If you are passionate about large dog breeds that are excellent guardians and at the same time faithful and obedient, then the Spanish Alano is the companion you were looking for. A strong, intelligent and protective animal. Used for centuries for hunting, livestock and battle. A dog like very few of its style. A classic Spanish specimen. If you decide to adopt or acquire one, from here we want to guide you so that your Spanish Alano receives the care and attention it deserves. Read on to find out how to best raise this noble friend.
- Big size .
- Weight : Between 25 and 40kg.
- Hair type : Straight and short
- Character : Serious, Dominant, Affectionate, Reliable, Obedient, Patient
- Health : Healthy
- Life expectancy : Between 11 and 14 years.
History and origin of the Spanish Alano
The Spanish Alano is a dog breed that many consider native to Spain. It was considered the most important breed of dog from the times of the Middle Ages until the mid- 19th century . It is believed that its introduction into Spain occurred after the fall of the Roman Empire with the invasion of the Alan peoples to the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa in the 5th century, but its references appear in history from the 14th century onwards. The Spanish Alano was used for war and hunting wild species such as bulls and wild boars. His ability and strength made him a powerful hunting and gripping dog. A robust, brave and noble dog chosen by the Spanish armies in the conquest of the New World. It was also a very common dog in bullfighting shows. With the passage of time and the advancement of modern life, its uses were only limited to guarding and defense, as well as hunting big game and capturing mountain livestock.
The Spanish Alano is one of the most cited dog breeds in the field of Spanish literature and painting. It has been named in the literary verses of Lope de Vega and Cervantes. King Alfonzo This breed became almost extinct at the beginning of the 20th century. There are those who believe that the authentic Spanish Alano disappeared completely and that the specimens that exist today are the product of crossing with other similar breeds of the Molossoid type, but they are only hypotheses in this regard. Others claim that the few specimens that remained were recovered in northern Spain in the mid-90s and thus began a process of rescue and reproduction of the breed that led to its subsequent recognition by the National Association of Spanish Alano Breeders. and the Canine Society of Spain in 2004 . This possibility of disappearing as a race is today out of danger.
Physical characteristics of the Spanish Alano
The Spanish Alano is a large molossoid type dog . Despite having a rough and rough appearance, it is an excellent pet. It is a very strong animal that in its adult state is capable of knocking down a bull. He has great physical qualities and his long, firm legs make him a magnificent runner. Its head is large and has a strong skull with a marked concave profile. He has a kind of black mask on his face. The shape of his mouth conveys an impression of seriousness. With a short snout and little pronounced stop. The muscle tone of his body is robust, firm and with a high chest. He has a strong bone and muscle build. The nose is wide, large and black with defined and well-shaped nostrils. It has a powerful jaw and the bite is pincer-shaped. His eyes are medium in size and express a lot of emotion. The color can vary from amber and yellow to black. Their ears are short, set high and drooping; very separated.
As the Spanish Alano is a large dog, in the adult state it reaches a height between 60 and 65 cm for males and between 55 and 60 cm for females . The ideal weight varies between 38 and 45 kg, males and females weigh a little less, reaching a weight between 35 and 40 kg . The Spanish Alano reaches its maximum build at 2 years of age. Its coat is easy to care for, being short and not more than 3 cm long. The color varies, finding copper, gray and bluish specimens. There are also brindle or barcino type (brown and white or brown and black). The skin is hard and thick. It has some folds on the face and neck. The Spanish Alano is a dog that enjoys good health and if it receives good nutrition throughout its life along with a good dose of love, affection and good care, this dog can live up to 12 years .
Feeding of the Spanish Alano
Having described the physical qualities of this dog breed, we can only say that a dog of these proportions needs adequate and good quality nutrition . It is not about giving it a lot of food, rather what we want to tell you is that it needs food that contains the appropriate nutrients and with the highest standards of nutritional quality. We are talking about a dog breed that performs guarding and surveillance duties or herding livestock, so you must provide it with a feed based on red meat with low rice content and do not give it food with fish. Also avoid prepared foods that contain high fat content. Lobo Azul offers a high range of 100% natural foods of the highest quality.
