Spanish bulldog Alano: characteristics of the breed, photo

The Spanish Alano is an aboriginal dog whose appearance has undergone virtually no changes. He is distinguished by his cruel character, stubbornness and devotion. A pet needs a strong-willed owner who can build a clear hierarchy in relationships.

Breed standard

The Alano breed is not recognized by the FCI. Therefore, it is impossible to accept the description of the breed as an international standard.

Characteristics:

• Large, powerful dog. Well developed muscles.
• The head is large, with a wide forehead. The transition from forehead to muzzle is clearly pronounced.
• The muzzle is shortened and quite wide.
• The eyes are oval-shaped, widely set. Eye color varies from yellow to dark brown.
• The nose is large and black.
• Lips are dry and tight. The jowls were slightly saggy.
• The Alano breed has very developed jaws.
• The ears are cropped and set wide apart.
• The body is elongated. Looks like a rectangle.
• The chest is round in shape.
• The limbs are long and muscular.
• The tail is saber-shaped, of medium length. Does not reach the hock joint.
• The photo of the Alano shows that he has short hair. There is no undercoat.
• The color is varied. Starting from red with various shades, ending with white. There are mainly reddish-yellow, brindle and black dogs. The muzzle is often painted black, this is called a “mask”.

Owner reviews of Alano Espanyol

I am the proud owner of three year old Marcus. Great breed. There is nothing complicated about care . The difficulties lie in proper upbringing. We went through all types of training, and now he is the smartest and most obedient dog in the world. It unexpectedly combines power and tenderness. True, he shows his friendliness, as it should be, only to those he knows. He is always wary of strangers , letting everyone know with his menacing appearance that he is not to be trifled with. He treats his sister's children with unexpected tenderness . He loves to dig in the sand with them. Markusya also loves to swim in the river . I am very pleased with such a controversial and unusual dog.

Alexander Having lived with a Spanish bulldog for almost five years, I can say that they are very attached and devoted to all members of the family and do not single out just one, like other breeds . They are gentle and kind, especially towards children . But I would not recommend leaving such a dog alone with a small child. You need to start educating yourself the sooner the better . And most importantly, do it right.

Ruslan

Character

The Alano Spanish Bulldog was bred to be a guard dog. Later he was made a fighting dog. This is imprinted on the character. Animals are fearless, tireless, and aggressive. A brave guard and hunter, he is endlessly devoted to his owner. Treats other family members loyally. The dog has an excellent reaction and, if necessary, will be able to protect the owner. The pet is capable of defeating a large animal; her ancestors had to cope with bulls. A modern Alano Hispaniol will easily knock down a large-horned representative whose weight exceeds 300 kilograms.

With proper upbringing, it does not express aggression towards people. Controllable, easy to learn, but resistant to violence. You can win your pet's favor with affection. The Alan breed of dogs does not tolerate familiarity. He will put a stranger in his place with a dull growl. Doesn't attack without a command.

Alano origin story

Hispaniol are large dogs that belong to the Molosser breed and were bred by representatives of the Alano tribe. They have long bred horses and cattle, skillfully defended their territory, so they bred a breed of dog that could help them in this. Later, the Alano was used in bullfighting, where this dog became incredibly popular. Soon the Europeans abandoned the bloody spectacle, so they decided not to breed large Alan bulldogs, successfully replacing them with more profitable bulls.

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  Photo from Instagram account thor_alanosoy

After some time, dog fighting was invented, which required the strength, power, and endurance of Molossians. Bloody battles were prohibited, the breed was forgotten for a long time, until the most famous cynologists in the world decided to restore it.

In the eighties, an initiative group of veterinarians and leading dog handlers found a couple of classic representatives of the aboriginal breed. These dogs were chosen for breeding because they were purebred. Based on the Alano, several lines of purebred dogs were bred. The famous breed was almost completely revived at the end of the 20th century.

Features of maintenance and care

Representatives of the Alano breed are not fussy in their care. There is only one caveat: they are not suitable for an apartment. They require constant movement. There is no room for this in urban environments.

Combing

Spanish Alanos are shorthaired. It is enough to remove dead hairs once a week.

Bathing

The Alano Spanish Bulldog does not need regular bathing. Water procedures twice a year are the best option for him.

Walk

If you look at the photo of the dog, his muscularity catches your eye. To achieve it, physical activity is required. The Alan dog loves long walks and active outdoor games. Canine athletes, hunters and residents of the private sector will appreciate the bulldog if they spend enough time walking with it.

Feeding

Dry food for large breeds is the main diet of Alano dogs. An adult animal is fed twice a day.

Eating Spanish Alano

These dogs are not particularly picky when it comes to food, but you need to immediately decide what the dog will eat - dry food or natural food. If dry food has been chosen, it must be of very high quality, and feeding it with natural products is strictly prohibited. When feeding natural products, the dog’s diet should include:

• Meat (any variety).
• Milk and dairy products.
• Eggs.
• Fish.
• Porridge (barley, wheat and oatmeal).
• Vegetables and fruits.

Your pet's diet should be free of any seasonings, salt, smoked and pickled foods, sweets, and baked goods.

Interesting Facts

Here are some interesting facts about this Spanish breed:

• have an extremely independent disposition;
• the International Association of Cynologists has not yet officially recognized this breed;
• Alanos continue to be used as guards;
• in relationships with other pets they take a leadership position.

The breed is still rare because no one has been breeding it for a long time. But thanks to this, it was possible to maintain the purity of the genes, so her original appearance remained almost unchanged. Alano is a breed for experienced dog breeders who can raise an obedient and devoted pet.

