Magellan sheep dog

Ovejero magallánico

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Other names	Magellan sheep dog
Origin	Chile
Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris)

The Magellan sheep dog (Ovejero magallánico) is a breed of dog originated in Chile. It was developed to work in sheep activity of the Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena Region in southern end of Chile. Currently, the Kennel Club of Chile (KCC) works with the object that the breed be internationally recognized.

Origin

The story of the Ovejero magallánico data from the late 19th century, when reached to the area groups of people linked to the management of sheep needed of the help and support of specialists dogs. With the passing of the years, these imported dogs, which were probably not of a same type, were crossed with a criterion purely utilitarian, i.e. were selected specimens capable to develop work of grazing, resistant to harsh climatic conditions of the Chilean Patagonia.

It is possible that within the dogs who contributed its genetic inheritance to give rise to Ovejero magallánico, plus shepherd dogs, were the Yaghan dog or Fueguan dog which probably descends from maned wolf, a kind of South American fox-, ancient dog breed that existed before colonization and who accompanied the selknam and yaghans; It became extinct in the early 20th century.

Features

An inborn instinct for herding sheep, intelligence, submissive and faithful character, and above all foolproof a resistance to extreme cold, snow and long distances to travel, are part of the peculiarities of Ovejero magallánico.

Among other things, it is one of the few sheepdogs in the world to keep up with carriers on horseback, by more than 30 km. daily, and caring pines of five thousand sheep only between five companions. In the middle of the southern tundra, used to eating every three days and almost no drinking water while working, for never detach of the flock, which does not happen with other breeds introduced in recent years, as the Scottish Border Collie, or the Australian Kelpie.

Little known in Chile, the Ovejero magallánico has been in the past 100 years the main tool for farmers in Patagonia, immortalized in the Monumento al Ovejero in Punta Arenas.

Of medium height, about 50 centimeters in height, long hair, square muzzle, and pointed ears, a thick fur able to repel the snow. Although its origins date back to European herding dogs who arrived with the first flock to the area, it was its power of adaptation to an extreme environment which generated a new phenotype for the Kennel Club represent a national heritage. The danger that the genetics of this landbreed miss is latent, for the uncontrolled crossing.

To certify, experts it censused to record its lineage and phenotype based on DNA and other measurements, and thus present the "standard" of the race, which is the description of its physical traits, character and functionality.

To be recognized, this would be the second breed nationally certified. The Chilean terrier already have that status and expects the international certification.

According to Eduardo Montoya, of the Commission of Emerging Races of Kennel Club of Chile, the genetics identification and with microchip of at least six inbred families and statistical information gathered in the field are the requirements for "FCI can certify this race as endemic, typical of Chile, and in a second process, as breed internationally recognized to participate in exhibitions".

For Werner Kirschbaum, former Argentine judge for 50 years of the FCI, breeder and specialist in 20 breeds "Ovejero magallánico (Magellanic sheep dog) is a big dog, made by the environment. It is what counts, would be a shame for Chile to get lost".