Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz vs Beaglier - Breed Comparison

Long ago the English visited Spain to sample their wines, bringing with them smooth coated English Fox Terriers which were later crossed with other dog breeds of the area.

It is believed that the Andalusia Ratter’s ancestors were smooth coated fox terriers. The Club Nacional del Perro Andaluz Ratonero Bodeguero was established and in 1993 a standard for the breed was set.

It is only fairly recently that the breed was recognized by the Royal Canine Society of Spain but it isn’t recognized by any of the major kennel clubs.

The Beaglier beginnings are set in Australia. Before around 30 years, breeders cross-breed the Beagle and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The result actually turned out great – new we have a small sized breed with a wonderful, soft coat, very likeable looks, the calm and gentle dog which is very active despite his relaxed nature. They can be found around the globe nowadays and they are very popular because of their sweet nature.

Also known as the Spanish Jack Russell, the Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz looks very similar to this popular Jack Russell Terrier.

He is a small to medium sized dog with a lean, muscular body. The Ratonero developed in the south of Spain and is thought to be a mix of local ratting dogs and Fox Terriers. This ensured a quick, agile hunter.

The dog stands at between 35 – 43cm in height and weighs 6 - 9kg. The dog’s head is fairly small with dark brown eyes and half erect-half floppy ears. The coat is mainly white with some freckling. It is short and smooth with shades of black and tan covering the facial area. Some of these dogs are born with a natural bob-tail.

Temperament:

These dogs are known to have robust, hearty, happy personalities, full of the joys of living. They get on well with children as well as other pets if they have grown up with them.

Introductions should be slow if one of these dogs are brought into a home where there are already other pets. He is a very active breed and will be requiring plenty of mental stimulation and physical exercise.

They can provide quite a bit of entertainment for their human families as they can become quite clownish. They’re the kind of dogs that can adapt to life in the countryside or the city.

This small dog breed, called Beaglier and Beagler, has the look of his parents. Sometimes, they look more like the Spaniel, and sometimes they look more like the Beagle. This actually means that they are usually small, but can be, in some cases, even medium sized dog. They are usually tricoloured and in most cases, they have dark brown and cream hairs with white markings. They have longer ears, sometimes with more hairs if they look more like the Spaniel. They have large, dark brown eyes and usually dark nose. This breed is very loving and affectionate. They have a high need for a daily activity and they are the best choice for families with children.

Your Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz to this day is a ratter, always alert and ready to spring on prey. He is always lively and friendly, and with his loving nature, makes a splendid companion for his human family.

He is also a stubborn dog, liking to go his own way, and therefore will require training and socialization. He is an adaptable little dog too and when you bring him into your home he is willing to adapt to your way of life and become a loyal and loving member of your family.

Children friendliness

If you decide to bring a Beaglier to your family, it will be the best that you wait for your children to grow up a little bit. They are great to play buddy, but they get carried with the game and they can be very careless during the play. They fit perfectly with the children above the age of 5. They will run, jump, and do whatever your kid is about to do. They are friendly towards children they don’t know but they don’t do well with other animals they don’t know.

Special talents

watchdog

Adaptability

One the main reasons why Beagliers are so much popular lay in their adaptability to any living conditions. They will fit in instantly in a family with children, but they will be happy as well if they live with just one person or even seniors. They can live indoors, houses and apartments without the yard. The Beaglier will enjoy the city parks, dog parks, beach, walking down the crowded streets. This breed is a not a quiet one – they will bark every time they notice something just to let you know. But, they are not aggressive type and they usually bark to communicate with people.

Trainability

Usually, they are trained very easy. They have a stubborn nature, and if you learn how to get over with this temperament, you will be able to train and raise the sweetest dog ever. They should be trained and socialized while they are still puppies. Since they like too much, the best advice is to use treats to teach them everything that they will need to know. But, be careful with the feeding after the treats – Beagliers get easily obese if they are overfed.

With good care, your Andalusian Ratter isn’t likely to get sick, but still, you would be better off knowing about some of the common dog diseases your pet could get.

Legge Perthe’s Disease:

This is usually seen in young dogs where there is lameness in the hind legs and hip pain. It is believed that Legge Perthe’s occurs because of a genetic predisposition, and when it develops, there is sadly no cure.

Skin Infections:

Skin infections may seem fairly mild but nothing can be further from the truth. They can be painful and frustrating. Skin redness, dryness, itchiness and pain can cause your pet to lick and bite and make the situation worse. If your pet is being driven crazy by a skin irritation, get him to the vet who will do a complete physical examination.

Other diseases to be aware of include hip dysplasia, obesity, epilepsy and bloat.

Ear Diseases

The Beaglier flap ears can be a very great place for the fungi, bacteria and dirt. You will have to clean their ears with an ear cleaning solution and a soft tissue once a week, especially if your pet is playing outside.

Eye diseases

Cherry eye: Starts as redness in the corner of the eye. Happens when the third eyelid gland slips out of its place and show up as a red blob in the corner of the eye. Sometimes, the gland gets back to its original place in a couple of days, but it will be the best if you can take your dog to the vet as soon as you notice any readiness in his eyes.

Glaucoma: Happens because of the high eye pressure. This affects the normal outflow of the eye fluids and can cause blindness if not treated. It is the best to for your beagle to regular eye checks since this condition is not easy to diagnose in the begging.

This is a fairly low maintenance dog as the short smooth coat will be easy to brush twice a week.

Check him over for unusual lumps, trim his nails and check inside his ears, look into his eyes to ensure they are bright and alert and look inside his mouth to make sure he doesn’t have any rotten teeth.

Have your pet neutered or spayed if you want to avoid puppies. This can be beneficial for your pet’s health too.

Feed your Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz only the best food there is. If you opt for commercially manufactured food, make sure its full of vitamins and minerals. Your little pet will want consistency and simplicity with his food to avoid digestive problems.

Try and provide him with some home-made food which can be added to the dry kibble twice a week as a treat. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots all chopped up ad mixed into the dry kibble will ensure your pet’s health.

Some raw meat added in occasionally will also go towards ensuring his good health.

Always make sure he has access to fresh, cool water.

Provide him with a safe, dry, warm, comfortable place to sleep.

Get him to the vet when you see he is sick.

Ensure he has sun and shade in the garden.

Never ever leave him in a hot car.

Diet tips

If you are not sure about the dog food you should give to your Beaglier considering the living environment and the lifestyle, it is always the best option to listen to the vet’s advice. They are prone to the obesity so you should keep a schedule that won’t be changed much. Feed them every day at the same time, no more than two meals per day once they get older than 6 months.

Points for Good Health

If you want your Beaglier to be happy, make sure you groom him daily. You will need about 5 minutes per day to brush him and keep him out of the tangles. Bathe then once in a month, that will be enough. Clip their nails regularly. Keep their ears cleaned.

They need a daily activity or they will get destructive. Be careful with the feeding since they get obese very quickly.

Games and Exercises

Since they are natural hunters, they will like to play chase. You can take them to the woods for a walk or for a run but make sure you train them to respond to your commands before you take them off the leash. They are very curious and they will easily wander off. They can be taught to play inside the house as well. They love to explore new areas so it will be great if you can take them with you for a holiday.