Villano de Las Encartaciones
Basque working dog bred for managing Monchina mountain cattle.
The Villano de Las Encartaciones is a Spanish breed of large working dog from the region of Las Encartaciones in the province of Biscay, in the Basque Country, also found in Álava, eastern Cantabria, and northern Burgos. Its traditional use is in management of Monchina cattle, particularly to assist with bringing the cattle down from mountain pastures between October and December. It is one of five Basque breeds of dog and is considered gravely endangered, with fewer than 200 dogs registered in the stud-book in 2009.
Quick Facts
- Country
- Spain
- Distribution
- Basque Country
- Maleheight
- 57–60 cm
- Femaleheight
- 55–57 cm
- Note
- Recognised in Spanish lawboe
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Villano de Las Encartaciones is a traditional working dog whose history is inextricably entwined with that of the Monchina breed of mountain cattle. The association between the two is so close that it has been said that 'one breed could not exist without the other'. Originally a smaller dog, it was used alongside the larger Alano Español to cut out and drive cattle chosen by ganaderos to a point where they could be caught. From the 1960s, breeders began cross-breeding the Villano with the Alano Español to combine the capabilities of both in a single animal, giving rise to the modern Villano.
Reader's Guide
The Villano de Las Encartaciones holds significance as a traditional Basque working breed whose existence is closely tied to the Monchina cattle breed. Its role in bringing cattle down from mountain pastures between October and December was essential to local pastoral practices. The breed's modern form emerged from cross-breeding with the Alano Español from the 1960s, aiming to create a single dog capable of both cutting out and holding cattle. A breed society was formed in 1997, and the breed was recognized as a traditional Basque breed by government decree in 2001, with a breed standard published in 2003 and national recognition in 2005. Despite these efforts, it remains gravely endangered, with fewer than 200 dogs registered in 2009. It is not recognized by the Real Sociedad Canina de España but is listed among Spanish breeds in the process of recovery. In the twenty-first century it may also be kept as a companion dog.
More in Basque domestic animal breeds 1-20
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