Historically used to put an end to rodent plagues that harm farmers and peasants, the Valencian buzzards or gos rater valencià, such as It is known in the Valencian Community, they were frequent in houses and rural farms, as well as in warehouses and silos, where crops and grains were stored. Today they have found their way into the homes of cities, both large and small, forming part of many families who adore them for their vivacious character and their desire for adventure. They are faithful and intelligent companions if you know how to control their marked nervousness. We tell you all this and much more in this article on our site, so read on to learn about the characteristics of the Valencian Buzzard
Origin of the Valencian buzzard
Its remote origin dates back to the 16th century, when some accounts of the time portray it as an animal typical of peasants and landowners Over the years its name has changed, since during the 17th century it was also called "gos albellons", that is, "dog of ditches" p, literally, "small dog used to bark at whoever passes by or who is about to enter a house"; previously it was also known as "canis villicus" or "garden dog", which highlights its role in rural areas. Other denominations are "Valencian thief".
Due to their great skills as hunters, the Valencian mousers were used to hunt rodents such as the water vole, very appreciated in that time of scarcity for its use for consumption, being used in preparations as common as the well-known paella.
The breed was officially recognized in 2004 by the Spanish Canine Federation, although in 1994 it made its debut at a dog show and was later created the Spanish Club of the Valencian Buzzard-CERVA. Currently it is still not recognized by the International Canine Federation.
Characteristics of the Valencian buzzard
The Valencian Buzzard breed has been classified as Group 3, section 1: large and medium-sized terriers. Despite this category, it is a small-sized breed, since its ideal weight is within the range between 4 and 8 kilograms, its height is usually between 30 and 40 cm in males and 29 to 38 in females.
His body is square and wiry, with straight and slender extremities. Unfortunately, the tail is usually amputated, with some preserving the first vertebra, however, it should be noted that this is a cruel and unnecessary practice, which seriously harms the socialization of the animal because it prevents it from using the tail as a method of communication, in addition to the possible he alth reasons. Likewise, amputation of the tail and ears is prohibited in many countries. For more information, see the article "Why is it bad to cut the tail and ears of dogs?".
On the other hand, and continuing with the physical characteristics of the Valencian Buzzard, Its ears are triangular and erect, quite prominent compared to his narrow face, with a strong scissor bite. With brown and oval eyes, which do not protrude from the head, its fur can be of various colors, such as black, white, chocolate, tan or cinnamon, Tricolor specimens are frequent, usually black and tan with white spots. The hair is short, a maximum of 2 cm long, and fine.
And finally, although they may seem practically the same, many confuse the Valencian Buzzard with the Andalusian Buzzard, since the colors tend to be the same and the physical appearance as well. However, there is a big difference between them and that is their size, with the Valencian being considered a small dog, as we have said, and the Andalusian rather medium-sized.
Character of the Valencian buzzard
Valencian buzzards are very active and restless animals that need activity and play. They are excellent guards, they bark at strangers who dare to approach our home and they will keep it safe, since they are brave and are not frightened by strangers. In addition, they are excellent playmates for children, as long as they are both educated in mutual respect and their relationship is based on love and fun.
Of course, when talking about the character of the Valencian buzzard we could not ignore that they are very intelligent animals that have They have been used since ancient times for the field and hunting, but today they have also been incorporated into various sectors such as therapy animals. Likewise, they are affectionate, curious and nervous, it is for this last trait that it is especially recommended for living with children.
Care of the Valencian buzzard
As in all breeds, we have to watch the eyes, nose, mouth, legs and ears of our Valencian buzzard. It is not an animal that sheds a lot, but weekly brushing will further reduce the amount of hair it can shed around the house. In addition, it is vital to provide him with the physical activity he needs to remain calm and balanced, so it will be necessary to take him out for walks and spend time playing games that allow him to release his energy running and jumping. All this is especially necessary in those animals that live in apartments or urban areas, because despite adapting perfectly to life in an apartment, we have to take care that they have the hours of activity they need. Remember that this is a very active and nervous breed of dog.
Another care of the Valencian Buzzard is the diet, since its diet must be balanced and balanced, always depending on your level of activity and your state of he alth, to prevent obesity. Likewise, frequent veterinary check-ups must be carried out and the established vaccination guidelines must be followed. Being a small dog, it is prone to the accumulation of tartar, so it is also advisable to clean its teeth well and perform dental hygiene if necessary.
Education of the Valencian buzzard
Due to its curious nature, it is easy to capture the attention of our Valencian buzzard and manage to teach it various tricks and skills, being quite common to see dogs of this breed in agility tests, since their mixture of speed, agility and docility makes them excellent competitors in this type of circuit. In fact, this type of activity, as well as advanced education, helps keep the Valencian Buzzard mentally and physically stimulated, so it is more than recommended to avoid having a hyperactive, stressed or anxious dog.
It must be taken into account that because they are terriers they can be markedly territorial animals, so if you want to incorporate a new dog to the home we have to follow certain guidelines to avoid possible scares and emergency visits to the vet, since they are not afraid of anyone and, for example, if they face another larger dog they can get hurt.
About the basic training of the Valencian Buzzard, it will be essential socializing it correctly to prevent problems such as the one mentioned above and ensure that it remains balanced. In addition, due to his intelligence and active character, it will not be difficult to carry out the basic orders of coexistence, always through positive reinforcement. Punishments and yelling will never achieve good results.
He alth of the Valencian buzzard
Generally, Valencian Buzzards are very strong dogs, with iron he alth, but even so, as in any other breed, we must be vigilant to detect and prevent a series of problems. Due to its short and sparse fur, we must be careful in cold weather, as our animal will be more exposed to hypothermia
The most frequent hereditary pathologies are hip or elbow dysplasia, Von Willebrand disease, which affects the ability to blood clotting, or hypothyroidism. To detect them in time, correct preventive medicine will be the key, attending routine veterinary visits and following the specialist's instructions.