Regarding the proportions, remember that this specimen is a very agile dog and being an excellent runner, it burns a lot of energy. The most advisable thing is that we feed him twice a day (at noon and at night). In the adult state, daily portions should be between 500 and 600 grams. Remember that our friend needs to drink a lot of clean, fresh water so that he can have the level of hydration that his body demands. When your pet comes of age and begins to age, its diet should no longer be the same as when it was a puppy, young or adult dog. Physical activity decreases so you must reduce food portions to 400 grams per day to prevent that stage of life that leads to a sedentary lifestyle from turning it into an obese animal.
Spanish Alano puppy
The Spanish Alano is a dog of large proportions. Since it is a puppy we can already see that it is an animal that grows quickly and also enjoys very good health. Ideally, it should remain with the mother during the breastfeeding period, which lasts up to 2 or 3 months. From there our puppy can be weaned and we can begin to feed it with dry food soaked in water or with soft processed food 4 times a day. Daily portions should not exceed 200 grams. The food should be rich in calcium which will help strengthen your bones and joints.
When your puppy reaches 5 months of age, increase the daily portion of food to 250 grams distributed 3 times a day. At 6 months of age you can increase the amount of food to 400 grams distributed twice a day. When they reach 8 months of age, maintain portions of 400 grams twice a day and select a protein-rich food that is suitable for large breeds in the juvenile stage of growth. Because it is a dog with a grasping instinct, during its puppy stage it is quite restless and playful and its games are always aimed at holding people and things tightly with its mouth. Remember that the visit to the veterinarian must be done with strict control to be informed of the vaccination schedule as well as their checkups to know if our puppy is growing in good shape. Don't forget to play with him a lot since through play you can train the puppy in basic rules of behavior. Give him a lot of love and affection from the first day he is with you.
Care of the Spanish Alano dog
The Spanish Alano is a breed that does not need special care. It is a dog that is in good health and is not prone to getting sick, but you must pay attention to some basic care rules. The first thing you should pay attention to is the food as we described previously. Remember to give him the appropriate portions of food depending on his stage of growth and that it is of optimal quality. A balanced diet is what your dog needs most. The second thing is that a dog of these proportions can live peacefully inside your house, although if you live in a house with outdoor areas it is much better so that it can run and jump freely, otherwise you must strictly take it for a walk about 3 times a day.
As for grooming, you should bathe him once a month to keep his coat healthy and free of fleas and ticks. Check the coat daily depending on whether the outdoor walking activities are carried out in parks or farms where other dogs and animals live. If he has fleas, take him to the vet so he can recommend a collar or pipette and if by chance he contracts ticks, the ideal is to remove them with sterilized tweezers. If you don't dare or don't know how to do it, go to the veterinarian who is the most appropriate person to carry out this task. It is important that as part of their care you clean their ears, eyes and teeth and when bathing them, also remember to clean the folds of the skin since they can contract some dermatitis if you do not do so. This dog breed withstands extreme weather conditions, but in summer you must provide it with sufficient hydration. The Spanish Alano has a quality that loves water so taking it for a walk to the beach and letting it run on the shore is an activity that fascinates it. Finally, brush it about 2 times a week to remove dead hair and to keep it healthy and shiny.
Character and personality of the Spanish Alano
The Spanish Alano is a very brave dog . It is not very sensitive to pain and is due to its nature as a hunting and gripping dog. Because it is a hunting dog, it will always be attentive to the slightest movement it feels or observes. It is very active, alert and restless, so training is recommended from a very early age. His bravery is the characteristic that stands out the most about him. They do not present any danger to the family and especially to the children they care for and above all they are very tolerant of the games that the little ones can play. What you should watch out for is that due to its instinct as a grasping dog, it always seeks to hold children by the ears without actually biting them. Sometimes children exaggerate when playing with pets and the animal may not understand this, so adults must monitor games with excessive jokes that can distort the nature of the game and get hurt. That's super protective.
