There are many breeds of dogs around the world. There are hundreds, each with specific characteristics in terms of size, appearance and character. In Spain, dog breeds are also numerous, whose physical and behavioral characteristics are different from each other, but with a common denominator: their Spanish origin.
Do you know what are the Spanish breeds of dogs? Some are endemic to the national territory, but you may not know their basic characteristics and find it difficult to identify them as Spanish breeds. To discover what are the Spanish dog breeds, the most outstanding details of their physical appearance and behavior, in we recommend that you continue reading this article.
Andalusian Hound
It is one of the breeds of hunting dogs of Spanish origin. The Andalusian Hound is characterized by being of medium height, having pointed ears and an elongated snout.
With regard to its coat, three very different varieties are distinguished: Cerdeño type (long and hard), ready type (short and fine) and sedeño type (long, but silky). The most common colors are cinnamon, yellow and white.
Ibizan Hound
Also known as ‘Ca Eivissenc‘, it is a dog native to the islands of Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca and Formentera. It is a primitive dog and it is suspected that it was introduced in Spain by the Phoenicians, the Carthaginians and also by the Romans. It was developed for hunting rabbits without a shotgun and for big game.
The Ibizan Hound measures between 67 and 72 cm at the withers and has an extraordinary sense of smell. Their coat can be long or short, but always smooth. The color varies, although the most frequent tones are that of fire mixed with white or a brindle distribution of these tones.
Valencian Hound
As its name suggests, it is a dog originating in the Valencian Community. It is also known as ‘xarnego‘. It is a breed used for hunting rabbits, standing out for being a very active dog. Its coat is short and smooth, brown or tan colors combined with white, especially on the abdomen and legs.
Canarian Hound
It is an endemic breed of the Canary Islands, traditionally used for hunting rabbits. He has a prodigious sense of smell, as well as excellent hearing and vision. It is a large dog that reaches a height between 53 and 60 cm at the withers.
Its coat is smooth and tight, usually intense red with different white spots on the body. Its appearance stands out for having pointed ears.
Spanish Greyhound
It stands out among the breeds of greyhounds for its stylized appearance. Unfortunately, it is also characterized by the mistreatment it suffers in Spain. Every year, hundreds of Spanish greyhounds are slaughtered or abandoned at the end of the hunting season or when they cease to be useful in greyhound racing. They are one of the fastest dog breeds in the world.
It is a dog with a long history, already known in the Ancient Age. Its origins date back to the second century BC. As with other races, it has undergone changes over time to possess the characteristics that distinguish it today.
The Spanish Greyhound has athin, stylized and strong core. It has a short and smooth coat whose shares are different such as black, dark and light brown, white and reddish. It requires care focused on exercise, walks, rest and mantle, especially in cold climates since it must be protected correctly.
Discover other types of hunting dogs.
Spanish Water Dog
It is a breed native to Cantabria, although the largest number of Spanish water dogs is found in Andalusia. It is considered as a descendant of the old ‘Barbet‘. For generations, it has worked as a collection dog and sheepdog, thus being one of the best-known breeds of Spanish shepherd dogs.
It reaches a height between 40 and 50 cm at the withers, with a curly mantle, abundant and woolly consistency. There are unicolor specimens white, brown in different shades or black. There are also bicolors combining the mentioned tones.
Discover the difference between Spanish and Portuguese water dog.
Maneto
It is one of the Spanish dog breeds used to hunt rabbits, especially for its often size, agile body and short legs. Its performance improves in terrains of low and scarce vegetation because its limbs are short and complicate movements in spaces with thick vegetation.
The origin of maneto is in Andalusia. It is characterized by having a short coat, light brown or sand tones. His character is gentle and he enjoys exercising.
Navarrese pachon
This sample dog is large, since it usually measures 60 cm at the withers and weighs approximately 30 kg. Its character is active, it has drooped ears and a short, smooth and tight coat.
Generally, the mantle of the Navarrese pachón combines white with orange, but it can also have brown tones on the body.
Spanish Hound
The origins of the Spanish hound date back to the fourteenth century, when it was used for big and small game, including foxes, wild boars, deer, roe deer, bears and wolves. It is a breed that appears in the “Book of Monteria” written by King Alfonso XI and other classical authors.
It is a medium-sized dog, sad look and short coat. It measures between 48 and 57 centimeters in height at the cross and its fur is white and orange, although it can also be white and tan or white and lemon.
Andalusian winemaker mousetrap
It is a breed native to Andalusia, the autonomous community in which it was developed with the aim of evicting the plagues of mice hidden in horse stables and cellars, which is why this breed is called that. His skills were also frequently called upon for hare and rabbit hunting.
It is a dog with a compact, athletic and medium-sized body. Its fur is short and white in almost all parts of the body except the head, area in which a black mask appears and with reddish eyebrows.
Perdiguero de Burgos
The Burgos retriever stands out as a sample dog developed in Castilla y León. It stands out for being a very obedient breed, with a calm character and a strong physique. Its size is large and reaches a height ranging from 59 to 67 cm at the withers.
Their hair is bushy, short and straight. Normally, it is white and liver.
Valencian mousetrap
Also known as ‘gos rater valencià‘, it is a Spanish terrier type dog original from the Valencian Community. Primarily, it was developed to wipe out mouse pests on farms, plantations and horse stables.
It is a breed of small size, but muscular, athletic and agile. The color of his mantle presents different shades, but the most common is the tricolor: a mixture of black, white and fire.
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