Alano Español

The Alano Español is a large Spanish molosser used on cattle and boar — a working catch dog with a documented history going back to the Middle Ages.

History

It is named for the Alans, whose migrations are traditionally credited with bringing the type to Iberia, and it worked cattle, hunted boar and went to the Americas with Spanish expeditions. It was thought extinct by the 1960s and was rebuilt from working dogs found in remote northern valleys.

Temperament

The breed is known for being serious, confident and notably steady for a catch dog — patient with its own household and unhesitating at work. It is not reactive, which is precisely what the job required.

Care and training

It needs substantial exercise, firm consistent handling and early socialising, and it is restricted in some countries. The short coat is easy to keep.

Health

Generally robust, the breed having been reconstructed from working stock rather than show lines. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.