Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz vs Petit Gascon Saintongeois - Breed Comparison

Long ago the English visited Spain to sample their wines, bringing with them smooth coated English Fox Terriers which were later crossed with other dog breeds of the area.

It is believed that the Andalusia Ratter’s ancestors were smooth coated fox terriers. The Club Nacional del Perro Andaluz Ratonero Bodeguero was established and in 1993 a standard for the breed was set.

It is only fairly recently that the breed was recognized by the Royal Canine Society of Spain but it isn’t recognized by any of the major kennel clubs.

The Petit Gascon Saintongeois comes from- and is in fact a smaller version of the Grand Gascon Saintongeois. The dog has been used for hunting. Hunters wanted a smaller dog and these were the Petit Gascon Saintongeois.

There was a time when the numbers of these dogs became less and their numbers were restored by Baron Virelade in the 19th century. It is where this dog gets his nickname from.

The Petit Gascon-Saintongeois was recognized by the United Kennel Club on January 1, 1993.

Also known as the Spanish Jack Russell, the Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz looks very similar to this popular Jack Russell Terrier.

He is a small to medium sized dog with a lean, muscular body. The Ratonero developed in the south of Spain and is thought to be a mix of local ratting dogs and Fox Terriers. This ensured a quick, agile hunter.

The dog stands at between 35 – 43cm in height and weighs 6 - 9kg. The dog’s head is fairly small with dark brown eyes and half erect-half floppy ears. The coat is mainly white with some freckling. It is short and smooth with shades of black and tan covering the facial area. Some of these dogs are born with a natural bob-tail.

Temperament:

These dogs are known to have robust, hearty, happy personalities, full of the joys of living. They get on well with children as well as other pets if they have grown up with them.

Introductions should be slow if one of these dogs are brought into a home where there are already other pets. He is a very active breed and will be requiring plenty of mental stimulation and physical exercise.

They can provide quite a bit of entertainment for their human families as they can become quite clownish. They’re the kind of dogs that can adapt to life in the countryside or the city.

The Petit Gascon Saintongeois is a smaller version of the Grand Gascon Saintongeois but he is still muscled and lean and looked upon as being a large, robust dog.

His coat is short and dense and is white with black patches and some speckles. You'll find that there are nearly always black patches found on either side of the head, surrounding the eyes and covering the ears. The ears are essentially black, although there is also some tan coloring.

The ears are floppy, the tail long and saber-shaped.The Petit Gascon Saintongeois is a well proportioned dog standing at between 56 to 62cm in height and weighing 23 to 27kg.

Temperament:

The Petit Gascon Saintongeois is a friendly, good-natured pet, being loyal and loving with his human family and being a good playmate to children. He is also intelligent and amicable and will be easily trained and socialized.

Your Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz to this day is a ratter, always alert and ready to spring on prey. He is always lively and friendly, and with his loving nature, makes a splendid companion for his human family.

He is also a stubborn dog, liking to go his own way, and therefore will require training and socialization. He is an adaptable little dog too and when you bring him into your home he is willing to adapt to your way of life and become a loyal and loving member of your family.

Your gentle, calm, amicable Petit Gascon-Saintongeois is such an excellent hunting dog, but he doesn’t let that get in the way of him being a wonderful family pet as well.

His friendly, good natured, docile temperament makes this particular breed a superb choice as he gets on so well with children too if they themselves have been taught to be kind to animals and to respect them.

He is intelligent too and easy to train, and he is attractive to look at as a bonus. This all makes him the kind of pet and companion that everyone could benefit from.

With good care, your Andalusian Ratter isn’t likely to get sick, but still, you would be better off knowing about some of the common dog diseases your pet could get.

Legge Perthe’s Disease:

This is usually seen in young dogs where there is lameness in the hind legs and hip pain. It is believed that Legge Perthe’s occurs because of a genetic predisposition, and when it develops, there is sadly no cure.

Skin Infections:

Skin infections may seem fairly mild but nothing can be further from the truth. They can be painful and frustrating. Skin redness, dryness, itchiness and pain can cause your pet to lick and bite and make the situation worse. If your pet is being driven crazy by a skin irritation, get him to the vet who will do a complete physical examination.

Other diseases to be aware of include hip dysplasia, obesity, epilepsy and bloat.

The Petit Gascon-Saintongeois has no documented breed related health problems. As previously mentioned, with his long ears, check out the inside of his ears regularly for ear infections.

Parasites:

Ticks fleas and worms are a curse. Worms particularly are terrible internal parasites and in fact some worms can even be fatal in puppies. Some of the signs your dogs may have worms include weight loss, a dull, dry, thinning coat, no loger interested in food, diarrhea and vomiting. The best way to respond to your pet’s worm issues is to get him to the vet.

Bloat or Swollen Stomach:

This problem is looked upon as a medical emergency. Gastric dilatation and volvulus, if left, can kill your dog. It’s when gas is trapped in the stomach which has twisted, blocking off the stomach’s blood supply.

Deep chested dogs, feeding your dog just one meal a day so that he gobbles it up too quickly, and older, obese dogs are more prone to bloat. Your dog will require immediate veterinary intervention.

This is a fairly low maintenance dog as the short smooth coat will be easy to brush twice a week.

Check him over for unusual lumps, trim his nails and check inside his ears, look into his eyes to ensure they are bright and alert and look inside his mouth to make sure he doesn’t have any rotten teeth.

Have your pet neutered or spayed if you want to avoid puppies. This can be beneficial for your pet’s health too.

Feed your Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz only the best food there is. If you opt for commercially manufactured food, make sure its full of vitamins and minerals. Your little pet will want consistency and simplicity with his food to avoid digestive problems.

Try and provide him with some home-made food which can be added to the dry kibble twice a week as a treat. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots all chopped up ad mixed into the dry kibble will ensure your pet’s health.

Some raw meat added in occasionally will also go towards ensuring his good health.

Always make sure he has access to fresh, cool water.

Provide him with a safe, dry, warm, comfortable place to sleep.

Get him to the vet when you see he is sick.

Ensure he has sun and shade in the garden.

Never ever leave him in a hot car.

The Gascon Saintongeois is looked upon as being a fairly low maintenance breed. That is because the coat is short and smooth, although the coat does become thicker in the Winter time. He sheds so you will want to brush his coat at least twice a week.

With his long floppy ears, during your brushing session, check inside his ears as dampness, wax and debris can become the ideal breeding spot for bacteria, and ear infections can be the result. Check for redness and possible discharge.

Check his eyes that they are clear and bright.

While brushing him, check for any new, unusual lumps.

Keep his nails well trimmed.

Provide him with a nice warm, dry spot to sleep.

When he’s oudoors, make sure that he has both sun and shade and that his waterbowl is always available.

Make sure that at the first signs of illness you get your pet to the vet.

Feed him only the best quality kibble there is. Occasionally give him some home-made food. Keep this food simple and nutritious. You can’t go wrong with boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta, sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach. You can chop this up and add it to his kibble. Sometimes it can benefit your pet to include some raw meat as well.

If only pet owners would realize that their pets don’t want all those spicy, exotic people foods. They just give a dog a stomach ache and eventually shorten his life. Make sure he always has access to a bowl of cool, fresh water.