Испанский галего: описание породы, характер и особенности содержания.

The Galgo Español, or Spanish Greyhound, is an ancient breed of dog, specifically a member of the sighthound family. The English greyhound is possibly a descendant of the Spanish greyhound and, for several years in the 20th century, some breeders did cross breed Galgos and Greyhounds in order to produce faster and more powerful Galgos, specifically for track racing purposes.

Galgos are similar in appearance to Greyhounds, but are distinctly different in their conformation. Galgos are higher in the rear than in the front and have flatter muscling than a Greyhound, which is characteristic of endurance runners. They also tend to be smaller, lighter in build, have longer tails and have a very long, streamlined head that gives the impression of larger ears. Their chests are not as deep as a Greyhound's and should not reach the point of the elbow. Unlike Greyhounds, Galgos come in two coat types: smooth and rough. The rough coat can provide extra protection from skin injuries while running in the field. They come in a variety of colors and coat patterns. Main colors are barcino or atigrado (brindle), negro (black), barquillo (golden), tostado (toasted), canela (cinnamon), amarillo (yellow), rojo (red), blanco (white), berrendo (white with patches) or pío (any colour with white muzzle and forehead).

Galgos have a similar nature to Greyhounds. They are calm, quiet, gentle, and laid back; happy to sleep their day away on their backs on a sofa. More than 90% of Galgos can be considered cat friendly. Almost all Galgos are friendly towards other dogs and small dogs. Galgos are good with children; they possess a calm temperament so there is less risk of a child being knocked over or jumped on than with a more excitable breed. They have a reserved personality and a tendency towards shyness, so it is important that they be socialized early in life. This way, they grow up to be comfortable around strange people, dogs, and locations. As such, proper care should be taken by the owner to ensure that the attending veterinarian is aware of this issue. Although Galgos are large dogs, their history of selection as a working sighthound, their light weight, and their anatomy discourage hip dysplasia. Unlike Greyhounds, these dogs are not susceptible to corns or other common greyhound ailments. These dogs must run regularly and/or walk long distances to keep in perfect health, combined with their characteristic tendency to sleep the rest of the day.

The Galgo is used for hunting, as well as for coursing the hare in an open field where dogs hunt prey without human intervention during the chase. Coursing, was in the past an act of social prestige in which hunting was a pretext to prove who had the best specimens of the breed. Galgos are commonly found in any of the towns and cities of the Spanish plains. Galgo coursing competitions generate annually in the order of sixty million euros , a calculation which refers only to those aficionados which are members of the galgueras societies. This lesser group of galgueros train annually between three thousand and four thousand Galgos for participation in the various Open Field Coursing Championships. This type of testing event, where each year the fastest athletic winner is rewarded, seems to show that the galgueros are retrieving the more authentic type of breed that was lost years ago. Crossbreeding of the Galgo with Greyhounds for a faster racing type has ceased for two reasons: On one hand, in contemporary Galgo coursing, the killing of the hare is secondary to the beauty of the course. Crossbreeds are considered less beautiful in comparison to pure Galgos. On the other hand, the fact that the hare is protected more than ever against gun hunters, and it is increasingly hardier due to the selection of it having lost much of its natural cover due to the increase of plowed land and proliferation of roads, it promotes coursing with Galgos that have greater endurance. The particular characteristics of landscape topography have a major effect, resulting in those Galgos that win for generations of coursing in Andalusia, not having the same characteristics as Galgos that win for generations of coursing in Castile. In Andalusia and many parts of La Mancha vineyards and olive groves dominate the landscape offering the hare plenty of cover. The warm climates there provides the hare throughout the year abundant fodder without it having to travel long distances. Additionally it is less stressful for this prey to exist inside large farms without intersecting roads. All these factors will select a winning type of Galgo in this landscape which is smaller, with shorter and more rounded muscling, i. e., higher power in the hindquarters. This is because it must be an agile Galgo which enters and exits the turn faster and more easily. Lighter in weight because of the softness of the ground where reach must be more rapid if less strong, although one property does not necessarily exclude the other. In Castile, with its large open spaces, the hare must travel greater distances in search of food and its only defense being away from cover are its legs, lungs and heart. This type of land and hare promotes another type of Galgo with a hard foot, deeper chest, longer and flatter muscling, ultimately a Galgo with greater endurance. These Galgos are heavier and are more attractive, and in fact have been considered purer of race, necessary for the preservation of the breed. Outside of Spain, in Chile (mainly in Central Chile), this breed is used in competitions that take place on national holidays.

Because of a tendency for quietude and docility, Galgos have been adopted as pets by many. In Spain they have a reputation as gentle dogs, with sweet temperaments and solid health. They tend to get along well with people and other dogs, and can be well behaved around cats if properly socialized. It must be noted that they require daily exercise and stimulation in exchange for their calm demeanor, since they get bored easily. They are eligible to compete in lure coursing events sanctioned by the American Sighthound Field Association, entered in the Limited class. They have enjoyed success in the European show ring, although they are not as well known beyond the European show world due to their rarity outside the continent.

There are many reports of Galgos being treated cruelly by their hunters and breeders in Spain. An estimated 50,000 to 100,000 Galgos and Podencos are killed, often brutally, each year by their hunters, or galgueros as they are normally called. Methods of killing reportedly include burning, hanging, stoning, and poisoning, which according to Finnish politician Laura Huhtasaari is "based on the belief that the more painfully a dog dies, the better luck a hunter will have next year." Some Galgos are strapped to moving cars as part of their training, which can lead to them being dragged by the car and mangled. Poorly performing dogs are often beaten, mutilated, starved to death, thrown down wells or hung from trees by their owners. Abusing dogs that hunt poorly was a widespread practice, as there were no penalties for hunters. A new law, as of January 5, 2022, amends the Civil Code to provide that animals may no longer be considered 'things' but 'sentient beings' and family members, and that animal owners are now required to provide proper care to ensure their animals’ well being in accordance with the characteristics of each species. For the reasons described above, associations in defense of the Galgo have appeared with the aim to save these dogs from a terrible fate, provide much needed rehabilitation and find them adoptive homes, usually in the cities. Some associations will adopt them to other locations in Europe, including France, the U. K., Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.