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Claybrook Farm Galgo Español ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ An Alternative to Closed Registries Please refer to the following links to read about the devastating effects the closed registries have had on dogs in the last one hundred and twenty some years: A Perspective on Dog Breeding, Effects of Closed Registries, and Formation of New Breeds. How do the closed registries impact sighthounds? Let us look at some history to find the answer. Sighthounds originated before the invention of guns. The hunter expected the sight hound to see the game and run it down and kill it. This type of hunting, called coursing, declined in many parts of Europe with the advent of more people living in smaller areas and using guns for hunting. Then in the mid 1800’s, dog shows became popular. Showing, as explained on the linked pages, is merely presenting animals to one or two people (the judges) for their opinion of which animal looks or trots the best. However, while showing was becoming popular in England, it did not become the fashion in Spain until relatively recently. To this day, Spain has retained its coursing tradition which emphasizes the usefulness and purpose of the dog, rather than just it's looks. Galgos Españoles developed, over hundreds of years, as a hunting breed and were not FCI recognized until the 1970's. Therefore, they are much closer to their ancestral roots. Their primary purpose is coursing game. Furthermore, Galgos are not so inbred as most breeds in the USA, because they are not locked into a closed registry. The majority of Spanish hunters have no interest in beauty contests, which is what dog shows are. Consequently they bred their dogs to maintain the usefulness and health of the breed, not merely to obtain a certain appearance. Spanish hunters have not registered their dogs because it was not necessary to do so to be able to compete in the coursing competitions. Therefore, the majority of Galgos in Spain are not registered. Now, if Spain had a closed registry like the USA, it would be impossible to incorporate any hunting Galgos into the very small Galgo gene pool that is registered. This would surely spell genetic doom for the registered population of the breed, because inbreeding depression, described on the linked pages, would eventually take it's toll. Thankfully, it is possible to bring these nonregistered dogs into the registered gene pool in Europe. The procedure works something like this. If one locates a dog that is a Galgo Español, but the dog is not registered, it can be presented to an FCI judge, or judges. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) is the recognizing Kennel Club organization in Europe. If the judge(s) agrees that the dog does indeed look like a Galgo, then that dog is given what is called an "Initial Title". It can be shown and win prizes, although it is our understanding that it may not win an international championship title. It may be bred. After the Initial Title dog's grand puppies have produced, their offspring, now having the required three generation pedigree, are considered fully registered. This is such a wonderful, intelligent, open-minded and scientific method of bringing in some hybrid vigor to a gene pool that it makes one wonder why the closed registries are closed. What does a closed registry possibly have to gain by being closed? Answer: Nothing. What have closed registries lost? Answer: Healthy animals. Perhaps someday the closed registries will begin to think on a molecular, scientific level and they will realize that they are forcing their recognized breeds into extinction because of inbreeding depression. Perhaps they will look to Europe, already way ahead of the USA in logical dog breeding, and they will learn something. One can only hope. ©
We hope you have learned from these information pages and that some of your questions have been answered. If you would like to know more about the Galgo Español please contact us at the address, phone number, or email, below. For
more information contact: Claybrook Farm -- Michelle Henninger -- 5730 Olde Scotland Road, Shippensburg, PA 17257 717-263-0932 Copyright Ó 2000 Claybrook Farm All rights reserved.
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