CAREA LEONÉS,
SHEPHERD DOG OF LEÓN
by José Luis Prieto Morán
by José Luis Prieto Morán
The León
Shepherd Dog, popularly known as the Carea Leonés, is a herding dog from the old Kingdom of León, in northwestern Spain.
It is 100% a working dog, with a great disposition for handling grazing flocks and herds. It stands out for its intelligence, strength and psychological toughness, characteristics which allow it to develop perfectly its abilities during the long and exhausting days with the herd, putting up on many occasions with the most adverse weather conditions.
These dogs are used for working with the sheep but adapt to any type of livestock. In some places they also are used for herding cows and mares. The Carea Leonés is a brave and stubborn dog with cattle, qualities that win the respect of livestock and keep it controlled. The shepherds of León valued and preferred dogs “that had a good mouth” and would not hesitate to grip the cattle when needed, a trait that began to be part of the genetics of the León Shepherd Dog. All of this is better understood when we understand the Spartan selection process to which this breed was subjected by the shepherds. We can affirm that the Carea Leonés is a dog whose morphology and character have been molded over the years by its environment, its functionality and the human factor (the shepherds).
It is 100% a working dog, with a great disposition for handling grazing flocks and herds. It stands out for its intelligence, strength and psychological toughness, characteristics which allow it to develop perfectly its abilities during the long and exhausting days with the herd, putting up on many occasions with the most adverse weather conditions.
These dogs are used for working with the sheep but adapt to any type of livestock. In some places they also are used for herding cows and mares. The Carea Leonés is a brave and stubborn dog with cattle, qualities that win the respect of livestock and keep it controlled. The shepherds of León valued and preferred dogs “that had a good mouth” and would not hesitate to grip the cattle when needed, a trait that began to be part of the genetics of the León Shepherd Dog. All of this is better understood when we understand the Spartan selection process to which this breed was subjected by the shepherds. We can affirm that the Carea Leonés is a dog whose morphology and character have been molded over the years by its environment, its functionality and the human factor (the shepherds).
HISTORY OF THE BREED -- ORIGIN, ROOTS AND ADAPTATION.
The dog we have today could not be understood without knowing the geographical, social and economic circumstances related to the world of livestock that occurred in the country and the impact of which influenced the development of the breed.
The exact time of the appearance of the Carea Leonés in the flocks in the country of León is not clear, but most likely its emergence coincides with the expulsion of the French and the reorganization Spain in the early 19th century. This caused the dissolution of the Royal Council of the Mesta (1836) and involves the progressive decline of the transhumancia, seasonal migration.
Above: León, homeland of the Carea Leonés
Right: The old drove roads (cañadas) of the transhumance |
1. Cañada de la Vizana o de la Plata (500 km / 311 mi)
2. Cañada Cañada Leonesa Oriental (700 km / 435 mi) 3. Cañada Segoviana (500 km / 311 mi) 4. Cañada Soriana Occidental (500 km / 311 mi) 5. Cañada Soriana Oriental (800 km / 497 mi) 6. Cañada Riojana o Galiana (400 km / 248 mi) 7. Cañada Conquense (350 km / 217 mi) 8. Cañada del Reino de Valencia (250 km / 155 mi) |
We must recall that three of the most important “drove roads” of the merino sheep (Cañadas Reales), had their head in the mountains of León, an important factor for livestock development in this region and the León Shepherd Dog. Many large groups of livestock belonging to the aristocracy and clergy traveling between León and Extremadura had on their staff a great majority of shepherds from León, native to the mountains. The owners of migratory flocks preferred hiring people from the mountains because of their knowledge of the terrain and because they better endured the hard conditions in the mountains than the people of the South. When transhumance began to decline, many of these shepherds decided to create their own farms. These new herds no longer spent the winter in Extremadura and began to stay closer to home, in the provinces of León and Zamora. The new grazing system is called transterminancia, remaining in a region. This system consists of a small transhumancia inside the Kingdom of León and covered about 100km in a week or less, from the plain to the mountain.
Contrary to popular belief, the herds that moved from León to Extremadura had no shepherd dogs. They were not necessary because the Mesta privileges granted passage privileges to the flocks of Merino sheep. These privileges led to the creation of Cañadas (very wide roads along which the sheep walked while eating) and cordeles (branches narrower than the Cañadas) for transiting sheep. These flocks had no problems with the grass because their owners were owners of large tracts of grass in Extremadura, where the sheep grazed at their ease and posed no danger to any crops or arable land. As the flocks went up into the mountains of the North, the large owners rented exclusive pasturage for their livestock.
Consequently we must say that the migration was not related to the Carea Leonés. In fact, there was a law of the Mesta which prohibited the presence of dogs that were not Mastiffs. Both on the plains and in the mountains, the most important problems for the herd were the attacks of wolves and cattle thieves, and to protect against these dangers the Mastiff (Mastín Español, also called Mastín Leonés) was used.
