Old Spanish Pointer
 Old Spanish Pointer from 1915. | |
| Other names |
Old Spanish Pointer Spanish Pointer Old Spanish Perro de Punta Braco Español |
|---|---|
| Origin | Spain |
| Breed status | Extinct |
| Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) | |
The Old Spanish Pointer or Perro de Punta Español was a breed of dog originating in Spain, believed to be one of the great ancestors of almost all Pointing dogs.
History
This breed hunted since yesteryear in Spain. Roman writers of the first century, Pliny or Sallustius, comment in their works the existence of dogs from Hispania that were used for hunting birds with net by its detecting efficiency. Centuries later, the Muslim conquerors arrived from the Middle East, besides covering their armies almost of the Iberian Peninsula, shared with the inhabitants its century hunting arts, falconry case. These conquerors were pleasantly surprised when they found hunting dogs that raised the monks of the time a very useful behavior in the application of the hunting with their prey: this dogs stopped when they found the piece -always birds- and remained motionless until that the net of the crossbow prevent it fly away. At this point, the falconry joined to the Spanish Pointer as a perfect mechanism to locate and mark the position of the bird to the hawk pass to action. Since then, the function of the pointing dog has adapted to the technology involved in the hunt, making it the most effective assistant of the hunter of species of smaller hunting.
Alonso Martinez del Espinar described it in 1644, as "an animal of great work, and its breath and agility is so great that from morning to night non-stop run; there are some so light that seem to fly above the ground, and when the dog is skilled in bumping tracking these birds multiply until these proceedings until it stop it that is that it want which follows". (Chapter XXXVII of Arte de Cetrería).
Influence to other dog breeds
Many authors experts in the arts of hunting and the dogs have exposed at the origin of the pointing dogs is in Spain.[1]
It is the British who most consistently mentioned the Spanish Pointer or Perro de Punta Español, breed of short and brown coat and brought to England in the 17th and 18th centuries. So Stonehengue, a pointer cinófilo scholar, wrote in the late 19th century, it has been created the modern Pointer partly by crosses of the old Spanish Pointer, selecting the lighter and faster specimens of this old Spanish breed.
William Arkwright, in a work published in 1902 in deluxe edition and four years later in popular edition ("The Pointer And Its Predecessors"), provides more documentation on the subject.
Later, David Taylor, eminent veterinary who runs an international veterinary organization whose services are often required by zoos worldwide, confirms in his book "The Big Book of the Dog" that the Spanish Pointer was introduced in Britain and crossed with Greyhounds, English Foxhounds, resulting in the English Pointer.[2]
Similarly, in Germany in the 17th century was developed the German Shorthaired Pointer by German hounds, Spanish Pointers and Bloodhounds.
And the modern Bracco Italiano has probably originated in this Spanish breed.
Last records about the breed
A painting of Peter Tillemans in 1725 gives credit that in this time the Spanish Pointer was already in England. It is the oldest painting that exists about any pointer in England. In the painting it can see the Marshal of Kingston.
Possible record
During the Spanish Civil War, there are stories that report that a Portuguese merchant took one Spanish Pointer from Spain and gift to Baron Bichel of Norfolk. The Baron lived by hunting, he had been taught to shoot to pieces flying.
Theory of the possible disappearance of the breed by the English
According to Mr. Williams, the British when they found the dog found some defects:
They came to the conclusion that this breed had to remodel. The English wanted more speed, more temperament and more endurance to be able to withstand a full day's hunting had also to condition the dog to work both in flat terrain as difficult terrain and keep the hobby of hunting and energy for each day, in yotal was only to preserve its ability to finesse nose. To achieve this were crossed with several breeds especially the fox hound breeds, were made numerous attempts. Carefully they selected individuals to continue reproduction. Disappeared the fat head with the big ears and stayed with the head having now one, a dry head, lower with fine ears. Expressive and always a dark shade eyes and the nose more square with cut straight and dark and with large open nostrils. It is a noble head the very broad chest of Old Spanish Pointer, stayed narrower, but more background. Some that left the freest lungs and therefore with more capacity. The ribs of the old dog were more rounded and now being less curved gave more freedom to the muscles.[3]
See also
References
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