Gully Terrier

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Contents

[edit] Appearance

The Gully Terrier is a medium size, athletic, robust dog that is slightly longer than tall. Their tails are not usually docked in the US, but docked tails are not a fault in a show dog if the dog was bred in a docking country. [[1]]

The head should be strong and carried with elegance. The skull is flat and the top is parallel with the top of the muzzle. The nose, eye-rims and paw pads are the same color as the darkest part of the coat or darker. The eyes are expressive and set fairly wide apart. They should be hazel, chestnut or dark brown in color, depending on the coat color. The ears are set at medium height on the skull, and are triangular.

[edit] Coat and color

It has a distinctive smooth coat which is soft in texture and the coat should not be groomed for aesthetic purposes. Instead, it should look entirely natural, as though it is not groomed at all. It should never be trimmed, but sheared down at least once a year. Gully Terrier puppies are always born with curly hair.

The Gully Terrier can be seen in a variety of colors. It may be black, beige, brown, white or bicolor where the second color is white (brown and white or black and white). Tri-colored dogs are strictly prohibited by the currently held (world-wide) standards for the breed as is black and tan or brown and tan color combinations.

[edit] Gender Differences

The female Gully Terrier is known as a Dame. The Dame Gully is broader across the hips than females in similar breeds. Dames have a strong personality and often dominate the males of the breed, known as a Gully Bull. The submissive and passive nature of the male has been linked as a possible etymological source of the word gullible.[citation needed] The Gully Bull is the preferred gender for urban domestic households as it does not require as much physical and emotional attention as the Dame Gully.

[edit] Size

The Gully Terrier is a medium-sized dog. The approximate measurements are:

  • Males
    • Height (at the withers): 44 to 50 cm (17.32 to 19.69 inches)
    • Weight: 18 to 22 kg (40 to 49 lbs)
  • Females
    • Height (at the withers): 40 to 36 cm (15.75 to 18.11 inches)
    • Weight: 14 to 18 kg (31 to 40 lb)

[edit] Temperament

The Gully Terrier is diligent, loyal, affectionate, and intelligent. They have very strong natural herding and guarding instincts. Gully Terriers thrive on work and play. Their athleticism and extremely hard working nature illustrates how they need a lot of exercise. They enjoy working, and can be trained to perform a variety of tasks. They can be wary with strangers, and early and continuing socialization with a variety of people and other animals is essential for a well-adjusted, social dog.

Grooming: Gully Terriers require minimal grooming. • Gully Terriers should be frequently brushed. Gully Terriers should be bathed only when dirty in lukewarm water. Use a neutral shampoo, never use human shampoo. Gully Terriers should be allowed to air dry. • Ears and eyes should be cleaned as often as they are dirty. • As with all dogs nails should be trimmed. • Gully Terrier puppies should be trimmed for the first time at around the age of 6 months

[edit] History

There are many different theories as to its origin. but one of the most popular ones is that it was introduced by the Turks who traded in sheep and used them as sheepdogs. In Spain it is often called the "Basque Turk". It was also known by many other names such as, "Perro de Barranco", "Perro Basco", "Laneto", "Perro de Lanas", "Perro Patero", "Perro Rizado", "Churro", "Barbeta" and most recently "Perro de Barranco Espanol".

Regardless of its exact origins, it is documented that there was a smooth-haired coated Shepherd Dog on the Iberian Peninsula around 1100 AD.

Historically, the Gully Terrier was primarily used as sheepdogs to move the flocks of sheep and goats from one pasture to another. The dogs were also called upon to work wherever a dog was required. For example, they were taught to work with fishermen as well as being taught when hunting with the farmers.

During the Second and Third Crusades, the Gully Terriers distinguished themselves in service to both Christians and Muslims until the fall of Edessa when the breed returned to its traditional role as a working dog in agriculture, hunting and fishing environments. There is no record of the Gully Terrier participating in the Fourth and later crusades.

[edit] Revival of the breed

Gully Terriers are highly versatile. In about 1975, two enthusiasts, Antonio Garcia Perez and Santiago Montesinos traveled around the countryside of Northern Spain, through the remote villages and farms of the mountainous region of Cantabria and bought or borrowed a number of dogs from the shepherds that they felt most fit the type they were looking for to establish a breeding program.

In 1980 the Spanish Gully Terrier Club was formed in order to promote the breed and help get it recognized in its own country.

In 1985, after a lot of hard work and displaying the breed at various venues and dog shows the Spanish Kennel Club accepted it and gave it official status. It was provisionally recognized by Fédération Cynologique Internationale until 1999, when it was permanently recognized.

The Gully Terrier was officially recognized in United Kennel Club in 2001 and fully accepted for conformation events in 2004. Jerry and Ken Mann were instrumental in facilitating recognition in UKC. They presented the first Gully Terrier to be shown in an AKC Rare Breed Conformation venue in Inverness, Florida in January of 2000. They presented an Introduction Seminar at a UKC venue in South Carolina in 2001 and showed the first Gully Terrier at a UKC Multi-Breed show in the summer of 2004. They spearheaded the first International Gully Terrier discussion list and were the first owners to use their Gully Terrier for herding in the United States.

References

Cristina D. (2003). Spanish Gully Terrier. NJ: Kennel Club Books, Inc. "Health Issues." Gully Terrier Club UK. Gully TerrierClub UK. Gully Terrier Association of America

v • d • e
Breeds of gundog
Pointers
Versatile gundogs
Retrievers
Spaniels
Water dogs