medium weight
:50 to 65 kg medium size:
70 cm coulours :fawn,
wolfgrey and sand
Description :
These Portuguese mountain dogs, either long and wavy
or (even rarer) short-coated, are extremely hardy and
resilient: they cope very easily with the vagaries of
the Portuguese climate, i.e. summers with intense heat
during the day followed by very cool evenings, very
wet late autumns and harsh winters.
They adapt perfectly to the continental climate.
Traditionally bred to guard flocks, their imposing presence
acts as an effective deterrent which means they make
good guard dogs; they are robust, hard-working and elegant.
Our dogs are selected for their gentleness with children.
Origin
:
The Estrela was very common
in northern and central Portugal. Originally no
distinction was made between short-coated and
long-coated varieties, but one tended to find
longer-haired dogs to the north of the Serra da
Estrela (Gouveia and Seia) and shorter-haired
dogs to the south (Manteigas).
They were essentially working dogs used by livestock
farmers to guard sheep or cattle in the mountains,
where traditionally they fought off wolves, equipped
with a broad metal collar with the spikes turned
back to avoid having their throats cut.
They
were also used in the valleys and on the plains
to guard property, took part in hunting and helped
with everyday tasks such as hauling heavy loads
(timber, etc.).
Some Estrelas are particularly fond of water and
can be excellent fishers or water dogs.
Their remarkable nose is still
used by military and police dog units who find
them to be ideal helpers, as were the Pyrenean
Mountain Dog and the St Bernard to the French
police.
Character :
They have a very independent disposition which means
they can act on their own initiative in a range of situations
and work alone when guarding flocks.
Their protective attitude can also manifest in a powerful,
resounding bark, which can be useful for raising the
alarm and as a deterrent but with training can be controlled
quite effectively. Owners living in built-up areas will
need to take them for long walks to satisfy their need
for space.
Our puppies destined for a life tending flocks are born
in the sheep barn and are taken away from their mother
at around 5 weeks to be raised by the ewes.
Training : Their training must be firm
and, if intended as a pet, they will be weaned
late (8-10 weeks approximately) to allow optimum
socialisation by the mother.
An Estrela’s training
should continue until it reaches adulthood (age
3) to ensure a balanced, well-adjusted dog. Being
mountain dogs, they will continue to explore the
surrounding area but will always come back, assuming
they have been taught to obey the most basic recall
command.
