Fox Paulistinha Terrier Brasileiro, Brazilian Terrier - Resembling
Jack Russell Terriers
The history of the Fox Paulistinha, Terrier Brasileiro or Brazilian
Terrier is only 100 years old. Its roots can also be found in
Europe, but this time it wasn’t the immigrants who took their
dogs to Brazil. Roots in Europe; It happened more or less the
other way round, because the ancestors of this Terrier were taken
back home by Brazilian students who studied at universities in
Europe, mostly in England and France.
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These Terriers resembling Jack Russell Terriers
mixed with local dogs in the Brazilian countryside. With urbanisation,
families and their terriers moved to the cities. After all, these
little dogs were far more suitable for an urban life than the
big Bulldogs and Filas. Is this story true? Well, maybe this
happened occasionally. We know for sure that the Terrier Brasileiro
developed thanks to the Terriers that arrived in Brazil in the
19th century. It is said that in the early years, small Pinschers
and big Chihuahuas were involved as well.
The Junqueira family in Brazil has been of great importance in
the development of this breed.
A fine companion dog
From the beginning, the Fox Paulistinha, which is the original
name, has been used for hunting, especially small vermin. They
work alone as well as in packs. When working they usually surround
the catch and chase it until the animal is exhausted. Other than
that, the Brazilian Terrier is a fine companion dog that needs
sufficient exercise. They love obedience and agility and are
no longer rare in the Brazilian show ring.
The first breed standard was published in 1964 and there were
some attempts to get official recognition. In 1973, however,
the issue of pedigrees was postponed by the CBKC. In 1981, some
breeders who were dissatisfied with the situation, founded the
‘Clube do Fox Paulistinha’. They had met via publications in
newspapers and were operating outside the dog-breeding world,
but at the same time they kept a stud book. In 1985, the CBKC
continued the official registration and in 1992 the breed club
and CBKC were reconciled.
In 1994, the breed was recognized temporarily. For full recognition,
a population of about 700 homogeneous animals and a sufficient
gene pool are required. In 2007, the breed was recognized by
the FCI; the valid breed standard dates from June, 6th, 2007.
Spirited, active, alert, friendly
At first sight, this Terrier resembles a too-big Jack Russell
Terrier; he is high on legs, has a narrow chest, and is light-boned.
The difference between the Brazilian Terrier and the rectangular
Fox Terrier is obvious: the body of the Brazilian Terrier has
clearly defined curved lines. The coat is short, thin and smooth,
preferably white with black, blue or brown markings. His temperament
is that of a real Terrier: spirited, alert, active, friendly,
but a little suspicious of strangers.
The breed is also known in Europe; there are some breeders in
Germany and Scandinavia. Generally, the Brazilian Terrier has
more hunting instinct than the average terrier. Height at the
withers is 35 to 40 centimetres (14 to 16 inches) for males and
33 to 38 centimetres (13 to 15 inches) for females. The maximum
weight is 10 kilograms.
Ovelheiro Gaúcho
There is a strong influence of the Border Collie. The name of
this breed means ‘shepherd of the cowherd’.
From the second half of the 17th century, herdsmen were working
on the vast pampas in Brazil and, of course, they needed a shepherd
dog. Not only the herdsmen in the Rio Grande do Sul needed such
a dog, but also the immigrants, mostly farmers, who came to Brazil
at the end of the 19th century.
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They often took their own shepherd dogs to the new land - Collie
types that mixed with the local shepherd dogs.
Around 1950, large flocks of Merino sheep were imported from
Australia and with the flocks came the Border Collies. So the
ancestors of the Ovelheiro Gaúcho are more or less easy to trace:
local shepherd dogs, European Collies and Border Collies.
The strong influence of the Border Collie can still be seen today:
the first impression is of a Border Collie, although bigger,
heavier and stronger.
Just like the Bulldogue Campeiro, the new breed has been adapted
to the requirements of the job. With so many cattle and sheep
in a vast area, the dogs need to be bigger and stronger than
the Border Collie. When looking for information about this breed,
I read several times that the Ovelheiro Gaúcho has been “of great
economic importance” to the country.