Contrary to popular belief, the herds that moved from León to Extremadura had no shepherd dogs. They were not necessary because the Mesta privileges granted passage privileges to the flocks of Merino sheep. These privileges led to the creation of Cañadas (very wide roads along which the sheep walked while eating) and cordeles (branches narrower than the Cañadas) for transiting sheep. These flocks had no problems with the grass because their owners were owners of large tracts of grass in Extremadura, where the sheep grazed at their ease and posed no danger to any crops or arable land. As the flocks went up into the mountains of the North, the large owners rented exclusive pasturage for their livestock.
Consequently we must say that the migration was not related to the Carea Leonés. In fact, there was a law of the Mesta which prohibited the presence of dogs that were not Mastiffs. Both on the plains and in the mountains, the most important problems for the herd were the attacks of wolves and cattle thieves, and to protect against these dangers the Mastiff (Mastín Español, also called Mastín Leonés) was used.
Spanish Mastiffs, guardians of the flocks
We can say that the most likely origin of the León Shepherd Dog as we know it today can be placed in the post-migration period around the middle of the 19th century. Nonetheless, it was during the 1940s of the 20th century, due to scarcity of labor caused by the numerous casualties of the Spanish Civil War, when these shepherd dogs became more necessary, causing an explosion of breed. Although there were already many in the area, they were more clearly defined by their profile which made them recognizable among the shepherds and caused them to proliferate in the provinces of the Kingdom of León.
ROOTS: “Dogs of Vecera”
The roots of this rustic breed were the dogs that belonged to ranchers and farmers who kept small herds in a community grazing regime called “Vecera.” This was basically subsistence livestock grazing among the agricultural lands near the villages. The Vecera system was used by the villagers of León and the north of the Iberian Peninsula from the pre-Roman era when it was used by northern indigenous tribes (Celts and Astures). With these small herds was a shepherd dog to help the small farmer with his livestock. This dog is the predecessor of the León Shepherd Dog which emerged in the mid-19th century.
There are references that describe dogs very similar to the current León Shepherd Dog in a couple of religious carvings depicting a shepherd with a dog. One of them is in the Cathedral of León, dating from the fifteenth century and showing a specimen with long hair and a black-and-tan coat color. The other is a work of the artist Juan de Juni (1557) and presents an example of the harlequin color and short hair. Both show many of the characteristics of the present-day shepherd dogs of León. In reality they have not changed much.
ROOTS: “Dogs of Vecera”
The roots of this rustic breed were the dogs that belonged to ranchers and farmers who kept small herds in a community grazing regime called “Vecera.” This was basically subsistence livestock grazing among the agricultural lands near the villages. The Vecera system was used by the villagers of León and the north of the Iberian Peninsula from the pre-Roman era when it was used by northern indigenous tribes (Celts and Astures). With these small herds was a shepherd dog to help the small farmer with his livestock. This dog is the predecessor of the León Shepherd Dog which emerged in the mid-19th century.
There are references that describe dogs very similar to the current León Shepherd Dog in a couple of religious carvings depicting a shepherd with a dog. One of them is in the Cathedral of León, dating from the fifteenth century and showing a specimen with long hair and a black-and-tan coat color. The other is a work of the artist Juan de Juni (1557) and presents an example of the harlequin color and short hair. Both show many of the characteristics of the present-day shepherd dogs of León. In reality they have not changed much.
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This 1903 trading card from a Dutch bakery company is captioned "Spanish Dog" -- no additional information is given about the dog, but it is very like a Carea Leonés, such as "Rufo" on the right.
When the shepherds from León, employed by the powerful owners, left the transhumant herds to start the stage of “transterminance” (19th century), they became the real developers and selectors of the breed from that moment on. These shepherds’ flocks no longer had royal privileges, and it was necessary to protect crops from their numerous sheep. For that they needed a dog. In their native villages there was the Vecera, and they thought that these dogs, which handled the grazing of these few sheep, might be able to help them with their herds in order to protect the crops.
From that time, these shepherd dogs were being converted little by little, under purely functional selection, into the great dog we have today in León. The dog that ate a lot was eliminated. The dog that frequently sought the shade was eliminated. The dog that could not handle scolding and punishment was eliminated. The dog that did not bite or that bit too much was eliminated. The dog that tired easily was eliminated. In the end, only the hardest, most austere and intelligent workers were left. Shepherds who depended on its work could not keep an ineffective dog.
From that time, these shepherd dogs were being converted little by little, under purely functional selection, into the great dog we have today in León. The dog that ate a lot was eliminated. The dog that frequently sought the shade was eliminated. The dog that could not handle scolding and punishment was eliminated. The dog that did not bite or that bit too much was eliminated. The dog that tired easily was eliminated. In the end, only the hardest, most austere and intelligent workers were left. Shepherds who depended on its work could not keep an ineffective dog.
