Content
- Ratonero Valenciano: origin
- Ratonero Valenciano: characteristics
- Ratonero Valenciano: personality
- Ratonero Valenciano: care
- Ratonero Valenciano: education
- Ratonero Valenciano: health
Historically used to kill rodent pests that harm farmers and peasants, Ratoneros Valencianos or Gos Rater Valencià, as they are known in the Valencian community, were frequent in rural houses and farms, as well as in warehouses and silos, where they protected crops and grains. Today, they have continued into homes in cities large and small, joining many families who adore them for their lively personality and desire for adventure. They are faithful and intelligent companions when you know how to control their marked nervousness. We'll tell you all that and more in this PeritoAnimal article, so keep reading to learn about the characteristics of the dog Ratonero Valenciano.
Source
- Europe
- Spain
- Slender
- muscular
- provided
- long ears
- toy
- Small
- Medium
- Great
- Giant
- 15-35
- 35-45
- 45-55
- 55-70
- 70-80
- more than 80
- 1-3
- 3-10
- 10-25
- 25-45
- 45-100
- 8-10
- 10-12
- 12-14
- 15-20
- Low
- Average
- High
- Strong
- very faithful
- Intelligent
- Active
- Tender
- Kids
- floors
- Houses
- hiking
- Surveillance
- Therapy
- Sport
- Short
- Smooth
Ratonero Valenciano: origin
its remote origin 16th century date, when some accounts of the time portrayed him as an animal typical of peasants and landowners. Over the years, its name changed, as during the 17th century it was also called "gos albellons", that is, "ditch dog", literally "small dogs that serve to bark at those who pass or who will enter into a house"; previously it was also known as "canis villicus" or "dog from the garden", which highlights its role in the natural environment. Other appellations are "ratero valenciano".
Due to your great skills as hunters, the Ratoneros Valencianos dogs were used to hunt rodents such as the water rat, very appreciated at that time of scarcity for its use in consumption, being used in elaborations as common as the well-known paella.
the race was officially recognized in 2004 by the Spanish Canine Federation, although it has already debuted in a dog show in 1994 and the Spanish Club of Ratonero Valenciano - CERVA was later created. Currently, the breed is not yet recognized by the International Cynological Federation.
Ratonero Valenciano: characteristics
The Ratonero Valenciana breed was listed as part of Group 3, section 1: Large and medium terriers. Despite this category, it is a small breed, as its ideal weight is between 4 and 8 kg, and its height is usually between 30 and 40 cm in males and between 29 and 38 cm in females.
Your body is square and stringy, with straight and slender limbs. Unfortunately, its tail is usually amputated, retaining some of the first vertebrae, however, it should be noted that this is a cruel and unnecessary practice, which seriously impairs the animal's socialization as it prevents the tail from being used as a method of communication, in addition to of possible health reasons. Likewise, tail and ear amputation is prohibited in many countries.
On the other hand, and continuing with the physical characteristics of Ratonero Valenciano, your ears are triangular and erect, quite prominent compared to his narrow face, with a strong scissor bite. With oval brown eyes, which do not protrude from the head, their coat may be of several colors, such as black, white, chocolate, fire or cinnamon, being frequent tricolor individuals, usually black with fire and white spots. The hair is short, with a maximum of 2 cm in length and fine.
And finally, although they may look practically the same, many people confuse the Ratonero Valenciano with the Ratonero Andaluz, as their colors tend to be the same and their physical appearance too. However, there is a big difference between them, which is their size, with the Valencians being considered small dogs, as we said, and the medium Andalusians.
Ratonero Valenciano: personality
The Valencian Ratoneros are animals very active and restless who need activities and games. They are excellent guardians as they bark at strangers who dare to approach the house and will keep it safe, as are brave and are not afraid of strangers. In addition, they make excellent playmates for children, as long as they are both raised in mutual respect and their relationship is based on love and fun.
Obviously, when we talk about the personality of the Ratonero Valenciano dog, we cannot ignore that these are animals. very clever, which have been used since ancient times in the field and hunting, but which today have also been incorporated into various sectors, such as therapy animals. Likewise, they are affectionate, curious and nervous, and it is for this last trait that they are especially recommended for living with children.
Ratonero Valenciano: care
As with all breeds, you should watch your Ratonero Valenciano's eyes, nose, mouth, legs and ears. It's not an animal that sheds much, but weekly brushing further reduces the amount of hair that can be released around the house. Also, it is vital to provide physical activity necessary to maintain calm and balance, so it will be necessary to take him for walks and spend time playing games that allow him to release his energy by running and jumping. All of this is especially necessary for animals that live in apartments or urban areas, because although it adapts perfectly to apartment life, you must be careful that it has the necessary hours of activity. Remember that this is a very active and nervous breed of dogs.
Another of the care of the dog Ratonero Valenciano is The diet, since your food must be balanced and balanced, always depending on your activity level and your state of health, to avoid suffering from obesity. Likewise, it is necessary to carry out frequent veterinary reviews and follow established vaccine guidelines. Being a small-sized dog, it is prone to tartar buildup, so it is also recommended to clean your teeth well and perform dental hygiene when necessary.
Ratonero Valenciano: education
Due to his curious personality, it is easy to capture the attention of the Ratonero Valenciano and teach him various tricks and skills, being quite common to see puppies of this breed in agility tests, since their mix of speed, agility and docility makes them excellent competitors of this type of circuit. In fact, this type of activity, as well as advanced education, helps to keep Ratonero Valenciano mentally and physically stimulated, so they are more than recommended to avoid having a hyperactive, stressed or anxious dog.
It should be taken into account that, as they are Terriers, they can be animals especially territorial. Therefore, if you want to incorporate a new dog into the house, you must follow some guidelines to avoid possible scares and urgent visits to the veterinarian. Since the Valencian Ratoneros are not scared of anyone, if they face a bigger dog, for example, they can get hurt.
About the basic education of the dog Ratonero Valenciano, it will be fundamental socialize it correctly to prevent problems like the one mentioned above and to keep you balanced. Furthermore, due to his intelligence and very active personality, it will not be difficult to carry out the basic commands of coexistence, always through positive reinforcement. Punishments and screams never bring good results.
Ratonero Valenciano: health
Generally, Valencian Ratoneros are very strong dogs with iron health, but still, as with any other breed, you need to be vigilant to detect and avoid various problems. Due to its short and fine fur, it is necessary to be careful in cold periods, as your pet will be more exposed to hypothermia.
At hereditary diseases the most common are hip or elbow dysplasia, Von Willebrand disease, which affects the ability of blood to clot, and hypothyroidism. To detect them in time, it is essential to take adequate preventive medicine, visiting the veterinarian regularly and following the specialist's instructions.