Content
- Shepherd-Galician: origin
- Shepherd-Galician: characteristics
- Shepherd-Galician: personality
- Pastor-Galician: care
- Pastor-Galician: education
- Pastor-Galician: health
O Shepherd-Galician it is the only Spanish dog breed that has developed in the region of Galicia, an autonomous community located in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. Although it has not been recognized by any of the most important dog federations, such as the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale) or by the RSCE (Real Sociedad Canina de España), the Galicia Council and the Pastor-Galego Breed Club have joined forces to give visibility to this exceptional breed of dog of Galician origin, which stands out mainly for its abilities as sheepdog and guard dog.
In this article about PeritoAnimal's dog breeds, we will talk in detail about the Galician Shepherd, explaining its origins, most prominent physical characteristics, usual breed personality, care, basic education and most frequent health problems. Keep reading, you will be amazed!
Source
- Europe
- Spain
- Balanced
- Shy
- very faithful
- Intelligent
- Active
- Tender
- Houses
- hiking
- Shepherd
- Surveillance
- Sport
- harness
- Short
- Smooth
- Thin
Shepherd-Galician: origin
The Shepherd-Galician breed of dog developed in Galicia, mainly as a dog of guard of rural properties and shepherd of flocks. Its name could be translated as "haystack dog", because it was in the haystacks where these animals took refuge to rest from the long external journeys, grazing and watching over the animals, usually sheep and goats.
The history of this breed seems to be really old, as it comes from the autochthonous dogs that already in the Paleolithic helped the Galicians in their daily tasks. Later the breed spread to other parts of Spain and also to the rest of Europe. The Galician Shepherds share their origins with other more popular breeds such as the Belgian Shepherds, the German Shepherd, the Dutch Shepherd and the Castro Laboreiro's dog, of Portuguese origin.
Forgotten for centuries, the Galician Shepherds were even considered crossbred dogs, until in 2001 they were officially recognized by various official bodies, such as the Council of Galicia and the Spanish Ministry of the Environment.
Shepherd-Galician: characteristics
Regarding morphology, the Shepherd-Galego stands out for being a big dog. It usually weighs between 30 and 38 kilos, reaching a height between 59 to 65 centimeters between males and 57 to 63 centimeters among females.
These dogs have a lupoid-like body, that is, similar to a wolf. This is shown in its triangular head, broad snout and straight profile, with little difference in angle between the frontal and nasal bone. Like wolves, the Galician Shepherd has erect, triangular ears, a thick, muscular neck, in perfect balance with the proportions of the rest of its body. The legs are firm and strong, with flexible and marked joints. It is common to find examples of Shepherd-Galego with a fifth toe on the hind legs.
The fur is dense and leafy, changing in winter to an even thicker one that protects the Galician Shepherds from climatic adversities. The hair is usually from uniform color, with a wide range of possibilities in terms of color, cinnamon, brown, brown, sand and so on. They are usually light in color, although there may be examples of Pastor-Galician in darker colors, such as chocolate or black. There are also some dogs of this breed that have fur similar to that of a wolf, with lighter roots and black or darker tips.
Within the standards of the breed, there are no white-spotted Galician Shepherds or those with large white spots on their coat. The Shepherd-Galego's skin is thick, smooth and without folds that hang from any part of the body.
Shepherd-Galician: personality
As a good guard dog, the Galician Shepherd has an indifferent personality and even suspicious of strangers. He will duly alert you when others approach our home, but be careful this does not mean that you should always leave him out of the house. When evaluating whether the dog should stay indoors or out, you should take into account that this can cause behavioral problems. Either way, you shouldn't confuse your guard posture with aggressiveness. The Galician Shepherd, like any other dog, must be properly socialized from the start.
Pastor-Galician is especially sociable with those who live in the same house as him. He will surprise us with a remarkable intelligence and sensitivity for everything that happens in the home, including with the members, being even more protective and sweet with the children. Once again, with proper socialization, this dog will be able to socialize with all kinds of animals and people.
Pastor-Galician: care
The care of the Galician Shepherd's fur must include between one or two weekly brushes, which will help to remove dead hair, accumulated dirt and also quickly detect the presence of parasites and other health problems. Regarding bathing, it can be given every one or three months, depending on the level of dirt. We must use specific products for dog bathing, sold in veterinary clinics or pet shops. It is a breed that should not be groomed under any circumstances, even in the hottest months.
THE food plays an important role in hair quality and health. You can bet on ready-to-eat foods or homemade diets, but always based on quality products. The BARF diet, for example, based on raw food, is becoming very popular with tutors and is usually very well accepted by dogs.
Finally, it is important to note that this breed requires daily physical activity to maintain muscle tone. We should take between two and four walks a day, which will include physical exercise and moments of relaxation, in which we will allow the dog to smell the surroundings and urinate without stress. You will also need to spend time mentally stimulating by performing basic obedience exercises, canine skills, canine sports, or smell exercises.
Pastor-Galician: education
The puppy's education should start at the time of adoption, socializing him while he is still a puppy, as we already mentioned. It will allow us to show stable behavior in front of all kinds of people, animals and places. Abruptly separating the Galician Shepherd from his mother or keeping him confined indoors can cause several behavioral problems.
A key element will be to teach you the basic commands for dogs, always through positive reinforcement, which will ensure a good bond and fast learning. Start by practicing with prizes and progressively withdrawing them. Later you can start more advanced commands and other complex exercises. Precisely for its intelligence and capacity, you will be surprised to observe that the Shepherd-Galego is a dog that learn and run at high speed the proposed exercises. Before problems arise, it is best to consult an educator or dog handler.
Pastor-Galician: health
this race is firm and resistant, not presenting hereditary diseases specific to the breed. Anyway, this doesn't mean that you don't have to follow the same behaviors as any other dog in terms of vaccination, periodic deworming, microchip identification, mouth and ear cleaning. Therefore, it is necessary to follow the vaccination schedule, regularly going to the veterinarian to have check ups and thus be able to detect possible infections as soon as possible. THE life expectancy of the Galician Shepherd ranges from twelve to fifteen years.