The Spanish Greyhound
 Del Sayad El Gazel |
 Del Sayad El Gazel |
 Del Sayad El Gazel |
With the unmistakable outline of a greyhound, this dog is built for speed. It is a little smaller than the Greyhound, at 26-28 inches tall. Crosses with Greyhounds have produced a breed known locally in Spain as the Galgo Ingles-Espanol, which is used for racing.
For centuries, the Greyhound and the Galgo were very similar in appearance. Like the Greyhound in Medieval Europe, the Galgo was respected and protected in Spain because of its importance in hunting.
Eventually, the Galgo lost its importance as a hunter of food and became the focus of sporting events - coursing and racing. When the Greyhound was introduced to Spain, cross breeding became commonplace. The transition of the Galgo to a sporting and racing dog led to a desire for faster dogs and the purity of the Galgo heritage has been nearly lost.
Today the professional racing dog in Spain is called Galgo Ingles-Espanol (English-Spanish Galgo) and is not the same breed recognized by the FCI and breed purists in Spain. Spanish and European breed clubs formed for the Galgo Es-panol are fostering the breed as a quiet aristocratic companion and a fine coursing dog. Specialty shows are offered for the breed. The Galgo is smaller than the English Greyhound, with a bit more stop and ears that hang straight down. He is a sturdier fellow, built for the demands of coursing and practical hunting.
Another name for the Spanish Greyhound is the Galgo Espanol.
