Galgo EspañolCharacteristics, history, training and care

The FCI standard says the Spanish Greyhound has been known since Antiquity, from Roman times, although it probably reached the Iberian Peninsula much earlier. It descends from the ancient Asian sighthounds and adapted to the steppes and plains of Spain. Between the 16th and 18th centuries it was exported in large numbers to Ireland and England.

Wikipedia says the name probably comes from the Latin “Canis Gallicus”, meaning “the dog from Gaul”. Arrian, a Roman proconsul in southern Spain in the 2nd century, described a hare hunt very similar to today's, with a Celtic sighthound called the “vertragus”, possibly the ancestor of the Galgo.

How the breed developed

• Antiquity – The Romans know the sighthounds of the Iberian Peninsula.
• 2nd century – Arrian describes hare coursing with sighthounds in southern Spain.
• 16th–18th centuries – Spanish sighthounds are exported to Ireland and England.
• 10 August 1971 – The FCI recognises the breed.
• 26 May 1982 – The current FCI standard is published.

Indicative rating: 5 stars means the highest level. The breed has no AKC profile; the rating is based on the FCI standard (“serious and sometimes reserved temperament; an energetic and lively hunter”).

The Galgo is a slender sighthound with a long body, deep chest and long legs, built for speed and stamina in open country. The head is long, lean and fleshless.

General appearance

The standard says the muzzle is slightly longer than the skull (a ratio of 6 to 5). The short, fine coat covers the whole body. The rough-coated, medium-length variety has a beard, moustache, eyebrows and a topknot.

The standard accepts all colours. The most typical, in order of preference, are fawn and brindle of a more or less dark shade, black and pied black.

The standard describes it as having a serious and sometimes reserved temperament, but when hunting it becomes an energetic and lively hunter.

Like any sighthound, it chases by sight anything that moves fast. Recall is hard to guarantee, so it should be let off the lead only in fully fenced areas. It responds well to gentleness and rewards.

Tips for effective training

• Let it off the lead only in fenced areas. If it sees a hare, it will run after it.
• Be gentle. Sighthounds are sensitive to harshness.
• Be careful with cats and small animals. It has a very strong chase instinct.
• Give it a soft bed. Sighthounds have little fat and prominent bones.

As a sighthound, it needs regular chances to run free at speed in a safe space. Otherwise it is usually quiet at home.

Tips for a balanced life

• In winter it may need a coat: it has a fine coat and little fat.
• The fence must be high and have no gaps.
• Keep it on the lead near roads.

Coat and skin care

The short, fine coat is very easy to care for, with a rubber grooming mitt once a week. The rough-coated variety needs brushing a little more often.

Common health problems

The sources used contain no published health studies for the breed. As with any sighthound, the following are worth watching:

Other care

• Check the skin and paws after running.
• Brush its teeth regularly.
• Trim the nails when they start to touch the floor.

A sighthound should stay slim: the last ribs are easily visible. The portion should be adjusted to its exercise and weight.

Tips for a healthy diet

The table gives a starting estimate, calculated with the formula from the Merck Veterinary Manual. The first two calorie columns show the calories per day for a healthy adult dog. The last column shows what this means in dry food with 3,500–4,000 kcal per kilogram.

• Split the food into two meals a day to reduce the risk of bloat.
• Do not let it run right after a meal.
• In sighthounds, the ribs can easily be felt and seen at the right weight.

Foods to avoid

Some human foods are dangerous for dogs: chocolate, coffee, grapes and raisins, onions, garlic, xylitol (a sweetener used in chewing gum), macadamia nuts and alcohol.

Physical and emotional maturity

In dogs, sexual maturity usually comes between 6 and 12 months, but in large breeds it can be delayed until about two years. The body also reaches its adult form later than in small breeds.

Mating and pregnancy

Pregnancy lasts about 63 days, counted from ovulation. Mating a female on her first heat is not recommended. The FCI standard requires that only healthy dogs of typical breed appearance are used for breeding.

Caring for the puppies

In large breeds, a litter has around 7 puppies on average. Socialisation starts in the first weeks: gentle handling, everyday noises and new people.

• An ancestor of the Greyhound. The standard says it is one of the ancestors of the English Greyhound.
• Named after Gaul. Wikipedia says “galgo” probably comes from “Canis Gallicus”.
• Described by a Roman. Arrian described hunting with sighthounds in southern Spain in the 2nd century.
• Two coat types. There are short-haired and rough-haired Galgos.
• The hare is quickly caught. The Archpriest of Hita wrote that “the hare that runs is quickly caught by the greyhound”.

In old Spanish literature

The FCI standard quotes a line by the Archpriest of Hita, a Spanish poet of the Middle Ages: “the hare that runs is quickly caught by the greyhound”. The quotation shows that hare coursing with sighthounds was already common in Spain at that time.

How does it differ from the Greyhound?

They are different breeds. The standard says the Galgo is one of the ancestors of the Greyhound, and Wikipedia says that in the 20th century some breeders crossed them for racing.

How big does it get?

Males measure 62–70 cm, females 60–68 cm at the withers.

Can it be let off the lead?

Only in fully fenced areas, because it chases anything that moves fast.

Is it a family dog?

Yes, it is quiet at home, but it needs to run regularly.