Alano Espanol

The Alano Espanol is an ancient breed with an uncertain history. Since their history has not been well documented through the years there are several theories concerning their origin. One such theory is these dogs were brought when the Alans invaded the Iberian Peninsula in 406 A.D. Dogs closely resembling the Alano Espanol were found in several different places throughout Europe that were invaded by the Alans. The largest population was of course found in Spain. Because this is an ancient breed, they did not originate from any breed that is known. Many researchers have concluded they originated from ancient molosser-type breeds and may even share similar ancestors to the Dogue de Bordeaux, Mastiff or Great Dane. The Alano Espanol was used for centuries to herd cattle that ran wild throughout many regions of Spain. This breed had five main purposes. Aside from herding wild cattle they were used in bullfights and dog fights, as big game hunters and guard dogs, and were even used in times of war. Because the Alano Espanol was used for hunting wild boar, dog fighters saw their potential to be successful in the fighting pits. They were also used extensively in bullfights until bullfighting was banned in 1883. Carlos Contera, along with several of his colleagues, searched throughout Spain for any remaining Alano Espanol purebreds, fearing they were extinct. Contera was able to locate a handful in southwest Spain in an area called Extremadura and in the central plateau of Castille. The team also found a rather large number of Alano Espanol in northern Spain in the Encartaciones Valley. The DNA of these dogs was sent to the University of Cordoba’s School of Veterinary Medicine to verify the authenticity of the breed. In the early 1980s a group of researchers began tracing the demographic layout of the Alano Espanol. Today, the Alano Espanol is still used as a guard dog and on occasion works cattle. They can also be found in illegal dog fighting rings because of their powerful jaws.