Spanish greyhound / Galgo Espanol, Spanish Galgo, Galgo

Breed history:

 This breed descends from asian hounds like Sloughi, brought in Spain by the Moorishes. Through the crossbreeding with native hunter dogs appeared this hound used at rabbits hunter. Later, the breed was improved through recurrent selections and with infusion of blood from Greyhound, getting a dog with performance in running races. It was the favourite of spanish kings and was used at hunting in packs.

Description:

 It is a big sized dog, beautiful, elegant, sturdy, with a remarkable musculature, slender, strong, with an aerodynamic shape of the body, which makes it to be faster, even if it is not very resistant. It has a small, long, narrow head, with a snout longer than the skull, black nose. The eyes are almond-shaped, big, spaced, hazel. The ears are caught up and on the back, are triangular and floppy, when is resting, and half-upped when is active. It has a long, brawny neck. The tail is long, straight or with a ring shape at tip, conical. There are 2 varieties: with short, soft, shiny and flat hair and with longer hair and wiry. It could have any colour: black, yellow, brown, reddish, yellow with red mixed with white and black.

Personality:

 It is an intelligent, curious, playful, sensitive, alert dog. It is affectionate and devoted to the family, carful and protective with children, watchful and aloof with strangers. It gets along well with other dogs, it even likes to plat with some of them, but its powerful instinct of hunter makes it to hunt everything is runs, and that's why it is not trustful in a house with cats.

Grooming:

 The fur of this dog doesn't need too much grooming. a casual brushing is enough. The ears will be kept clean.

Living conditions:

 It is a dog which accommodates at the offered conditions, but it feels the best in open air, in a fenced yard where it can move freely. It likes long walks, running, running beside a bike. The cats or other small animals companionship should be avoid, because it has the tendency to hunt everythind is moving fast. It is not recommended to be taken out in public spaces without a leash. It needs socialization, training.

Training:

 It is a pretty submissive dog, which learns fast what is required, and that's why it is not hard to train. It ignores the commands only when it sets eyes on a prey.

Usefulness:

 It is used at the hunting of small or big animals, at dogs races or as a companion dog.