On the job, keeping the sheep out of the corn
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In the above sequence from a video: 1) a flock is moving alongside a field of corn, Mastiffs walking along with the flock; some of the sheep are getting into the corn;
2) a Carea Leonés goes into action, running along the edge of the field toward the trespassing sheep; 3) the sheep hurry away from the corn, as 4) a second Carea comes from further back, while the first Carea holds its position at the edge of the cornfield.
2) a Carea Leonés goes into action, running along the edge of the field toward the trespassing sheep; 3) the sheep hurry away from the corn, as 4) a second Carea comes from further back, while the first Carea holds its position at the edge of the cornfield.
CHARACTER AND MORPHOLOGY
The Carea Leonés is a dog closely bonded to its owner. Without adequate socialization shows a lack of confidence and even surliness with strangers, something not seen with those raised among people, which show themselves to be more receptive and sociable, becoming a great pet. This dog is very alert and intelligent, with great capacity for learning and willingness to work. It's a dog with personality that submits well to orders from its owner.
The physical characteristics of the Carea Leonés arise from its specific function and adaptation to the environment in which it works work. It is a medium-sized dog, harmonious, agile and strong. The breed standard states a height of between 48 and 55 cm (18.9 to 21.7 inches) tall at the withers and weighing ranging from 17 to 27 kg (approximately 37 to 59-1/2 pounds) for males. For females, the height ranges between 45 and 52 cm (17.7 to 20.5 inches) and weighing between 15 and 25 kg (33 to 55 pounds).
The ears should not fall excessively low, such as some hunting dogs (cocker or setter), or stay upright and pointed like those of a wolf or a German Shepherd. The ears should be folded about halfway up and fall in a triangular or rose shape.
The tail is long and usually falls with a curve, saber fashion.
There are two types of hair length, the first short and thick and the second semi-long, more or less smooth, being wavy in some cases.
The coat color of Carea Leonés is summarized in three principles:
-Harlequin or “pinto” (merle): Black, gray and white mixed, sometimes with tan markings.
-Black and tan or “four eyes”: Black on most of the body, with tan markings on the chest, legs, nose and above the eyes (two characteristic spots).
-Black: As a whole, with a small white spot in some specimens.
The Carea Leonés is a dog closely bonded to its owner. Without adequate socialization shows a lack of confidence and even surliness with strangers, something not seen with those raised among people, which show themselves to be more receptive and sociable, becoming a great pet. This dog is very alert and intelligent, with great capacity for learning and willingness to work. It's a dog with personality that submits well to orders from its owner.
The physical characteristics of the Carea Leonés arise from its specific function and adaptation to the environment in which it works work. It is a medium-sized dog, harmonious, agile and strong. The breed standard states a height of between 48 and 55 cm (18.9 to 21.7 inches) tall at the withers and weighing ranging from 17 to 27 kg (approximately 37 to 59-1/2 pounds) for males. For females, the height ranges between 45 and 52 cm (17.7 to 20.5 inches) and weighing between 15 and 25 kg (33 to 55 pounds).
The ears should not fall excessively low, such as some hunting dogs (cocker or setter), or stay upright and pointed like those of a wolf or a German Shepherd. The ears should be folded about halfway up and fall in a triangular or rose shape.
The tail is long and usually falls with a curve, saber fashion.
There are two types of hair length, the first short and thick and the second semi-long, more or less smooth, being wavy in some cases.
The coat color of Carea Leonés is summarized in three principles:
-Harlequin or “pinto” (merle): Black, gray and white mixed, sometimes with tan markings.
-Black and tan or “four eyes”: Black on most of the body, with tan markings on the chest, legs, nose and above the eyes (two characteristic spots).
-Black: As a whole, with a small white spot in some specimens.
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CURRENT STATUS OF THE LEÓN SHEPHERD
The Carea Leonés is not yet recognized by the FCI. According to the latest studies of the University of León, there are about 500 pure specimens working in the lands of the Country of León. At present, and from mid-1980s, efforts are being made to avoid the disappearance of this breed, stabilize it and get official recognition by the Real Sociedad Canina Español and international agencies.
There is a scientific study under the supervision of the University of León about the breed, which provides the standard, authored by Dr. Lorena De La Fuente. And of course there is the huge commitment and work of the Sociedad Canina Leonesa, with support from various breeders, fans of the breed and some shepherds, to maintain the breed’s characteristics and perpetuate its existence.
José Luis Prieto Alvarez, father of the author, arriving with his flock in the mountains of
Babia (León), from Orbigo, 1970s; he was a transterminante shepherd. One of the author's
grandfathers was a transhumante shepherd, from Léon to Extramadura.
Babia (León), from Orbigo, 1970s; he was a transterminante shepherd. One of the author's
grandfathers was a transhumante shepherd, from Léon to Extramadura.
My thanks to José Luis Prieto Morán for writing this article for me and providing photos and other information; to Mark Rorem for translating the article from Spanish; and to Jan Hilborn for the Dutch bakery card.