Extremely intelligent
When writing about this breed, two names have to be mentioned:
Maria Ignez Carvalho Ferreira, a breeder of Ovelheiros in the
south of Brazil, whose dogs are still used as working dogs; and
Milton José Rodrigues de Almeida Filho. Thanks to him, the breed
could be entered in the stud book of the CBKC in 2000, the same
year in which the breed standard was approved.
The Ovelheiro Gaú-cho is a sturdy dog with strong jaws, which
is necessary when working with not only sheep, but cattle. Like
the Border Collie, the Ovelheiro is extremely intelligent, easy
to train, loyal to its owner and has a great will to please.
Another inheritance of the Border Collie is that they sometimes
move in a crouched position. This should not be confused with
cringing behavior. It means that the dog sinks down on itself.
The Ovelheiro is versatile and its movement is that of a locomotive.
Agility is its favorite sport. Notable is the high-set tail,
which is carried above the back when the dog is working. The
coat is abundant and all colors are permitted. Height at the
withers: 55 to 65 centimetres (21.5 to 25.5 inches) for both
males and females.
Veadeiro Brasileiro
A true native Brazilian breed?
This breed is recommended as a ‘ção de companhia’ - a companion
dog. In early times, it was called the Veadeiro Pampeiro, obviously
a reference to the area where the breed was developed, the vast
pampas of Brazil.
I’m not entirely sure about the meaning of the name; it could
be ‘deer hound from the pampas’. The Veadeiro has been used for
hunting, especially small game; great stamina and remarkable
speed are two of its qualities.
There are several theories about the early history of this breed.
The first is that the Veadeiro is a descendent of primitive dogs,
living in groups, brought to Brazil by immigrants from the Iberian
Peninsula. The Podenco Ibicenco might be one of its ancestors.
Although the head resembles that of the Podenco, the Veadeiro
is sturdier and heavier. In the mid-western part of Brazil, the
Veadeiro sometimes has pricked ears; in the south, one can find
specimens with half- pricked ears, a kind of small, pointed rose
ear.
The second theory is that the Veadeiro is a true native Brazilian
breed. I think this is debatable because this type of dog does
not exist anywhere else in Latin America or in other areas in
Brazil. Its origin will probably remain obscure.
Microchipped
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The breed was developed in the 19th century and around 1950 its
characteristics were put down in a breed standard. Registration
was begun and dogs that fulfilled the standard were microchipped.
That could be the perfect way to create sufficient lines out
of many different types so that the breed can develop in the
right direction.
In 2001, owners and fanciers of the Veadeiro made an inventory
of the breed, not only names and numbers, but also pedigrees
and photos.
This breed has to be protected on a national level. Recent information
(from 2004) shows 300 registered dogs and 15 bloodlines.
Jack-of-all-trades
While it’s not difficult to find the ancestors of Brazilian breeds
by looking at their external features, in the case of the Veadeiro
it’s not as simple as that; however, one can clearly see the
sighthound characteristics. The Veadeiro is certainly the friendliest
of all Brazilian native dogs; the Kennel Club describes its temperament
as “Agressividade baixa”, which more or less means ‘soft temperament’.
When hunting, the Veadeiro works alone or in a pack. This dog
is really a jack-of-all-trades - apart from being a gun dog,
the Veadeiro has a talent for flock-guarding and is a respected
tracker dog with the Brazilian police.
The coat is short, dense and rough, and the colour varies from
white to yellow. I have not succeeded in finding sizes, but the
Kennel Club says “medium”.
A breeder/exhibitor/judge and retired bookseller
and publisher, Ria Hörter is a contributing editor of “Onze Hond”,
leading dog magazine in The Netherlands. She also writes for
“The Canine Chronicle”, “Dogs in Canada”, for the Dutch Kennel
Club and the Dutch hunting magazine “De Nederlandse Jager”. She
is the president of the Welsh Springer Spaniel Spaniel Club Netherlands,
Editor of the Club’s magazine and the Secretary of the Breed
Group of Gundog Breeds in The Netherlands. She is a member of
the World Dog Press Association and was a finalist the 2005 Annual
Writing Competition of the Dog Writers Association of America.
