The Galgo Español is a large sighthound from Spain. He is partly also called Spanish Sighthound or simply Galgo and is led by the FCI in group 10, section 3. The Galgo Español has a long history. In Spain he is still often used for hunting. Beyond that, however, he is also increasingly developing into a popular family dog.
The origins of the Galgo Español go back to the ancient world. Already more than 2,500 years ago the Celts hunted with greyhounds, which they also brought with them to the Iberian Peninsula. After the conquest of present-day Spain, the Romans named the Celtic dogs Canis Gallicus (Gallic dog), which probably gave rise to the present name Galgo Español.
Besides the hunting dogs of the Celts, the Arabian sighthound Sloughi, brought to Spain by the Moors, as well as the sighthoundlike Podenco Ibicenco from Spain are among the ancestors of the Galgo Español.
From the 16th century onwards, the Galgo Español was exported in large numbers to Great Britain, where the breed had a decisive influence on the breeding of the Greyhound. Since the Galgo Español was crossed with the Greyhound again and again, especially in the 20th century, laymen today sometimes find it difficult to distinguish the two sighthound breeds from each other.
If kept in a species-appropriate manner, the Galgo Español can reach an average life expectancy of 12 to 15 years, which is quite remarkable for large dogs. The shoulder height of adult males is 62 to 70 centimetres, whereas female Galgos usually become somewhat smaller with 60 to 68 centimetres.
The Galgo Español has a slender, elongated body and despite its size it only reaches a weight of 20 to 30 kilograms. The deep rib cage and the well-muscled hind legs of the Galgo Español provide a wiry appearance.
The head is very narrow and the stop only very slightly pronounced. The almond-shaped eyes of the Galgo Español are quite small and dark, his conspicuous rose ears are comparatively large.
There are no restrictions concerning the colour of the coat. However, the Galgo Español is bred in two variants. The rough-haired Galgo Español has a hard and shaggy coat with an average length of up to 10 centimetres. The coat of the shorthaired Galgo Español is very short and fine and has no undercoat.
The Galgo Español is a calm and reserved quadruped. Opposite its owner, it proves to be extremely affectionate. Furthermore, he is considered curious and intelligent.
Regarding his posture, the Galgo Español is quite easy to care for and frugal. For a greyhound he can be trained very well. With other dogs he normally gets along without problems. Towards strangers he usually appears distanced. However, he does not tend to aggression.
Like all sighthounds the Galgo Español is a classic hunting dog. Especially in his Spanish homeland he is still regularly used for hare hunting. As a pure sight hunter he benefits from his good endurance as well as his speed of more than 60 kilometres per hour.
Furthermore, the Galgo Español is also used for greyhound races. Compared to the Greyhound, he is a more enduring runner, but at the same time he is also a good bit slower. For this reason, the Galgo Español is especially suitable for lure coursing instead of running on the racetrack. The keeping as a family dog is also possible and has become more and more popular in the last years. As a pure companion dog, the Galgo Español proves to be an affectionate and lovable four-legged friend.
The only noteworthy problem that owners of a Galgo Español regularly face is the strongly developed hunting instinct of the four-legged friend.
Because a typical Galgo Español is practically always on the prowl and always ready to chase a supposed prey. Leashing in the wild is therefore sometimes associated with a certain risk.
Regardless of this, it is important to satisfy the Galgo Español's high urge to move. A good possibility for this is the lure coursing just mentioned, where the four-legged friends can chase a dummy hare in the open.
The Galgo Español is still primarily bred for performance. This might be one of the reasons why the breed is generally in good health and why breed typical diseases are rare.
In order to optimally support the health and well-being of your Galgo Español, a balanced diet that takes the needs of your four-legged friend into account is very important. The individual needs of your dog depend on various factors such as weight, age and physical activity and can therefore vary.
We recommend to feed your Galgo Español with our particularly easily digestible cold-pressed dry food without cereals. For animals that are active in dog sports and therefore have an increased energy requirement, we offer the suitable alternative with Bellfor Premium PUR Aktiv.