Pampas

The Pampas Deerhound, or Veadeiro Pampeano, is a Brazilian hunting dog that is also found in Argentina and Uruguay. It earned its name tracking and catching pampas deer, and hunters still favor it for other game such as wild boar. Despite the similar name, it comes from a different line than Brazil’s National Deerhound.

History

The dog was first known as the Veadeiro, Cervero or Bianchini. Its type stayed stable for a long time because hunters bred closely from dogs that hunted well.

Where it came from is unclear. One theory holds that it descends from primitive dogs such as Podengos, brought to South America in colonial times, taken toward the Argentine border by hunters and used for subsistence hunting until a new line emerged. A second theory holds that it is native to South America. The name Pampas was adopted because the dog was thought to be limited to the pampas of the three countries, but it was later recorded across other parts of Brazil, especially the south and central-west.

The Brazilian Confederation of Cynophilia recognised the breed in 2000, largely through the work of Carlos Lafaiete Seibert Bacelar. No Uruguayan or Argentine kennel club recognises it. Brazilian breeders are seeking FCI recognition, and dogs that match the standard are being microchipped to help build unrelated bloodlines.

Appearance

This is a medium-sized, long-legged dog, slender without looking thin and built for speed. The muzzle is as long as the skull, and the nose may be black, brown or liver. The ears are pointed and folded back as rose ears, standing up when the dog is alert. The eyes are greenish or hazel. The tail is carried low and reaches no further than the hocks.

The coat is a single layer of short, straight, dense, rough hair with no undercoat, and it has no odor. It ranges from leonine fawn to light fawn and white, the last two being the most common. Dogs may be solid colored or white with marks.

Temperament

In the field the Pampas Deerhound is a tireless pursuer with an excellent nose. It can follow a trail for as long as two days, then bring the quarry down or hold it at bay until the hunter arrives. It gives a different cry when it finds the trail, loses it or closes on the game. It hunts alone, in pairs, in packs or beside its owner.

At home it is quiet, docile and patient with children. It is strongly attached to its owners and barks to warn of strangers. Some dogs have also been used to herd sheep and cattle.

Facts on this page were checked against Wikipedia and may have changed since.