Griffon Astur Cantabro Dog Breed - Facts and Information

History
The Griffon Astur Cantabro was developed in north-western Spain, mainly in the regions of Cantabria, Asturia and Galicia to help hunters hunt wild boar and other prey in mountainous and rough landscape.
For a long time, the main hunting breed used by hunters all over the Spain was Sabueso Espanol, also known as Spanish Bloodhound, but hunters in Cantabria region needed all-weather and all-season dog breed that will be better suited for their environment.
That is why they crossbred the Sabueso Espanol with various imported, mainly French, hunting dog breeds, such as Griffon Vendéen, Griffon Nivernais, Bleu de Gascogne or with the Jura Hounds. The exact ancestry is unknown, but it is certain that French Griffons and Sabueso Espanol are the main ancestors of the Griffon Astur Cantabro.
The Griffon Astur Cantabro is well known among the spanish hunters since the second half of the 20th century, but it remains virtually unknown outside Spain and it is not recognized by any kennel club around the world.

​Appearance
Big nose, long ears, strong and athletic body. On the first sight, you can see that this is a hunting dog breed. Their average height is between 50-55 cm, which is 19-21 inch. Females are naturally slightly smaller than males.
This dog breed has the typical unkept like coat of a Griffon, which is medium long and hard, thick and shiny. The most common color is a combination of white and orange.
The Griffon Astur Cantabro has strong neck, thick tail that is slightly curved upwards, thin and elastic skin, hazel eyes with intelligent expression, rounded and drooping lips and overall straight profile.

Temperament
The temperament of the Griffon Astur Cantabro is influenced by its utilization as a hunter. They have extremely good sense of smell capable of detecting its prey from long distance, they are pretty fast and endurant, able to hunt all day long in any kind of weather and terrain, they have higher prey drive and they are very passionate about the hunt. They typically hunt wild boar, but they can adapt to other prey as well.
But this is not only a hunter. The Griffon Astur Cantabro is very social animal that has a potential to make wonderful family companion. It is important to say, that it is very active family companion for people who like outdoors. It is quite energetic dog that is always ready for any kind of adventure and you should provide them with daily walks, jogs, hikes, vigorous playtime or fun training sessions, so they can stay healthy and happy.
Overall, the Griffon Astur Cantabro is outgoing and happy dog breed, that is very attached to its family and they thrive for human companionship. They can also live with other dogs or children, but you should always monitor the situation between any dog breed and a very young child. Of course, they might not be good fit for families with other household pets, due to their high prey drive.

Health and grooming
The maintenance and grooming of the Griffon Astur Cantabro is relatively easy. This is a light shedder with minimum grooming needs. You should regularly brush their coat to keep it in best possible condition, no other grooming is required.
There is not much information about the breeds health, but it should be a healthy breed of dog with average lifespan around 12 years. Of course, just like any other dog breed, they can suffer from some health issues, such as hip dysplasia, some eye problems, different allergies and infections or bloating. But none of these ilnesses should be very common in this breed and it should be pretty healthy and hardy dog breed.