Etching by Francisco de Goya portraying the dogs in the bullfighting ring as they were used in 1816. Note that the dog's ears are uncropped, indicating they were only used for bull baiting and not dog fighting.
Bull baiting done in the bullfighting ring with dogs of this type was recorded by Francisco de Goya in his series on La Tauromaquia in 1816. Besides their us as war dogs and use in the bullring, the large dogs were also used for hunting big game such as wild boar, and, as with bulldogs in other countries, as a butcher's dog.
The large dogs began to disappear as the work they did began to change. Big game became rare, stockyards were modernized and no longer used dogs to hold the cattle, use in bullfights was outlawed, and by 1963 Alanos were thought to be extinct. In the 1970s a group of fanciers and veterinary students made house-to house surveys in western and northern
Although the breed in Spain is still small in number and the breed has not yet been recognised internationally by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale, examples of the Alano Español have been exported to North America, where a few breeders are promoting it for the rare breed pet market.
The muzzle is short with the lower jaw slightly concave, and has a very large, broad, black nose. The ears are set high and may be drop or cut short. The skin is very thick, with neck folds and some wrinkles on the face.
Origin:
Size: Weight 85-101 pounds; Height 24 inches
Coat: short and thick, and is most often a brindle of any color, including red, bayo (a yellow bay), blue or grey. White patches are not typical. The face may or may not have a black mask.
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