The Alano have a long history in Spain. The official history of the breed tells that the Alano came to the Iberian Peninsula in the 5th century together with the Alani tribe, and should thereby be regarded as the direct descendant of the Alaunt. As in all histories of the origin of the different ancient Molosser breeds their origin lays hided in the mist of time, and the different theories about the origins have been presented by modern scholars. Nevertheless, the present of the Alano in Spain can be traced far back in time. As early as the year 1350 King Alfonso XI published his "Book of Hunting", and in the 15th century "Treatise of Hunting", author unknown, there is a detailed physical description of the dog.

The Spaniards did early discover, explore, occupy, and colonizated new land and areas, and in their travels to close and far places they often did bring the Alano Español with them. The result of this is that many of the Molosser breeds around the world can count the Alano as one of their ancestors, like the original Presa Canario & Ca de Bou from the Spanish islands, the Fila da Terceira from the Azores, Fila Brasileiro, Perro Cimarron, Dogo Cubano, Cordoba Fighting Dog & Dogo Argentino from the new continent, as well as influence on the other Molosser breeds around the Mediteranean.
The Alano have always been a working dog in Spain, known under different names like Alano Español, También llamado Chato de Presa, Chato Salmantino, Perro de Toro, Perro de Presa Español, Dogo de Burgos, Mastín de Jabalines, Alano de Carnicero and Mastín de Pelo Corto, all depending on where in Spain the dogs lived and which kind of work they where used for.
There are different opinion on wheater the Alano and the Perro de Toro (Spanish Bulldog) are the same breed, but most people that are involved in the Alano, and the ANCAE (Asociación Nacional de Criadores del Alano Español) regards the Perro de Toro as just a heavier version of the Alano, used in the Bullfights of old times.

The 20th century did no good for this old working dog of Spain which began to decline in numbers after Bullfights was outlawed in Spain in 1883. Like many other Molosser breeds that lost in popularity against foreign imported breeds, especially the German Shepherd Dog, the number of Alanos reached a point of nearly extinction. The last pair of Alano Español was exhibited in 1963 in the Retiro Park in Madrid and soon after the breed was considered to be completely extinct.
The Alano have never been a subject of beauty contests, like many other dogbreeds, but have always been bred with the working qualities in mind. And it was the working qualities that proved to be the reason that saved the breed from going completly extinct, despite the odds.
In the early 1980's a search for survived Alanos was done by enthusiasts of this legendary dog, especially by Carlos Contera, and the whole of Spain was "combed" for survived speciments. The situation proved to be much better for the Alano than ever expected and hoped for.

In the Extremadura and Casstille areas a few Alanos was found, but the real surprice they found in the Encartaciones Valley (Valle de las Encartaciones) in the northern Spain, where a stable population of 300 Alanos still was used to handle a half-wild breed of cows. The genetics of 22 dogs descended from the Encartaciones Valley were analyzed by the University of Cordoba and the DNA conclution was that these dogs did not have any genetic influence from any known dogbreed in the world, and -maybe even more interesting, they did have an allele in common that identified them as a totally separate breed. The best speciments of the Encartaciones population was gathered and did serve as the fundation for the re-introduction of the Alanos Español in Spain.   

The Alano is a born hunting dog, with unequaled bravery and courage. It is a good companion as a watchdog or for hunting. It has no fear of facing a boar, grasping it without concern for its own life. It is also used for working with bulls for controlling the wild animals in the pastures of Salamanca and the Andalusian estates, having performed this duty for centuries. 
Until 1860 they took part in one of the phases of the bullfight, known as the dogs' turn, that Goya immortalized in his "Tauromaquía".

As mentioned earlier at this page the Alano Español and the Perro de Toro is regarded as the same breed by almost all persons involved in the Alano Español. But there are breeders in Spain that breeds dogs that they claim is Perro de Toro's, -Spanish Bulldogs, and they do not regard the two breeds, Alano Español and Perro de Toro, as the same breed.
Which of these opinions are correct? I would say both! There have problary always been different opinions about these breeds and while some have regarded the Alano and the Perro de Toro as the same breed and interbred them, others have especially bred only bulldog typed dogs together, and therefore referred to their dogs as Perro de Toros. To believe that there never have been different opinions about the Alano would be ignorant and just wishful thinking. If all persons involved in the Alano, at all times, have had the same opinion about their breed, it would be unique in the dog-world. All we have to do is to use our common sence in the matter.
So when Alano enthusiasts tells that the Perro de Toro and the Alano is the same breed, and that the Perro de Toro is just a strain within the Alano, they are right. But we have to accept that some breeders regard this strain to be Perro de Toros, and that they want to breed this strain as a separated breed.

The National Association of Spanish Alano breeders (ANCAE) was founded and officially recognized by the Ministry of Interior in 1995. The basic purpose of this Association is to preserve the purity of the breed by managing a studbook and ensure proper functional evolution of it. Promote the development of their ancestral functions as the management and control of cattle, hunting and guard defense of property or family, are our priorities: by transferring copies to hunters and ranchers, along with the new quarry dog tested for civil work and sports, we are able to ensure the smooth function of our mythical race.