it wasent my intent to start an uproar
and gonzalo, the alano is a mastiff, albeit smaller than the mastin espanol.
it seems both the alano and mastin espanol where used in the conquest of the new world, but the evidence (the existing molosser/mastiff breeds in the former spanish empire in the new world/canary islands, all of which are short coated and strongly resemble the alano rather of the huge somewhat shaggy coated mastin) points to the alano being in wider use than the mastin.
i also wasent trying to say the spanish were any more brutal than any other colonial power, i know that the same kind of warfare was common in parts of europe.......its just that the spanish wardogs are more "celebrated" if you like, than those of the english, french, dutch or others.
again, no intention of causing offense.
anyways:
http://bttbab.com/dogs_of_war.htm
http://bttbab.com/Spanish%20Influence.htm
some interesting reading on how the spanish dogs in florida/georgia influenced later american dogs