La Monteria Infernal - The Infernal Chase continued

The lebrels were the crossbred alaunt ventures used for hunting and running down Indians and eventually slaves, the mastin or alano was used for guarding and defending settlements and livestock, especially cattle.

"For the purpose of hunting, the Spaniards introduced pureblood greyhounds, beagles, retrievers, setters, pointers, spaniels, and whippets. The mastiff...was the last dog to be introduced...and he claims it was used primarily as a watchdog...Mastiffs, Garcilaso explains, were greatly esteemed by owners of domestic cattle...these men, as a matter of pride, wished their herds to resemble those of their homeland." (Spain) Varner Dogs of the Conquest

The hunting dogs mentioned above are all of the 'Ventre/lebrel" type and NOT of the alaunt or mastiff (mastin). These ventre or lebrel type would be crossbred into more sagacious and vicious hunting dogs. The breeding of a calm, fearless, powerful protector of livestock and children required and still does require much more careful breeding and selection, thus the purity of this type.

"...the most significant were the lebrel, mastin, alano, and sabueso and crosses involving them that ultimately became known as the Cuban Bloodhound, a fearsome, long-legged dog with size, endurance, strength, and a mastiff's crushing jaws, used to track down and kill slaves."A Dogs History in America The Cuban Bloodhound is a classic example of the Ventre, a crossbred dog of varying types to combine the attributes of those varying types produce a more effective chase dog (perro de presa), whether for hunting game, Indians or slaves. http://bttbab.com/cuban_bloodhound.htm

"Davey Crockett was a market and subsistence hunter, and his dogs common curs-""In 1834...Chapman...asked him(Crockett) to pose with Chapman's own pedigreed spaniels. Refusing the spaniels, Crockett pulled 3 curs off the streets of Washington, saying they more closely resembled his own bear dogs." A Dogs History in America

"It is extremely unwise to group types of dog together merely because of a breed title bestowed by a kennel club without any real research and without a legitimate reason. THE MASTIFFS THE BIG GAME HUNTERS, David Hancock

"Spain, in the Middle Ages, produced the best alauntes...The perro de presa (literally seizing dog) and perro de ayuda (literally aid or protection dog) were used ruthlessly by the advancing colonists, with perhaps around half a million natives being killed by such dogs." THE MASTIFFS....Hancock

"In the 16th and 17th centuries they were used as cattle dogs, guard dogs and by butchers. The Canaries became an important staging post for ships en route for the Americas, with Alanos and hunting dogs from Spain on board and taken ashore." THE MASTIFFS...Hancock

"So, the original war dog was turned into the essential, brave Hunting Dog.In Germanic law from the fifth and seventh centuries A.D., these Hunting Dogs were recorded in writing for the first time. The law even distinguished between Bear Catchers, Boar Dogs, and Bull Biters." FIGHTING DOG BREEDS, Dr Dieter Fleig

"This need was met by the Alano/Perro de Pressa dogs taken to Argentina by settlers. Later, the Perro de Pelea Cordobes, or Cordoba Fighting Dog, mainly white and renowned for its ferocity became a component in the local 'boar-lurchers." THE MASTIFFS...Hancock

Interesting, this need was met recently in American history with the Scott type AB, Old Southern Catch Dog, Old Southern White, Old Southern Bulldog, Old Time Southern Bulldog, and various other blends - all of which used a base of the original farm type cattle/guardian dog. These modern 'boar-lurchers' are very impressive in their function as "Holding Dogs," but they are not battle dogs, combat dogs, fighting dogs, nor cattle/guardian dogs. They are not what we call Bulldogs.