His character is always that of a serious dog and he tends to be dominant, so a dog with these characteristics needs a master with a firm character who makes him understand with a few words and clear instructions who is in charge here. If so, then he will be a loyal, obedient and very affectionate dog with his people. He does not present any danger to strangers, but he will view them with a little distrust until he knows them well. If by bad chance of fate an intruder enters your house, it is better for him to leave as quickly as possible since the Spanish Alano will feel his presence and will first start barking to get the owner's attention and if the person dares to confront him as good The gripping dog will knock him down and will not let go until he receives a change of order from the master. When dealing with other breeds of dogs, let us tell you that the Spanish Alano is a dominant dog and must be taught to maintain balance because otherwise if they look for a fight they will find him and he will almost always win. So, it is important to take him for a walk to places where he has contact with other races to improve his socialization process. If so, you will have a dog model that everyone will want to follow.
Education and training of the Spanish Alano
Although many consider the Spanish Alano as an aggressive dog due to the use to which it was intended in the past, the truth is that training it is not complicated at all as long as we go to a qualified trainer with experience in this type of breed or you have a firm personality. in case you want to train it yourself, but it is always good to find out how to do it first. Because it is a very intelligent dog, it will learn everything we teach it completely, but to do so we must be firm and confident in the guidelines we give to the animal. Don't even think about mistreating him or applying confinement because you are not going to achieve any achievements or advances. On the contrary, he can become a real threat and will do everything at his whim. If by chance he gets on the couch and you don't allow him to, you must firmly say "no" and order him to get off. Reward him when he obeys the rules with a pat, pet, or a dog treat. There are people who have unscrupulously trained these races to attack, distorting their nature and turning them into a truly deadly weapon. Also do not show weaknesses to your Spanish Alano because if not, he will be the one to take the reins and you will end up being the one trained.
These dogs also understand our body language very well , so a hand signal to not do something or to go outside the house will be understood perfectly. You can expand the commands not only to call him and have him come to you or sit, but you can train him to stay next to you or sit for as long as you tell him, but you should always do it with firm words... without shouting or hitting. All members of the family group must follow the same line, but there must be one who imposes the rules or dominates the animal the most; Let him be the one in charge and control it with total responsibility and let your Spanish Alano know that he is the leader of the litter. If you want him to respect you, start by respecting him first.
Breeders of the Spanish Alano
There are many breeders in Spain who are recommended and recognized by the Spanish Association of the Spanish Alano and which is the ideal place to acquire a specimen of this breed without being scammed. These qualified breeders will tell you everything you need to know about this breed's temperament, as well as its functionality. They will guide you in the selection process and you can be sure that it has its certification or pedigree that guarantees that it is an authentic specimen. Breeders will also show you the inbreeding of the puppies, something that is interesting to know when purchasing a specimen. Certified breeders study very well the people who want to acquire one of their specimens. They ask you an exhaustive interrogation, first asking your knowledge about the breed and the use you are going to give it (whether it is for surveillance, competition or companionship).
The animals are delivered with a pedigree , no less than 8 weeks old, microchip, veterinary examination, dewormed, with at least two vaccinations stamped by the referee, photocopy of the litter's registration in the book of origins and a health guarantee. It is also important to know the place of breeding and this will give you an idea of the type of person it is; In short, be cautious and you will surely find the right breeder.
Price of Spanish Alano
The Spanish Alano is not just any breed of dog. Its history linked to the recovery that was made to avoid its extinction means that it has a fair price. It is not easy to raise these specimens and not everyone does it either. In the current market, a puppy with all its certificates and permits sells between 300 and 800 euros . As you will see, the price is very varied. We recommend that you buy them directly from certified breeders. There are many individuals on the Internet who offer you misleading offers. Some offer very low prices and that is not reliable since it may not be pure. We invite you, if you really want to acquire a specimen, to ask someone you know who has one how they acquired it and perhaps they can be of help so you can have that pet you dreamed of so much.
If you already have an Alano Español, I imagine that you will not regret having acquired it. You will have a faithful and inseparable companion who will make you feel safe and protected and in turn you will share moments of fun that you will enjoy forever.
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