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The history on this canine goes back to early Rome, when they conquered the Iberian Peninsula. Experts have reported that during the growth of the Roman Empire the ancestors of the Italian Bergamasco were crossed with the local breeds. The terrain was very mountainous, diversified climate required extremely demanding work of the dogs, the result was the inauguration of this distinctive breed that abound a large part of Europe and are part of the heritage of the Gos d'Atura Catala. Other famous breeds this includes are the Ca de Serra d'Aires from Portuagal, the Petit Berger from the Pyrenees, the Briad from France, the Nizzins from Poland, the Bearded Collie and the Old English Sheepdog from Great Britain. The Gos d' Atura Catala was prolific and robust for centuries and is commonly seen today as an accomplished, very effective laborious herder, prized guardian of livestock in Catalonia and the Pyrenean Valley regions, pining for attention outside the confines of it's native Spain. Recent studies confirm there are less than 200 Spanish bred Catalonian sheepdogs in the United States of America. During the beginning of the 20th century, the first movement to set the standard for the breed was made. In 1914, the Spanish Book of Origins listed a dog named 'Piar', having similar features of the dog now known as the Gos d'Atura Catala. Another dog known as 'Milan' was shown in 1923 at the International Exhibition of Canines, in Barcelona... he was the precursor to the Gos, by 1926 given the breed name Gos d'Atura. There were two exceptional dogs of the breed, named Tac and Iris; These dogs were recognized by the International Canological Federation, at the Canine Exhibition of Barcelona, in June 1929 and given the number 87. After WWII this breed almost disappeared as the need to secure livable wages forced people to leave their farms and move to the cities. Large production farms replaced the small farms and the there was little need for shepherds. The Gos d'Atura breed as a guard and stock dog was not in strong demand, so by the late 50's-60's many dogs were destroyed. The breeding was dwindling and by 1970 a group of four men and women collaborated their efforts to go out into the fields and purchase some of the most prestigious dogs to follow the breed standard bloodlines and bred the Gos d' Atura for ability, not physical looks. Qualities of health, endurance, loyalty, strength and most importantly, herding instincts were valued and sought out. This dedicated group began the breed recovery process and kept true to the inherited genetics seen in the modern pedigree today. The Gos d' Atura is one of the few breeds that have remained faithful to its origins and are not bred for physical appearance alone. Because of this true form to function breeding, a Catalan from the beginning of the 20th Century could be shown at a present day Dog Show and would look the same as those born today. |
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