelanin is typically black, but may instead be brown, dark gray, or light gray-brown...
.
The muzzle is short with the lower jaw slightly concave, and has a very large, broad, black nose. The ears are set high and may be drop or cut short. The skin is very thick, with neck folds and some wrinkles on the face.
History
The name of the breed comes from the Alani, nomadic pastoralists who arrived in Spain as part of the transhumanceTranshumance
Transhumance is the seasonal movement of people with their livestock between fixed summer and winter pastures. In montane regions it implies movement between higher pastures in summer and to lower valleys in winter. Herders have a permanent home, typically in valleys. Only the herds travel, with...
in the 5th Century. These peoples were known to keep large livestock guardian dog
Livestock guardian dog
A livestock guardian dog is a domesticated canine used to defend livestock against predators. LGDs are commonly referred to as "sheep dogs" since they most often have guarded flocks of sheep, but most are capable of guarding other species of livestock. They are classified as pastoral dogs...
s and pursuit dogs which became the basis for the many regional Alaunt
Alaunt
The Alaunt is often thought of as an extinct breed of dog, however the Alaunt is not a breed, it is a type of dog also known as Mastiff. A number of modern dog breeds are believed directly descended from the Alaunt. The original Alaunt is thought to have resembled a Caucasian Shepherd Dog. They...
types. The first formal, written reference to the breed in Spain is in a chapter of the 14th century "Book of the Hunt of Alfonso XI
Alfonso XI of Castile
Alfonso XI was the king of Castile, León and Galicia.He was the son of Ferdinand IV of Castile and his wife Constance of Portugal. Upon his father's death in 1312, several disputes ensued over who would hold regency, which were resolved in 1313...
" (Libro de la Montería de Alfonso XI) in which hunting dogs called Alani are described as having beautiful colours.
Dogs of this type traveled with Spanish explorers and were used as war dogs (as was their role in Eurasia before migration) in the subjugation of Indian (Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
) peoples, as well as in the capturing of slaves.
The large dogs began to disappear as the work they did began to change. Big game became rare, stockyards were modernized and no longer used dogs to hold the cattle, use in bullfights was outlawed, and by 1963 Alanos were thought to be extinct. In the 1970s
1970s
File:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
a group of fanciers
Animal fancy
Animal fancy is a hobby involving the appreciation, promotion, or breeding of pet or domestic animals.Fancy may include ownership, showing, trialling and other competitions, breeding and judging. Hobbyists may simply collect specimens of the animal in appropriate enclosures, such as aquaria and...
and veterinary students made house-to house surveys in western and northern Spain, and found a few examples of the dogs in the Basque areas of Enkarterri and Cantabria
Cantabria
Cantabria is a Spanish historical region and autonomous community with Santander as its capital city. It is bordered on the east by the Basque Autonomous Community , on the south by Castile and León , on the west by the Principality of Asturias, and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea.Cantabria...
, being used to herd semi-wild cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
and hunt wild boar. A standard was written and the dogs were documented and bred, and the Alano Español was recognised as independent breed by the Spanish Kennel Club in 2004, though earlier studies at the University of Cordoba clarified the Alano as distinct from any other breed at genetic level. The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture (Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación) recognises the Alano Español as an indigenous Spanish breed.
Although the breed in Spain is still small in number and the breed has not yet been recognised internationally by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale
Fédération Cynologique Internationale
Fédération Cynologique Internationale is an international federation of kennel clubs based in Thuin, Belgium. The English language translation, World Canine Organisation, is not often used.Its goals are described in Article 2 of their regulations:...
, examples of the Alano Español have been exported to North America, where a few breeders are promoting for temperament and hunting ability.
Similar breeds
Large dogs that are similar in appearance and may share the history of the Alano Español include the molossers of the Canary IslandsCanary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
such as the Dogo Canario (Perro de Presa Canario) as well as the Mastín Español (Spanish Mastiff) The Cimarron Uruguayo
Cimarron Uruguayo
The Cimarrón Uruguayo is a breed of molosser type dog originating in Uruguay. The word cimarrón in Latin America is used to mean feral, referring to the breed's history....
is a South American breed that also looks somewhat similar, and is descended from the dogs of the Spanish explorers and conquistadores. The breed is also sometimes called the Spanish Bulldog in English. English dog dealer Bill George
Bill George (dog dealer)
Bill George was a 19th century dog dealer in London, England.-Early life:George's first job was as a butcher's boy, and he was a bareknuckle prizefighter, but he later became an apprentice to Ben White of "May Tree Cottage", Kensal New Town, a dealer of Old English Bulldogs, the ancestral breed of...
imported a dog he called "Big Headed Billy" in 1840. He was used to increase size in English Bulldogs.
Temperament
Since the breed was used for hunting in packs, it is very sociable with other dogs. All large dogs must be well socialized with humans and other animals when young, if they are to be safely kept as pets. Large working dogs, such as the Alano Español, need regular training and activity all of their lives.See also
- Bull-baitingBull-baitingBull-baiting is a blood sport involving the baiting of bulls.-History:In the time of Queen Anne of Great Britain, bull-baiting was practiced in London at Hockley-in-the-Hole, twice a week – and was reasonably common in the provincial towns...
- BullfightingBullfightingBullfighting is a traditional spectacle of Spain, Portugal, southern France and some Latin American countries , in which one or more bulls are baited in a bullring for sport and entertainment...
- Bulldog breedsBulldog breedsBulldog Breeds is a collective name for various breeds of dog of a particular type, also known as Bull Breeds.-Baiting sports:The sport of baiting animals has occurred since antiquity, most famously in the Roman Colosseum, a direct precursor to the modern Spanish bullfighting...
- Spanish colonization of the AmericasSpanish colonization of the AmericasColonial expansion under the Spanish Empire was initiated by the Spanish conquistadores and developed by the Monarchy of Spain through its administrators and missionaries. The motivations for colonial expansion were trade and the spread of the Christian faith through indigenous conversions...
- MolosserMolosserMolosser is a category of large, solidly-built dog that includes several breeds, probably all descended from the same root stock. The name derives from Molossia, a subregion of ancient Epirus, ancient Greece, where the large shepherd dog was known as the Molossus.The proper noun "Mastiff", however,...
External links
- Spanish indigenous breeds, from the Spanish Kennel Club (La Real Sociedad Canina de España)
- El Mundo del Perro magazine, Spanish native breeds issue