History:
The Alano is a very ancient breed, and there are several theories concerning its origins. What is certain is that these dogs did not originate from any breed known today, but instead, was the ancestor of, many of the molosser breeds that are very popular today, such as Great Dane or the Dogue de Bordeaux. There used to be Alano dogs not only in Spain, but in other places across Europe invaded by the Alans, however, only in Spain have they survived for more than 1500 years until the present time. The breed, also called the Spanish Alano or Spanish Bulldog, was never in dog shows or bred for beauty.
The Spanish Alano, in the past, has been used in four basic purposes:
- Wild or Half-wild Cattle handling
- Bullfights (this use was banned by the Spanish laws back in the 19th century)
- Big-game hunting
- Guard and defense
- War
Today it is used for cattle handling and hunting only. Some of the Alano’s talents include herding, hunting, tracking, watchdogging, guarding, police work, Schutzhund, weight pulling, competitive obedience and agility. [Read more…]