Villanuco de Las Encartaciones facts for kids

The Villanuco de Las Encartaciones is a small dog breed from Spain. Its name in the Basque language is Enkarterriko Billanuko, and in the Cantabrian dialect, it's called Villanucu. These dogs are known as ratters, meaning they are good at hunting rats.

This breed comes from a region called Enkarterri (also known as Las Encartaciones) in northern Spain. This area is part of the Basque Autonomous Community. The Villanuco is one of five special dog breeds from the Basque region. The other Basque breeds are the Basque Shepherd Dog, the Erbi Txakur, the Pachón Navarro, and the Villano de Las Encartaciones.

Sadly, the Villanuco de Las Encartaciones is a critically endangered breed. This means there are very few of them left. In 2009, there were fewer than 50 of these dogs in total.

History of the Villanuco Dog

The Villanuco dog breed started in the Enkarterri region of Bizkaia, which is in the Basque Autonomous Community of northern Spain. It is one of five dog breeds that are native to the Basque Country.

The other native Basque dog breeds include:

• The Basque Shepherd Dog, also known as Euskal Artzain Txakurra
• The Erbi Txakur
• The Pachón de Vitoria
• The Villano de Las Encartaciones, or Enkarterriko Billano

Most of these breeds, except for the Pachón de Vitoria, are truly from the Basque Autonomous Community. The government officially recognized them as traditional Basque breeds in 2001. The Villanuco was also part of a plan from 2007 to 2013 to help animal breeds native to the Basque Country.

As mentioned, the Villanuco is in danger of disappearing. In 2009, there were fewer than 50 of these dogs. Almost all of them live in the Enkarterri region. You can find them in towns like Artzentales, Balmaseda, Güeñes, Karrantza, Sopuerta, and Trucios-Turtzioz.

What the Villanuco Looks Like

The Villanuco is one of several dog breeds in Spain that are good at hunting rats. It looks a bit like the Ca Rater Mallorquí from Mallorca and the Gos Rater Valencià. However, the Villanuco looks less like these two breeds than they look like each other.

Here are some facts about their appearance:

• They are small dogs. They usually stand about 30 to 40 centimeters (about 12 to 16 inches) tall at their shoulders.
• Their skin is thin and fits closely to their body.
• Their fur is short, usually less than 1 centimeter (less than half an inch) long.
• Their most common colors are black and white, or black and tan.
• Sometimes, they can be black and cinnamon, white and cinnamon, or even have three colors.
• Their nose is usually black, but it can also be chocolate-colored.
• Their ears usually stand straight up.

What the Villanuco Does

The Villanuco dog was traditionally used for hunting rats. They are also very good watchdogs. This means they are alert and will let their owners know if strangers or intruders are nearby. Because of this, some people keep them as watchdogs or as pets to be part of the family.

See also

In Spanish: Villanuco de Las Encartaciones para niños