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Claybrook Farm Galgo Español ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ History of the Galgo Español This ancient sighthound, the Galgo Español, probably descends in part from dogs of the ancient Celtic tribes. The Celts migrated across Europe and down into the Iberian Peninsula, which today includes Spain and Portugal. The height of the Celtic influence was around 500 – 400 BC. They brought their culture, and their dogs, with them. These dogs included Greyhound type dogs. When the Celts traveled across the English Channel and into the British Isles they took their dogs with them there, too. But of course, they also left some behind. The dogs that the Celts took across the English Channel were the foundation stock for the dogs that developed there, namely the Greyhound, Scottish Deerhound, and Irish Wolfhound. Just as the Greyhound is the legacy of the Celts in England and the Scottish Deerhound in Scotland, so too the Galgo Español is in Spain. Later, probably between 800 AD and 1400 AD, Arab and Berber invaders came into Spain. They brought their dogs, called Saluqi, with them. The Sloughi and Saluki, in modern North Africa, are descended from the Saluqi. It is likely that the Saluqi influenced the Celtic hounds already in Spain, and together these dogs formed the basis for the current Galgo Español. Again in the 1500's, during Spain's Golden Age, more dogs were sent over the English Channel. Up until the last hundred years or so, the Galgo and the Greyhound were relatively similar. Since then, however, as track racing became popular, the Greyhound has been developed to become a high speed runner on flat, level surfaces, like a racetrack. On the other hand, the Galgo Español has, until recently, mainly been used for the hunting of hare in rough and wild mountainous countryside. Over many years hare hunting has developed into a national sport, called "carreras en campo", which attracts large numbers of hunters who gather so their Galgos may compete. The largest and most important of these coursing competitions is called the "Copa de Su Majestad el Rey" or King's Cup. The name Galgo is derived from “canis gallicus”, which meant Celtic dog, and this is what these dogs were called during Roman times. In fact, in Spain today "Galgo" refers to any sighthound, so one must specify "Galgo Español", to avoid confusion. There also exists in Spain a breed called Galgo Ingles-Español, which is a cross between the Galgo Español and the Greyhound. These dogs have been bred specifically as track hounds, with the speed of the Greyhound, but the hardiness of the Galgo. However, much Greyhound blood has found its way into the Galgo population in general, because track racing started to become popular in Spain during the 1930's. The Greyhound was faster, of course, so the Spanish introduced Greyhound blood into the Galgos to speed them up. The Galgo has only recently become an FCI (European) recognized sighthound breed, as the breeders who were interested in showing did not get organized until the 1970's. A very complete standard was drawn up in the early 1980's. Unfortunately, many of the Galgos Españoles in Spain are not registered, because they are owned by men who hunt, not show, and they are not interested in registering their dogs. It is also interesting to note that most of the Spanish prefer the smooths, so they have concentrated the majority of their breeding efforts on this variety. Indeed, it has been said that only 20% of the Galgos in Spain are wirehaired. People outside of Spain often prefer the wires, perhaps because this type of coat does not remind them of the Greyhound so much. A wire coated Galgo gives the impression of being more free of the heavy influence of Greyhound.
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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