This is the Spanish Alano, the hunting and livestock dog that conquered America. hanh

From livestock to hunting thanks to its grip, capable of preying on the ears or nose without tearing. The Spanish Alano, the national gripping dog par excellence, went from being a faithful ally of shepherds and ranchers to a unique companion when hunting. But he is also a brave dog: hence, not too long ago, he was on the verge of disappearing, being replaced by more docile dogs to take care of the flocks and cabins.

However, the Alano seems to have a second chance with its repopulation and, as on so many occasions, because of the opportunity that the noble art of hunting represents for a dog with its characteristics.

What are its main characteristics? How do you deal with a dog with a reputation for being fierce? Does his bite need to be improved? What are its defects? Let’s see it.

The bite of the Spanish alan
The Alano has well-developed jaws and strong, healthy teeth. The incisors should be large and well aligned and the canines should be short and wide, very far apart. The ideal bite is an inverted scissor bite (the upper incisors on their external side come into contact with the lower incisors on their internal side), although a slight prognathism is allowed. From a very young age, when playing with their siblings, they show an innate grasping instinct in the area of their ears and face.

In a grip they must show great firmness and tenacity, not let go of the prey and always bite selectively in the head area (ears, nose, jaw) of the animal.

On the other hand, it is a silent dog, it never barks when it goes in pursuit of the cattle, since its intention is to reach the melee in order to stop it.

Agility

The Spanish Alano is a very fast and resistant dog, with rhythmic movements very similar to those of big cats. It is also very curious to see how they use their hands and foreshorten the air, as if they were huge cats, when they play with their companions.

The trot is wide and long, the gallop is fast and elastic with great extensions and flexions of the trunk. It is endowed with great agility and speed of movement, which makes it prey with relative ease.

Courage

The temperament of the Alano is given by its functionality and by the environment in which it has been raised and has carried out its work for centuries in the company of hard men with a way of living that they only understood as useful.

Therefore, the behavior of these dogs is typical of a breed in which only the strongest and best prepared to respond to the hard work that their owners demanded survived. It is a hunting dog that, upon seeing the wild boar, has to go by right, with nobility, never grab on the hindquarters or seek cowardly advantage.

Sociability with the rest of the group

In the development of its functions, the Spanish Alano has always worked as a team with other adult dogs of the same sex and breed, or others (villains, hounds, trail dogs or mastiffs). It is, therefore, a gregarious and sociable molosser capable of twinning with other dogs with which it lives.h-a-n-h

He likes very strong games, with grips and seizures that other races do not understand very well, but that never escalate. In adulthood, from the age of three or four, they become more serious, but never aggressive or quarrelsome.

YouTube video

Its main virtue…

Without a doubt, his legendary nobility, bravery and ability to work as a team with other dogs, which, on many occasions, saves their lives in the grips by quickly responding to the barking and immobilizing the dog until the dog catcher arrives.

…and main defect

If the Alano shows aggression towards people when reaching for a hold or engages with other dogs and not the cattle, he must be immediately removed from the herd and discarded for breeding.

In the event that he has had descendants, they must also be separated even if they do not have the same defects as the father, since in his descendants they could reproduce, and the treasure of the nobility and extraordinary temperament of the Alano is something that must be preserved. .

Utility

He is a good dog not only for hunting and holding livestock, but he is also a good companion for people who do some physical activity related to the countryside and like dogs with character.

The price

It varies: let’s set it between 800 and 1,000 euros, depending on the parents. Be careful: intrusion with these dogs abounds, as some take it upon themselves to mix several breeds to get something similar to the Spanish Alano and then sell it as such to those who do not understand much about breeds.

A little history of the Spanish Alano

Although settled in the Iberian Peninsula for centuries and eminently Spanish, the name of the dog itself already reveals its origin. There are references to it since the 14th century and it is probably descended from the prey dogs brought by one of the barbarian peoples that invaded the Peninsula after the fall of the Roman Empire.

During the conquest of America he accompanied the Spanish armies, helping the soldiers control the indigenous people. He was very famous Becerrillo, an Alan highly valued among soldiers for his ferocity and dedication on the battlefield. Secondly, he was very useful in hunting down fugitives who were trying to flee, since the dog was capable of capturing and gently dragging the natives to the position of the soldiers without causing them harm.

The chronicles say that on one occasion Becerrillo was released and encouraged by the soldiers to kill an old woman. To everyone’s surprise, when the dog was about to pounce on her, she knelt down and asked for mercy, because she was going to deliver a letter to the Christians.  Becerrillo stopped and stared at the terrified woman before sniffing and licking her.

Thanks to his qualities, Becerrillo received a double ration of food and a salary equivalent to that of a crossbowman. You can learn more details about this part of history in this documentary.

The Alan in our recent history

During the 19th century, it reached its splendor and popularity as a gripping dog for hunting big game and livestock, so its breed was the favorite of many people, including illustrious figures in Spanish public life, to such an extent that they praised its virtues in writings. and paintings and sculptures.

After its decline in the 20th century, some breeders took pains to care for it and return it to the Olympus of hunting dogs. Of course: despite its repopulation, we cannot let our guard down because it could still be in danger of disappearing.

My personal experience with the Alans

There is a very good passage area, for both the roe deer and the wolf, that I usually frequent: the Collada de los Muertos, which borders one of the most famous mountains in León –Pardominos–, in the municipality of Corniero. As on other occasions, and surrounded by friends, in that area the silence was total… until I heard, in the distance, the barking of some dogs, which I located approximately in the town of Corniero itself. He missed me: a rehala?

After the stalking, I went to Paco’s house, an 80-year-old countryman who looks 60 and who showed me around the preserve to reveal to me the most desirable corners for stalking. My question was immediate: “Is there a rehala in town, Paco?” «Man, not as much as a rehala; “The dogs you heard are those of my son Paquito, who has the kennels behind the house,” he replied.

Curiosity got the better of me and I gladly agreed to the invitation that father and son made me to visit the kennels. The surprise was very pleasant because those animals were Spanish Alans: on very few occasions I have come across this specimen, and I was pleasantly surprised by its behavior.h-a-n-h

From Euskadi to León

Paco García Escanciano, Paco’s son, is 20 years old, and he started with these dogs in the Basque Country, where he had many ranching friends who used this breed: a small stronghold in an area of semi-brave cattle where, in order to catch the cows , was the ideal dog.

His ability to grab the ears or the nose without tearing did not go unnoticed by the hunters, who also began to use him there for rehalas and night patrols, the modality with which Paco became definitively ‘hooked’ on.

El autor (en el centro) junto a dos amigos y sus alanos.
El autor (en el centro) junto a dos amigos y sus alanos.h-a-n-h

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