Alano Español

Short History of the Alano Español

This breed dates back to around the 5th century when a tribe called the Alani moved from the Byzantine Empire into what is now France and later Spain. Their pets were a formidable type of dog that were using for both managing livestock and hunting. These dogs were mentioned in works dating back to the Middle Ages. In his Book of the Hunt of Alfonso XI, the 11th Count of Foix described the personalities of the Alani’s dogs in somewhat unflattering terms, but goes on to state that the same animals had beautiful colors.

Spanish explorers that were on their way to the Americas took the descendants of these dogs along with them. In the New World, these more modern Alano ancestors regained their earlier reputation as war dogs. This breed proved itself to be intelligent and brave in battle against the native populace. When bullfighting later became popular in Spain, these dogs would find themselves matching wits with much larger animals rather than poorly equipped human beings.

These dogs remained popular until the 1800s when improved machinery began to infringe on their traditional occupations. When bullfighting was eventually banned, this breed was left without an obvious task to perform and the population dwindled. For a time, the Alano Espanol was thought to be extinct until that was discovered to not actually be the case. About 300 of these dogs were found living in rural provinces of Spain that had changed little over the course of the centuries. The desire to protect this rare breed eventually led the creation of a breed standard.

Although the Alano Espanols is often treated as being interchangeable with the Spanish Bulldog (Perro de Toro), breed fanciers of either type might insisted there some subtle differences in the appearance of the two. Adding to the confusion is the fact that the two breeds are occasionally bred together by those who regard them as the same breed but kept separate by those who do not agree with this practice.

Temperament

Due to their dominant natures and occasionally bellicose mannerisms, this breed is not recommended for amateur dog owners. Alano Espanols are nonetheless obedient and well behaved under the right leadership. However, these dogs are also known to be loyal to their entire families not just one member in particular. They are also fairly good with but supervised playtime is best because this large breed could easily knock over a small child.

As their ancestors hunted in packs, this breed is generally considered to be canine friendly but they may still show some issues with dominance over members of the same gender. While they do not usually misbehave around other dogs, they do not react well to being challenged by them. This breed is also not recommended for households that container smaller pets such as gerbils or cats.

Their incredibly protective nature makes Alano Espanols wary of unfamiliar people and they will certainly challenge strangers. Persons who unknowingly enter the dog’s territory may even be attacked without any warning. Therefore, an Alano Espanol should be kept in a securely fenced area, especially when members of their family are not home.

Grooming & Bathing

These dogs do not need copious amounts of grooming, but owners can certainly comb their Alano Espanols every so often with a rubber brush if they wish to do so. Alano Espanols will only need to be bathed in the event that they become exceptionally dirty or if they encounter a skunk.

Exercise & Training

This breed benefits greatly from constant training throughout the course of their lives and, once properly educated, they are incredibly obedient. However, Alano Espanol dogs can be difficult to housebreak and should spend most of their time outdoors as a result. This is no hardship because these hardy dogs were bred for outdoor life and are badly suited to being stuck indoors. Both cold and heat pose no problem to these dogs, as they would much prefer to carry on their lives without being trapped in the confines of a household. Those Alano Espanols that are nonetheless regulated to the status of family pet will need to be regularly exercised to prevent destructive behaviors.