Pachón Navarro
Other names | Nafarroako eper txakur; Perdiguero Navarro; Navarra Pointer and Pachón de Victoria (xxx group) | |||||||
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Origin | Navarre (Spain) | |||||||
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Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) |
The Pachón Navarro is a Spanish hunting dog (also known as: Nafarroako eper txakur, Perdiguero Navarro, Pachón de Victoria, Navarra Pointer) which has the unusual feature of a split or double nose. It was believed that this unusual nose gives it extra sensitivity to smells, a primary reason it was chosen as a hunting dog. Today it is known that this feature is only a cosmetic difference.[1]
In two photographs, of what has been called the Double-nosed Andean tiger hound, which were widely published in 2006 and 2007, there are two Andean dogs that are believed to be remotely descended from the Pachón Navarro and who bear an unusual "double nose". This feature also possess only one other breed in the world, besides the above named and this breed.[2] It appears to be a normal dog's nose, but with the nostrils separated by a band of skin and fur dividing the nose all the way to the dog's upper lip. In photographs at a Pachón Navarro website, the split nose is much less conspicuous than it is on the Andean dogs.
Description
The modern Pachón Navarro is a braque-type hunting dog which points to game. It has short hair that may be brown and white, or orange and white, commonly ticked like the coat of most German Shorthaired Pointers. The head and large patches on the coat are generally solid-colored.
With a broad head, the dog is a substantially large animal, weighing between 27 and 33 kg (60 and 73 lb) and having a height between 48 and 57 cm (19 and 22 in). Its ears are long.
History
The Fédération Cynologique Internationale, Europe's major kennel club, does not recognize the Pachón Navarro at this time.
The Pachón Navarro is thought to have descended from the Talbot hound and other hounds, originating in the 12th century.
The breed is believed to have reached its apex of popularity among Spanish nobility of the 18th and 19th centuries, becoming nearly extinct after the Spanish Civil War. A few enthusiasts scoured the country and have re-established breeding stock.
The Double-nosed Andean tiger hound found in South America is presumed to be descended from Pachón Navarro dogs brought by the Spanish Conquistadors in the 16th century.
Conservation
This old breed is in danger of extinction, but in March 2007 were counted more than 70 exemplars of pure breed, Today is promoted its growth, doing without altering the breed.[3]
References
External links
- Pachón Navarro ~ Old Spanish Pointer (in Spanish)
- Double-nosed dog not to be sniffed at BBC News 2007-09-10
- Unusual - Double Nose Andean Tiger Hound petloverstips.com 2007-09-10