Education and training

The Spanish Bulldog is a dog with leadership qualities. This breed is not recommended for weak-willed people. In this case, the dog will simply “overwhelm” the owner. From the first days a puppy appears in the house, he needs to be shown who is in charge in the house.

Alanos are devoted to their owners. They are tolerant of children and enjoy playing with them. But you shouldn’t leave your baby alone with the dog, it’s dangerous.

Interesting! The Spanish Bulldog perceives the child as an equal or as the youngest in the pack. In the latter case, he behaves accordingly, trying to teach the child wisdom in his own way.

You can't shout or hit Alano. Such actions embitter the animal. Violent training methods will turn a friend into a vengeful aggressor. Raising a puppy begins from the first days of its appearance in the owner’s house. The dog is immediately accustomed to its place, name, wearing a collar and moving on a leash. Breeders advise trusting the general training course only to specialists.

The Alano Espanol is a legendary breed that has come a long way from a ferocious hunter to man's best friend. A large and aggressive-looking dog turns out to be such only at first glance, and for the owner it becomes an assistant and companion.

Description of the Alan Dog breed

The main purpose of the Alan war dog is to protect herds of cattle, as well as to hunt when pursuing and baiting large game. In modern realities, Alano is more often used as a bodyguard and security guard.

Some dogs take part in underground dog fighting, which is carried out illegally.

Appearance

The physique of the Great Dane is of the Alano Molossian type, but a little light and dry . The body is of an elongated format with a well-formed muscle corset and strong bones, powerful but not too protruding withers, a strong back with a barely noticeable arch (overtrack), a muscular wide loin, a low-set deep chest and a taut abdominal line.

Alan Great Danes are built very harmoniously

Breed standard:

• Height at withers: females - 56–61 cm;
• males - 60–65 cm.

For all its massiveness and power, the Alan moves surprisingly deftly and elegantly with truly cat-like grace. The dog is distinguished by grace, flexibility and extreme mobility. When running, it develops great speed.

The harsh coat is short (1–2.5 cm) and thick, sparse on the chest. The skin is thick and rough, it fits quite tightly to the body, there is a dewlap on the neck, and there are small shallow folds on the head. Any color is acceptable, but brindle in a wide variety of shades is preferable (fawn, golden-copper, red, black, gray, etc.). The overall tone is desirable to be as uniform as possible (without large white spots). A black mask on the face is allowed.

It is preferable for the Alan Dane to have a brindle color

Character and psyche of the breed

The Dogo Alano has a calm, balanced and noble character. The huge, strong dog has a strong sense of self-esteem and a desire for leadership. Unquestioningly obeys only one powerful and strong owner, recognizing him as the leader. With the rest of the family he is meek and gentle; he always perceives strangers with wariness and distrust, but without visible aggression.

People who are indecisive and weak both physically and morally are strongly not recommended to own this serious breed.

He tolerates annoying children for the time being, allowing himself to be stroked and tossed. If a child acts carelessly (trying to get into the mouth, eyes, ears or causing pain), he may react inappropriately, showing a natural defensive reaction. For this reason, it is better not to leave a small child alone with an Alanian fighting dog. Other animals living in the same territory as him do not evoke any emotions in the dog; he treats them very tolerantly, assigning them a lower hierarchical level. He will always respond to the vicious attacks of other large-caliber dogs, but he will not initiate the fight himself. Alano simply ignores small canines.

Alano patiently endures the squeezing and pestering of small children

When a real threat arises, the dog uses his teeth without hesitation, and his grip is dead.

The Alanian Great Dane is a born protector and the most devoted creature; it copes well with the functions of a bodyguard and security guard . In non-standard and critical situations, he does not wait for the owner’s command, reacts with lightning speed and quickly makes decisions himself. He never barks in vain, and only gives voice when the boundaries of his allotted territory are violated. Due to their strong personalities, puppies should be socialized and trained as early as possible, otherwise they will become aggressive and difficult to handle.

On a recent trip to Abkhazia, I noticed a huge dog, visually extremely similar to the Alan war dog. The animal had a truly terrifying appearance, its muzzle and entire body were covered in scars and scars, obviously received in battles and fights. Despite all this, it walked freely around the yard with the gates wide open, not paying the slightest attention to the tourists passing by.

Disqualifying defects and shortcomings

Any minor deviations from the breed characteristics are considered acceptable defects.

Disqualifying defects include:

• scissor bite;
• undershot more than 3 mm;
• blue eye color;
• insufficiently bright (light) pigmentation of the gums, lips and nose;
• frail, poorly developed chest;
• squat rear (withers higher than croup);
• cryptorchidism;
• short stature (smaller than standard);
• any significant departure from the standard;
• serious behavioral deviations (excessive aggressiveness, imbalance).

Choosing a puppy

You should choose an active puppy
To ensure that the puppy is of the right breed, you should buy it from a kennel with a good reputation. It is worth paying attention to the character of the baby according to the description:

• the puppy should be playful and curious;
• if he hides in a corner, his nervous system is disturbed due to hereditary problems;
• Experts recommend that you familiarize yourself with the characteristics of the puppy’s parents.

Alano has changed in the modern world - the role of a formidable fighter has been replaced by the specialization of a companion and guard. Such qualities show the dog at its best. Do not forget that in order to obtain a devoted friend and faithful servant, the owner in the person of a dog will need to spend a lot of effort and time.