A Day In History

The Bizarre History Of The Man-Eating Spanish War Dogs (2022x41)

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The Colonial Period had many highs and lows. Spain was among the main players in the colonization of the west, and collected its share of the riches there for the taking. Queen Isabela of Castille, co-ruler of Spain with King Ferdinand II of Aragón, funded the expedition of Cristopher Columbus which landed on an island in the Bahamas in 1492. From the first the exploration of the New World was motivated by the desire for gold, glory, and God. The Spanish brought with them the tools of war, among them dogs trained to be vicious in battle. War dogs, known in Europe for hundreds of years, and bred to maximize their usefulness. One famous breed, the Greyhound, was said to have been bred for quick strikes in battle. The most fearful dog the Spanish used was the Spanish Mastiff. With a weight up to 250 pounds and standing 3 feet tall these dogs were terrors on the fields of war.