The mucuchíes dog is quite unknown in Europe and Asia, but really iconic in certain places. Such is the case of Venezuela, where it is the most emblematic dog breed and is considered the national dog breed. And this is not by chance, since there are historical reasons for such consideration.
The mucuchíes is an affectionate and very attentive dog. He lives by and for his family, since he is extremely protective, something that is given by the long tradition of the mucuchíes as a guard dog. Do you want to know a little more about this mysterious dog breed? On our site we want to transmit all the key data to better understand the history and characteristics of the mucuchíes, as well as their main care.
Origin of the mucuchíes dog
The mucuchíes dog is originally from Venezuela and the veterinarian Wilender Ferrari is credited with the authorship of the crosses that gave rise to the first litter of mucuchíes This breed has a renowned ancestry, with breeds such as the Spanish Mastiff, the Pyrenean Mastiff or the Aïdi in its genealogical line. And it is not surprising, since it is said that the mucuchíes arises from crosses between dogs brought to Venezuela by settlers to act as guard dogs and shepherds in the XV-XVI century.
However, it is not its genetics that makes the mucuchíes dog famous, and it is that one of these dogs accompanied Simón Bolívar, after being given him as a gift, in his campaigns, coming to save him life. This made the breed proclaim itself as the breed of the nation, expanding by leaps and bounds throughout Venezuela. In 1961 an official breed club was created, which was declared as the official breed of Venezuela in 1964
Characteristics of the mucuchíes dog
The mucuchíes dog is large in size, with a height at the withers between 55 and 71 centimeters and a weight of between 33 and 50 kilograms in male specimens and between 30 and 37 in females.
These dogs have a strong and robust body, with an athletic build, so they are truly impressive. They are of balanced proportions, with solid but agile limbs, they usually have a double spur on their hind legs and a single one on their front legs, as well as a long tail that is covered by a dense and abundant fur. The coat is wooly, with two varieties: smooth and wavy, although it is always a hair hard, long and very dense.
The head is elongated, of a generous size and with a pronounced snout that ends in a nose that is always black. The ears, of medium size, usually fall to the sides of its head, have a triangular shape, but with rounded tips, keeping the lines smooth and rounded throughout its constitution. His eyes, oblique and very expressive, have a brown color and a tremendously sweet look.
Mucuchíes dog colors
The colors registered for the mucuchíes race are:
- Solid pure white monocolor
- white stained with honey color in different shades
- white with black spots
However, colors such as black with white spots, gray or red colored spots are considered undesirable, being classified as a defect when evaluating the breed standard of each specimen.
The dog mucuchíes puppy
The mucuchíes dog is calm by nature from its puppy stage. Thus, although he likes play and attention he is not restless at all, he is obedient and very sleepy, not very nervous in his first months. Of course, since he was a child, his deep-rooted guardian instinct begins to be noticed, reacting with distrust and even aggressiveness when in contact with strangers.
Therefore, in breeds such as the mucuchíes, traditionally dedicated to surveillance, it is recommended to carry out an exhaustive socialization when they are still puppies. This prevents them from being overly suspicious and from reacting aggressively to those they consider to be strangers, when it may be visits such as friends or family.
Mucuchíes dog character
The temperament of a mucuchíes dog is characterized by being strong but balanced. In other words, these dogs tend to have a determined character and lack fear or cowardice, but at the same time they are very intelligent, active, noble and docile.oble and docile.
Although they are very suspicious of strangers, they are extremely loving and affectionate with their family and loved ones. They act as protectors of all of them, so they do not mind risking their lives in order to save those they love. Likewise, their skills as a nanny dog have been highlighted, since they are attentive and very patient with little ones.
Despite the benefits of the breed, it should be noted that it is a dog that needs space, both indoors and outdoors, so it is not advisable to keep it in a small flat or apartment. He needs plenty of daily activity, as he gets very restless and nervous if he leads a sedentary life.
Mucuchíes dog care
Caring for a mucuchíes is not a difficult task, as it is not a very demanding breed in terms of care. In reality, it is a tremendously grateful race in this area as well. Perhaps the aspect that requires the most attention is daily exercise, since it is a dog that needs to be active through walks and games. He loves to run, so he usually needs wide open spaces to be able to do it freely and safely, away from dangers such as roads, cars or trains.
In relation to the previous point, another care of the mucuchíes to take into account is environmental enrichment in the home. Being an active dog, it is essential to offer him a variety of toys and practice intelligence games at home.
On the other hand, the mucuchíes dog's coat does not require too much attention. Although it is true that needs to be brushed several times a week given its characteristics, since it is dense and long, if it is done regularly it is not a very demanding task weather. As for baths, it is recommended to limit them to when strictly necessary, with a regularity of at least a month and a half between baths. Both when brushing and bathing it, it is recommended to check the animal's fur to check if it has any external parasite such as fleas or ticks, or if there are spikes between its pads, ears or nose, which are annoying and painful if they get stuck.
Mucuchíes dog education
The mucuchíes are, as we have mentioned before, traditional guardian dogs, having always carried out surveillance tasks in farms and homes. For this reason, being surveillance dogs, it is their instinct to be distrustful of those who are not known. This can cause violent or unpleasant reactions to visitors or during walks, which is why it is very necessary to carry out specific training focused on socialization In this sense, it is recommended Carry out early socialization, that is, when the animal is still a puppy, although this does not mean that a dog cannot be socialized when it is an adult.
In addition to socialization, this breed does not need much more specific training beyond learning the basic commands and those necessary to perform its tasks, as it will not be the same training for a companion dog, which will be more focused in this case on family life, than that of a guard dog. In any case, we are dealing with a dog that learns quickly and is used to showing great interest during the sessions, so it is essential to take advantage of this predisposition to educate and train him through activities and games. Positive reinforcement is always the best option when training a dog of any breed or mongrel.
Mucuchíes dog he alth
The he alth of a dog of the mucuchíes breed is quite solid, since there is no record showing that it has congenital diseases. Of course, given his large size, he can develop joint conditions typical of giant and large breeds, such as hip dysplasia. In this case, the best thing to do is prevention, so it is advisable to carry out regular radiological check-ups in order to detect joint anomalies early.
Apart from the above, the only thing that the mucuchí needs to be he althy is to make regular visits to the veterinarian, in which general check-ups are carried out that include periodic vaccinations and deworming. Thus, the mucuchíes can be kept protected from viral and bacterial diseases as serious as lethal rabies.
Where to adopt a mucuchíes dog?
The mucuchíes dog is not a very common dog except in certain countries, such as Venezuela, where it is especially popular and abundant. Therefore, it may be a complicated task to adopt a mucuchíes if our country of residence is not one of those where it is more common to find it. However, always, from our site, we recommend going to associations and shelters close to our place of residence to inform us about the animals that are looking for a home, and who knows, maybe we can find one of these dogs there.
Be that as it may, the important thing is to be aware of what adopting implies, seeing it as a lifelong commitment, until the animal leaves after a life full of love and affection. They are not a toy, so deciding to adopt an animal must be a very thoughtful and well-considered decision.
