What is a Spanish Galgo?

Spanish Galgo, also known as the  Galgo Español or  Spanish Greyhound, is a breed of sighthound originating from Spain. They share many similarities with the English Greyhound but are a distinct breed, believed to be ancestral to them. They are known for their athleticism, intelligence, and sensitive nature.

Here’s a breakdown of what defines a Spanish Galgo:

Appearance
  • Build: They have a lean, athletic body, with a conformation characteristic of endurance runners rather than sprinters. They are generally smaller than English Greyhounds, with a less deep chest, longer tails, and longer, more streamlined heads.
  • Coat: Galgos can have either smooth or rough (wirehaired) coats. The rough coat provides extra protection from injuries when running in fields.
  • Color: They come in a wide variety of colors and patterns, including solid fawn, brindle, black, chestnut, cinnamon, yellow, red, white, and pied. 
Temperament
  • Calm and Gentle: Like Greyhounds, Galgos are typically calm, gentle, quiet, and laid-back, often enjoying relaxing on the couch.
  • Friendly: Usually friendly with people, most enjoy to snuggle with their human on the couch.  We have found that most get along very well with well behaved children.   Many do well with small dogs and also cats.
  • Exercise Needs: While they are athletic and enjoy running, they don’t necessarily require excessive amounts of exercise and can be calm indoors, notes The Spruce Pets.
  • High Prey Drive: It’s important to remember they are sighthounds with a high prey drive and shouldn’t be let off-leash in unfenced areas.
  • Reserved and Shy: Some are shy or scared based on their experiences with the Galgueros (hunters) in Spain.  So some Galgos can be reserved or shy around strangers, making early socialization crucial for building their confidence.  
History and plight in Spain
  • Ancient Breed: The Spanish Galgo is an ancient breed with roots tracing back thousands of years and potentially to ancient African, Asian, and European sighthound breeds.
  • Hunting Dogs: Historically, they were highly valued as hunting dogs, particularly for coursing hare, says The Spruce Pets.
  • Modern Day Abuse: Unfortunately, in modern Spain, many Galgos are bred and used for hunting and then abandoned or killed in cruel ways at the end of the hunting season when they are no longer deemed useful. These practices have led to a crisis for the breed, with tens of thousands suffering abuse each year.
  • Rescue Efforts: International animal welfare organizations and dedicated shelters in Spain are working to rescue these dogs, provide them with medical care, rehabilitation, and find them loving forever homes, often in other countries where their plight is more widely recognized.