The American Allaunt

The Almost Extinct Hunting Breed

Being amongst the rare dog breeds, the American Allaunt is not an officially recognized breed, but it is registered through the American Allaunt Breeders Group. Finding an American Allaunt puppy is not a very easy job, but, with patience, you can get the perfect puppy for you. Their breed origins are lost, since they have been extinct for centuries. Rumors are that their roots are Caucasian or Central Asian.

Initially bred for guarding and hunting, they are also intelligent family dogs.

The American Allaunt imposes and intimidates from the first glance, with its large head that has a slightly arched forehead, its thick neck, broad shoulders and heavily muscled chest. Its jaws are strong, its legs are straight and muscular - these are the characteristics that make its aspect so fierce.

Usually, the male American Allaunt weighs between 110-150 lbs, measuring 27-30 inches in height, while the female is shorter and weighs a little less (90-130 lbs and 24-27 inches). The color varies from dark brown to chestnut, but there are some breeders who obtained white and black spotted varieties. Their life expectancy is supposed to be somewhere around 10 to 12 years.

Their impressive aspect is accentuated by their medium length nose, their powerful jaws, their strong muscular neck and their prominent chest. In spite of their massiveness, they are strong and agile, reaching very high speeds and having a great capacity of changing the running direction in a short time.

As guardian dogs, they are very vigilant and resistant to all weather conditions, their inherited capacities allowing them to live comfortably outside during winter time, as long as they have a proper dog house, and also in the summer, as long as they have plenty of fresh water and some shade. Their fur is short, wired and slightly rough, and needs to be brushed or combed from time to time, but it is advisable to use shampoo only when it is necessary, because of their predisposition to dry skin.

Concerning their predisposition to illnesses, this dog can suffer from the usual afflictions that large dogs are prone to, like hip dysplasia; that is why a strenuous effort is not recommended before the adult age. However, this breed needs a lot of exercise; the dogs should be taken on long, daily walks in order to keep them in shape and help them release their energy. While out, they must be forced to walk behind the owner in order to make them understand that the leader of the pack is the human.

The relationship of these dogs with their breeders can differ, depending on the breeders' talent to educate such an intelligent dog. Initially bred for hunting, its guardian abilities have also made him an excellent guard dog, and its agility and inexhaustible energy makes him a good companion for children. However, small children must be protected from the representatives of this breed. Moreover, for the American Allaunts, living with other dogs or pets is possible only if they were socialized from an early age.

The American Allaunt remains a powerful, intelligent family dog but, unfortunately, it is a rare hunter breed that is almost extinct.

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