Breed of the Week is BACK!

[chiendog]

Hi All,

I was not on holidays. My computers were. Well, actually, they were at a sort of computer spa getting an overhaul and general clean up. And now that they are back up and running, they simply gleam with new bits and bytes.

So that means the Breed of the Week is back. And this week I feature one of the most unusual breeds you will probably every read about. It is the great great grand-daddy of all our pointing dogs and it has a double nose!! Ladies and gentlemen, I present the Pachon Navarro, aka the Spanish Double Nosed Pointer.

http://pointingdogblog.blogspot.com/201 ... varro.html

[JessiNGunther]

That is the Coolest nose I have ever seen !!! I like to read the bread of the week because learn so much about other dogs.

[fordman]

that dog is fugly, looks like it has a Gorrilla nose.

[rollick]

Fascinating! Thanks so much for sharing. Do they canter/gallop, or only trot? I looked at your photo gallery, and all of the "moving" shots make it seems like they mostly trot? Great photos, by the way.

[tommyboy72]

Just curious if anyone this side of the Atlantic is breeding them? I know a gentleman in Missouri who runs a year round quail preserve who has been looking for one of these dogs and I do not believe price would too much of an issue with him.

[chiendog]

Fascinating! Thanks so much for sharing. Do they canter/gallop, or only trot? I looked at your photo gallery, and all of the "moving" shots make it seems like they mostly trot? Great photos, by the way.

They trot...mostly. But they also gallop. Breeders and handlers want them to trot though. That is the classic way of working for the ancient breeds and make sense when you see where they are used...it is HOT and dry and there is some very nasty cover there. Here is how I explain it in the book:

At a time when many breeds are being selected for more speed and range, it is remarkable that the Pachón Navarro has not only managed to retain the classic, methodical working style, but that it has gained a growing following among hunters in Spain and Portugal. Carlos Contera believes that recent changes in hunting conditions have played a role in the breed’s growth.

"Fast-growing, quickly-rotated crops and early harvests have pushed the quail onto the steeper slopes of hillsides and along riverbeds where they can find protection. Faster, wider-ranging dogs tend to bypass these areas. That is where tougher, more methodical dogs are best."

The working standard for the breed is very clear about its range and pace. A Pachón Navarro should trot, usually within gun range. Brief periods of galloping are tolerated, but not desired. The quick all-day trot is seen as an advantage in rough, hilly terrain where the Pachón is expected to bust through the toughest cover, all day, every day.

[chiendog]

Just curious if anyone this side of the Atlantic is breeding them? I know a gentleman in Missouri who runs a year round quail preserve who has been looking for one of these dogs and I do not believe price would too much of an issue with him.

I know of no one outside of Spain that is breeding them. There may be one or two guys in Portugal that do, but I think that all the main breeders are in Spain. And I don't think that Pachones cost any more or less than other breeds, but the price really rises when you have to fly a pup over here or go there to get one. Then again, they have some fantastic wine and weather in Spain! It was certainly worth the time and money it took us to get there!

Best bet for a pup is to contact the club in Spain http://www.pachon.info/contenido/index.php Use google translate to get the english version or write to the president Juan J. García Estévez. He speaks/reads/writes English perfectly.