Rastreador Brasileiro

Rastreador Brasileiro
Brazilian Tracker
Other names Urrador
Urrador American
Origin Brazil
Notes An extinct breed being reconstructed.
Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris)

The Rastreador Brasileiro (in English, Brazilian Tracker) is a large breed of dog from Brazil, first recognised by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in 1967, but an outbreak of disease, compounded by an overdose of insecticide, wiped out the breed's entire breeding stock. The FCI and the Brazilian Kennel Club (Confederação Brasileira de Cinofilia) then declared the breed extinct in 1973 and delisted it.[1] Since then, efforts have been made to re-create the breed. The Rastreador Brasileiro is a hunting dog of the scenthound type. The breed is also known by the names Urrador (for its hunting cry) or Urrador Americano, in reference to the American (U.S.) coonhounds in its background.[1]

Appearance

A breed standard from 1970 shows the size as being 62 to 67 cm (24.4 to 26.4 ins) at the withers, and the general appearance as being generally similar to an American coonhound.[2]

Re-creation

There have been ongoing attempts to recreate the breed from a mix of American Foxhound, Black And Tan Coonhound, Petit Bleu de Gascogne, English Foxhound, and American Bluetick Coonhound. The Grupo de Apoio ao Resgate do Rastreador Brasileiro in Brazil, a club dedicated to the Brazilian restoration of the breed, lists as an objective the finding of forty breeding animals of the correct type that can be certified as members of the breed, so as to eventually be once again recognised by the Brazilian Kennel Club.[3]

Restoration of the breed is difficult due to the existence of very few dogs of the correct type and the lack of people interested in recovering the true Brazilian cultural and genetic heritage of the breed.[4] Nonetheless, the breed is listed by various minor kennel clubs and dog organisations in North America, for promotion as a rare breed for those looking for an unusual pet.

Health and temperament

As this is a breed in the process of being reconstructed, there is no data on specific diseases or claims of extraordinary health. The Rastreador Brasileiro is a hunting dog, not a type of dog traditionally kept as a pet. Not recommended for homes with small children or frail elderly, and the very similar coonhounds "are famous for chewing through drywall, ripping the stuffing out of sofas, and turning your yard into a moonscape of giant craters" and with strong instincts to "chase and seize cats and other fleeing creatures."

See also

References

  1. 1 2 History of the breed (in Portuguese)
  2. ↑ Breed Standard (Padrão)
  3. ↑ Objectives
  4. ↑ Dogs & Cia Magazine, No 235 - December 1998 / No 267 - August 2001 / No 293 - October 2003 quoted online here
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