A dear reader of our blog had some questions for Martina about Galgos a while back.
The fundamental question was:
"What should I keep in mind when a Galgo from Spain moves in with me?"
Read on for an excerpt from Martina's answers:
I'll do my best to answer your questions:
How much of a hunter is in a Galgo?
Galgos are wonderful, sensitive, calm creatures — but one thing needs to be clear from the very start: most of them were previously in the hands of hunters, and I'll say it plainly, without sugarcoating it:
"They hunted and they killed." That makes things difficult at first when they see or smell game — and believe me, they can see incredibly far!
Double security holds best!
I walked both dogs with double security for a good six months — and wearing gloves. It doesn't have to be that way for everyone, of course, but I preferred to be overly cautious.
Atlas, and later Tiago, wore a chest harness and a collar, and the lead was attached to both the harness and the collar, so both were held at the same time.
Most of them haven't known our world for very long, which means they can be spooked — by motorcycles, lorries, tractors, everything that's perfectly normal and mundane to us. Thank goodness nothing ever happened to us, and now I can walk both of them completely relaxed with just a martingale slip collar.
Where do I get collars and harnesses suitable for Galgos?
I had the harnesses custom-made by a lady who sews them specifically for sighthounds, because dogs can slip out of a standard harness if they throw themselves backwards (from being startled, for example). A sighthound harness extends further back — they have a large rib cage and the harness needs to sit behind it. You also sometimes see harnesses with 3 straps; those work too.
Standard ones from the shops are unfortunately not suitable!
We have martingale collars too, all either custom-made or bought online — I'm happy to pass on the names of a few ladies who make this kind of equipment.
We ordered our muzzles from a company in the Czech Republic — Sofadogwear. These are specially designed racing muzzles that are very lightweight and allow the dog to pant comfortably.
What kind of bed does a Spaniard prefer?
Beds, sofas... sighthounds love to be up high above all else. Every Galgo that enters a house for the first time finds their way to the sofa! No idea why that is? They know nothing of our world, yet every single one figures that out straight away. Large, soft beds work perfectly well too, of course (dear Babsi sewed us one that's just the right size).
I also have an old mattress with two regular dog beds on top of it. Atlas & Tiago still prefer the couch or their big cloud bed, though. They're not that fussy about it — as long as it's soft and up high. I also have friends with Galgos who have set up extra sofas just for the dogs. It really just depends on how much space you have in the living room and what your wallet allows.
Galgos and other dogs?
Atlas wasn't asked what he thought about his new brother — we simply brought him home. He did give us a bit of a funny look when we 'packed up' the pony, but now they're inseparable. Dogs don't like living alone, and Galgos even less so, so unless the profile explicitly says 'only as a single dog', I wouldn't worry too much about it.
How did you come to have Atlas & Tiago?
Through the association "Galgo in Not Austria e.V.". We hold a big sighthound meet-up in Biedermannsdorf twice a year, with around 80 dogs racing about. The dogs from Spain all go to a foster family first, where their character is assessed — how they get on with cats, other dogs and children, for example. Only once they've got over the initial shock of the transport and the new world are they rehomed.
I have two foster mums I can call any time I have a question or am unsure about something. The association has never left me on my own with my worries and fears, and now we're a wonderfully well-attuned team.
They are all dogs with a history, and many have a physical or psychological handicap. Nobody wants a dog to end up somewhere where the people aren't aware of that.
So if you're genuinely interested, it would make sense to come along to our meet-up in April and get to know a few people and dogs.
Warm regards, Martina
Summary
Fact: Galgos are sighthounds
Equipment: special chest harnesses so they can't slip out + wide martingale collars
Sleeping spots: high up and soft preferred
Compatibility: generally very social, but every dog is an individual
If you're interested in Galgos too,
you're very welcome to get in touch with the association "Galgo in Not Austria e.V.".
