Ca Mè Mallorquí
The Ca Mè Mallorquí is a breed of dog originating in Majorca, Balearic Islands,, and historically it has been used as a pointing dog.
History
Origin
It seems, and at this point, all authors agree that the Ca Mè comes from a racial group from the Kingdom of Navarre that swept the rest of the Iberian Peninsula and the Islands, receiving in each location different influences to accommodate its skills to the needs of hunting in each region. In this case, it appears that received some influence of the Ca Eivissenc, to give to it more agility and lightness, which eventually gave the current morph.The Ca Mè is part of an ancient racial breed, with presence in the hunting of Majorca in the 13th century. It belongs to a trunk of dog breeds pointing dogs, very old and appreciated. Of this trunk have been derived modern breeds, that which as in the case of the Pointer, same have shifted its ancestors.
These are some Spanish breeds of this trunk – pachón navarro, Perdigueiro Galego, Burgalese Pointer, Gorques d’Alacant – which have been very sensitive to the number of animals; some are now close to extinction.
It is one of the breeds from Balearic Islands most used by the hunters of the islands, and that after having gone through a long period of loss of genetic identity by continued crossings with foreign breeds, has begun its recovery with clear criteria both in terms morphology as to how to hunt feature of the Ca Mè Mallorquí.
As often happens with breeds of dogs, there is abundant historical literature on Ca Mè Mallorquí that mentions, from the 14th century to today, features and benefits of this breed and the widespread and appreciation that it had in the Balearic Islands.
Association breed
In the year 2002 is officially recognized the "Club del Ca mè mallorquí", "Associació de caçadors i criadors del ca mè mallorquí" as Breeders association of purebred dogs, pursuant to Real Decreto 558/2001, of 25 May, published in the BOIB, according to Resolution no. 23994 of the Conseller d’Agricultura i pesca del Govern de las Illes Balears, of November 21, 2002.Also is created The Herd Book and is regulated the operation; Management is entrusted to "l’Associació del Ca mè mallorquí” as Order no. 26152 of the Conseller d’Agricultura i pesca, of 18 December 2002.
In the 2004 the breed was officially recognized by the Ministerio de Agricultura according to order APA 807/2004, BOE. 77 of March 30, 2004.
Characteristics
General Appearance
Overall description
The Ca Mè Mallorquí is not very large, it has a medium size, slightly below the eumetric of the species. It is simple, sober and rustic stamp, which simultaneously transmits strength. At first glance it found outstanding features in its morphology, but its morphology form a harmonious whole.The height at withers in females is between 45 and 55 cm. and males 50 to 60 cm. The ratio of height at withers to body length is almost square in males, i.e. the length and height of the body are almost equal. Females are longer than high, forming a rectangle. Males are always more voluminous than females, with a clear sexual dimorphism.
Temperament
Ca Mè is noble, docile, obedient, loving temperament, nothing violent, no lymphatic, and surprised by its strength in hunting, which is its core competency.Utility
It has a very slow hunting system, hunt with the nose at halfway up, near its master and is very suitable for thick and wavy terrain.Head
The head is not very large in relation to the body, the cranial cavity is wide and contains a large brain mass that provides good intelligence. The skull square has equal width and length. The nose is a little shorter than the skull. The upper lines of the skull and face are straight profile or slightly pumped. These craniofacial axes are parallel or slightly converging with each other. Frontonasal depression or gap between the two profiles is accused. The skull has a bulge in the neck, called "peak" or "occipital button". From there part a groove towards the face, going through the midst of the eyes.Orbital arches are notorious, the masseter muscles are heavy and bulky. These contribute to the width of the head and reflect the power and strength of the bite to the cover.
The dental setting of the upper and lower jaws is scissors. This means that the upper incisors close just ahead the bottom.
The upper lips are falling position and are thick, but without printing or looseness or drooling. The nose and lower lips are tight and are not as they fall below the upper lips.
The nose is broad, thick, and the color is consistent with hair. The eyes are not very large, triangular, and its color varies between dark and light honey, depending on the color of the dog. It has well clinging eyelids.
The ear of the Ca Mè is a distinctive characteristic of the breed, is of medium size. The insertion of the ear in the skull is high, wide and ought to be up front. Falls to the side of the face, without any fold, the bottom is round and the animal moves carefully, in perpendicular position to the face.
Neck
The neck is short, with upper profile straight or slightly curved.It is thick and prone to horizontal. Some exemplars have underdeveloped single or double chin.
Body
The chest is broad, very deep and slightly arched ribs, giving it great strength in the task of hunting. The belly is full, without looking heavy.The lumbar back line is horizontal. The sloping rump, about 45 degrees, dry of meat.
Tail
The tail is relatively short, thick birth, slim in length.Fall, never exceeds the tendon. of low birth. It is very mobile and expressive.
Extremities
Thick, well muscled limbs. Forelegs are wide apart from each other by a protruding chest.The back is oblique, with severe scapulohumeral angle, like it should be a trotting dog
Hindlimbs have a little accused tibiofemoral angle, with flat tibia.
The feet are short, broad and oval, with strong nails and fingers apart.
Skin
The skin is thick and slightly detached from the body. Has not folds except in the chin.Coat
The coat is short, smooth, thick, very dense, and reaches the stomach.Hair Color
Its color is varied: Black; White and black speckled and spotted; Brown; White and brown speckled and spotted; White and orange, stained and mottled; Lemon and white, spotted, and mottled; and Tricolor.Functionality
As hunting dogs
Ca Mè Mallorquí is a hunting dog, an auxiliary of the hunter. And in the ways that hunting with dogs, the Ca Mè is a pointer. Throughout the ages and even now, these dogs used for this style of game have received different names, all indicating the same kind of work, so it can see references in ancient and modern pointing dogs, perros de punta, ventadores dogs, perdigueros, retrievers, pointers...Currently the hunter almost exclusively used firearms, but has not always been so, and Ca Mè as helped the Mallorcan hunters, when they went hunting with nets, springs or hawks.
The main work done Ca Mè like pointing dog and assistant of he hunter are locating hunting pieces, show them to the hunter, lifting to the hunter, to rise them throw up, and once blasted carry them to the hunter.
But this way of working for the hunter can be done in several ways, faster or slower, closer or further away from the hunter, more local or more extensive field.
This does not mean that one is good and one bad. What happens is that there are many types of terrain, different species of hunting, hunting different densities, different ages of the hunter, hunt different claims, different possibilities for hunters.
Hence, there are different breeds of pointing dogs, and all serve for hunting, a better adapted than others to the above-mentioned conditions.
Ca Mè, as a pointing dog, is well suited to some of the above conditions, and in change at others do not, as any breed.
The way to hunt of Ca Mè is rather slow, with the trotter as main job. Covers lot of land, but not by extension but whet ties and inspect everything. It is not away from the hunter, looking near to him, and furthermore it is always aware of the instructions it can give. If it do not receive orders, the dog turns to asking. Wants to be guided, it wants to be synchronized with the hunter.
In hunting the dog has to halfway up the nose, its is a characteristic of Ca Mè, unlike other modern breeds vented for above. This way of hunting was described in the 19th century, comparing it with the way the lambs will graze.
Also highlighted in the Ca Mè, its precocious fond of hunting, if it is well oriented, makes since young can already do a good service.
All this makes the Ca Mè is a good pointing dog, for a particular type of hunter, who wants to make a slow game, or the walk of the hunter is not agile. This slowness, its perseverance in the field, order in the driven hunts, and nose at halfway up, make it perfect and provides acceptable performance in areas of thick, hard vegetation, and little game.