The Spanish Galgo
History of the Spanish Galgo
The Galgo Español or Spanish Galgo is an ancient breed of dog, but it’s true origin is shrouded in mystery. It was possibly a sighthound mix originally – a mix of Irish greyhound and sloughi or deerhound. The origin of the word “galgo” could come from several different sources. One theory is that the word could derive from the Gauls, an ancient tribe of Celts that migrated across Europe and into the Iberian Peninsula around 500BC. It is postulated that the Celts, who appreciated fine hunting dogs, acquired sighthounds from the Phoenician merchants who plied the Spanish coasts. Another theory is that the Romans found a breed of dog in Spain called “Canus Galicus” – or Celtic dog – in the Galicia area of Spain which, in Spanish pronunciation, would be “galico” which was then shortened to “galgo”.
There is little evidence for mention of the galgo or its ancestor between the 5th and the 8th centuries, but it appears to have survived and flourished in the second half of the period. In the 9th and 10th centuries, great spaces in Castile were colonized and this open land introduced a new mode of hunting with dogs: the regions were flat, open areas full of small animals like hares, which provided the galgo with a perfect area for hunting. At that time, the galgo was considered a noble dog, and was kept mainly by the aristocracy of both the Christian and the Muslim kingdoms in which Spanish territory was divided. It is possible that the Galgo and the sloughi, or perhaps the saluki, were interbred during this period.
The great esteem in which the galgo was held is evident by the many laws of the time designed to punish the killing or theft of the breed, and the bequeathing of specific galgos in wills of the aristocracy.
In 1644, Martínez del Espinar writes in his book Arte de Ballestería y Montería ("The Art of Hunting and Archery”) 'There is a large variety of ways to kill these animals [the hares]. 'Nevertheless, I will tell of those that are used in Spain: they hunt them with Galgos, since here there are some extremely swift ones, although some hares are as swift as them, and sometimes do get away from them. But even having run and got scared today, these hares will come back to their homes tomorrow. They know the way back. They spend the night in some quiet place: a road, a hill, a stony field. In fact they are sometimes surprised in such places by the dogs; then they run away down to the plain, and the dogs try to chase them over the flat ground. They seem to fly.’
Perhaps one of the most famous references to galgos is in Miguel de Cervantes’ opening sentence of Don Quixote de La Mancha, published in 1605, “In a village of La Mancha, the name of which I have no desire to call to mind, there lived not long since one of those gentlemen that keep a lance in the lance-rack, an old buckler, a lean hack, and a galgo for coursing.”
Although the breed did not apparently experience any significant change in the 18th and 19th centuries and was kept in its vocation as a hunting dog, maybe the most telling proverb which mentions the Galgo is one dating from the beginning of the 19th century, “A los galgos del Rey no se les escapa la liebre (The hare never escapes from the King's Galgos)”. There are also common expressions used in Spain that refer to galgos, two examples of which are: “A galgo viejo, echadle liebre, no conejo, (use old Galgos for chasing hares instead of rabbits)” which means that it is best to use experienced people for hard tasks and challenges, and “Galgo que va tras dos liebres, sin ninguna vuelve (if a Galgo tries to chase two hares, it will return with none)”, recommending that one focusses on one thing, otherwise one will be distracted and fail.
Despite its antiquity and importance, the Spanish Galgo has only recently been acknowledged by those involved in the study of the natural history of dogs. The catastrophic events suffered by Spain during the 20th century, such as the Spanish Civil War and the 40-year-long dictatorship of Francisco Franco, meant the breed was relatively unknown outside of Spain, its native country, at least until the 1980’s.
What is known is that for centuries, galgos have been used for hunting and coursing. Originally owned and bred by noblemen, the galgo was held in high esteem. After decades of theft and indiscriminate breeding by the “lower classes”, the galgo lost its favor with the nobility and was viewed as a "trash dog". Sadly, many still consider galgos to be “trash dogs” – even today.
Galgos have a wonderful variation in colour, coat type and size. Their coats may be short, like a greyhound, or may be long or wire-haired, like the Scottish Deerhound. The purebred Galgo Español is usually 44 to 70 pounds and stands 23 to 29 inches at the shoulder. They tend to be smaller than greyhounds, and because they have been bred for hunting hares in rough, open terrain, they have more stamina and endurance than greyhounds – like the saluki. Today, thousands of galgos are used annually during the hunting season and for coursing on local and national levels. Hunters and their galgos tend to be in the rural areas, but there are still galgos to be found in the cities.
Like all sighthounds, the galgo is fast and agile. They tend to be very playful and more energetic than their racing counterparts. Although some have a high prey drive, many live peacefully with cats. They are capable of jumping fences and must always be leashed when outside an enclosed area. Due to lack of socializing and positive experiences with people when young, galgos can be leery of people at first. However, they bond strongly with their adoptive families and the emergence of their comical personalities is a wonderful experience!
Galgos as pets
Galgos are usually quiet, calm, gentle dogs with sweet, laid-back temperaments. With their family members they are affectionate, but they may be wary and reserved with strangers. They tend to get along well with other dogs, and can be well-behaved around cats if properly introduced, although some will never be safe to live with cats. They have a moderate energy level but do require daily exercise and mental stimulation – galgos can be quite playful. In cold weather, like in Canada, they do need to wear sweaters and coats because they have very little body fat and short hair.
It is important to remember that galgos have not been raised in loving family situations. When adopting a galgo, you are adopting a rescue, and it may have come from an abusive environment before its life at the finca (sanctuary). Most galgos have been kept in sheds with many other dogs, in less than stellar conditions. Galgos are not “turnkey” pets. They require time, patience and consistency to adjust to their new homes.
If you are considering adopting a galgo, please contact Carlota Galgos Rescue Canada