At a glance the quick version
English Wikipedia gives males 30-40 kg and females 25-35 kg; Spanish Wikipedia gives males 35-40 kg.
Coat and looks how to spot one
short, thick coat
A strong, athletic molosser-type dog with a large, square head and a short muzzle. The coat is short, dense and slightly coarse rather than silky, and the face often carries a dark mask.12
Personality what they are like
A composed, noble dog that stays quiet and confident around the home and is deeply attached to its owner and family. It barks rarely and tends to be reserved with people it does not know. Its pack-hunting background makes it generally sociable with other dogs.21
Daily activity how busy a day looks
A capable working and hunting dog, it benefits from regular vigorous exercise and a job to do.12
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
The short coat is easy to care for with occasional brushing.1
Company who they like around
Strongly family-oriented and typically comfortable with other dogs thanks to its history of working in packs.12
The story where it all began
The Alano is thought to descend from dogs linked to the Alans, a nomadic people who reached Iberia in the 5th century, and Spanish hunting texts mention it from the 14th century. For centuries it worked with cattle and hunted big game such as boar and deer, and it travelled with Spanish expeditions to the Americas. After nearly vanishing in the 20th century, enthusiasts rebuilt the breed from the 1980s using surviving dogs from northern Spain.12
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
Alanos appear in Francisco de Goya's 1816 print series La Tauromaquia.1
- 2
Velázquez painted Alano-type dogs in La Tela Real, now in the National Gallery in London.2
- 3
Two dogs of this type, Becerrillo and Leoncico, became famous companions of early Spanish explorers in the Americas.2
- 4
The breed is naturally a quiet dog that seldom barks.2
Recognised by the official bits
- Real Sociedad Canina de España (RSCE) / Spanish government
- Recognised as a Spanish breed in 2004.1
- FCI
- Not recognised by the FCI.1
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Alano Español. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Brushingevery week
- Bathevery 8 weeks
- Nail trimSooner if you hear clicking on the floorevery month
- Ear checkFloppy ears trap moisture, so check and dry themevery week
- Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery 2 days
- ExerciseDaily walks and playevery day
- Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 7every year
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at support@furrydiary.app and we will fix it.
- Wikipedia: Alano Español en.wikipedia.orgused for origin, recognition, size, coat, colours, history (secondary)
- Wikipedia (Spanish): Alano español es.wikipedia.orgused for temperament, recovery regions, art and historical facts (secondary)
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.