Villanuco de Las Encartaciones
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Breed at a glance
- Origin
- Spain
- Weight
- 4–8.5 kg [ 1 ] : 600
- Height
- Males
- Other names
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Use
The Villanuco was traditionally used for ratting. It is a good watchdog , alert to the presence of strangers or intruders, and may be kept for that reason or as a companion dog . [ 2 ]
intro
The Villanuco de Las Encartaciones ( Basque : Enkarterriko Billanuko , Cantabrian : Villanucu ) is a Spanish breed of small dog of ratter type. It originates in the comarca of Enkarterri ( Spanish : Las Encartaciones ) in the Basque Autonomous Community in northern Spain. It is one of five Basque breeds of dog, the others being the Basque Shepherd Dog , the Erbi Txakur , the Pachón Navarro and the Villano de Las Encartaciones , [ 2 ] [ 3 ] and one of fourteen animal breeds native to the País Vasco. [ 4 ] It is critically endangered: in 2009 there were fewer than fifty examples. [ 1 ] : 599
History
The Villanuco originates in the comarca of Enkarterri /Las Encartaciones in Bizkaia , in the Basque Autonomous Community in northern Spain. It is one of five Basque breeds of dog, the others being the Basque Shepherd Dog or Euskal Artzain Txakurra , the Erbi Txakur , the Pachón de Vitoria and the Villano de Las Encartaciones or Enkarterriko Billano . [ 2 ] [ 3 ] Of these, all but the Pachón de Vitoria are indigenous to the Basque Autonomous Community , and were recognised as traditional Basque breeds by government decree in 2001. [ 1 ] : 599 [ 5 ] It was among the fourteen indigenous animal breeds included in the rural development plan for the País Vasco for 2007–2013. [ 4 ] The Villanuco is critically endangered: in 2009 the total number for the breed was reported to be below fifty. Almost all are in the comarca of Enkarterri/Las Encartaciones – in Artzentales , Balmaseda , Güeñes , Karrantza , Sopuerta and Trucios-Turtzioz . [ 1 ] : 599
Characteristics
The Villanuco is one of several ratting breeds in Spain. It shows some similarity to the Ca Rater Mallorquí of Mallorca and to the Gos Rater Valencià , [ 1 ] : 600 but is phenotypically less similar to them than they are to each other. [ 6 ] It is a small breed: dogs stand 30–40 cm at the withers , bitches a little less. The skin is fine and close-fitting, and the coat is short, little more than 1 cm long. It is most often black and white or black and tan, less frequently black and cinnamon, white and cinnamon, or tri-coloured; the nose is usually black, but may also be chocolate-coloured. The ears are usually upright. [ 1 ] : 600