Description:
Estrela Mountain Dog (Portugal)
The Estrela Mountain Dog has two distinct coat varieties. The most popular coat for the show line is the long, thick coat that is somewhat coarse but not harsh to the touch. The coat may be wavy but not curly, and the dense inner coat is very thick and soft. The shorter coat variety will still have the dense undercoat and the same textured outer coat it will just be shorter and not as wavy.
The breed is considered a large dog and the males are typically larger than the females. The males also have a much more pronounced ruff around the shoulders and chest that make the chest are of the breed look very deep and developed. The neck and shoulders are powerful and well developed and the body is well proportioned and slightly longer than the dog is tall at the shoulders. The topline is very level and the dog is very sturdy and strong looking, well balanced and powerful without appearing overly developed. The tail is carried low and has a distinctive hook in the end, which is an important characteristic of the breed.
The Estrela Mountain Dog has long legs that appear strong and well boned without being stocky or thick in appearance. There should be some furnishings on the legs however it should not distract from the overall appearance of the dog. The feet are very thick and the pads well developed with quite a bit of hair between the pads of the feet. The nails are very strong and thick and very dark or black. The toes should be very close together and tight, not loose or spreading.
The head is broad and open looking with a strong muzzle that is slightly tapered. The eyes are oval and well set, giving the breed a very intelligent and calm appearance. The eyes may be amber or darker but should not be yellow in color. The ears are carried somewhat backwards and close to the skull with the inner edge visible. The mouth, lips and nose of the dog should be black, as should the skin visible around the eye.
The breed has a very sure and controlled gait and movement with long strides and a confident appearance when they move. The tail is over
Estrela Mountain Dog (Portugal) Puppies.
carried slightly higher than the back when the dog is in motion. The Estrela Mountain Dog is known for its natural jogging style gait that allows it to cover large distances with ease.
Health Problems:
As with all large breeds the Estrela Mountain Dog may have difficulties with canine hip dysplasia and carefully checking the Breeding lines is highly recommended. Various types of cancers may also be present in the breed but again this is very typical of many of the larger breeds of dogs. The Estrela Mountain Dog may also have growth problems known as OCD or osteochondritis dissecans that occurs when the cartilage in young dogs grows incorrectly around joints. This can cause movement problems and pain for the growing puppy. There are different treatment options but dogs with OCD should not be used as breeding stock.
Exercise:
The Estrela Mountain Dog is used to moving about a great deal in guarding and herding flocks of sheep. They do not do well in small spaces and are not recommended for apartments or small houses without a yard. This breed loves to be outdoors and to have a medium to large yard to explore and walk around in. They are wonderful dogs for active families that love to hike, jog or run, however they do prefer a cooler climate rather than a very hot climate.
The Estrela Mountain Dog needs at least one long period of exercise per day. This can be a long walk, an off the leash run or just a good romp in the yard or the park with kids or a companion dog. Since they are not typically dog aggressive they are great to exercise off leash as they are loyal and true guard dogs, vary rarely if ever wandering off or leaving their owners. As protective dogs they will often pace the perimeter of the yard to ensure that the area is safe several times before finding a vantage point to sit and guard from.
A proud Estrela Mountain Dog (Portugal) Owner
In the house the Estrela Mountain Dog tends to be very quiet and not disruptive or rambunctious. As puppies they will need more exercise and activities than mature dogs, but any age is generally calm and well behaved provided they have their regular exercise. The breed can be used in herding competitions and this provides excellent mental and physical exercise to keep them in shape and alert.
Training:
The Estrela Mountain Dog has been bred for centuries to be able to think for itself and to protect and move large flocks of sheep safely across wild and desolate terrain. This independence is still evident today and the breed does require an owner that can keep this perspective in mind. They are a very intelligent breed that will stop to consider options before simply obeying a command. They are highly loyal, loving and protective and once they form a partnership with a person they will work very well for that individual, although they may not respond as quickly to everyone in the family.
The breed should be socialized early to prevent them from becoming overly protective of the family and wary of strangers. They will benefit greatly from obedience training and can be excellent in obedience events if the owner works consistently with the dog. Since the breed can be challenging to train they are not recommended as a first dog for inexperienced owners. Males may be somewhat dominant and need to clearly understand that the human is in control. They should only be trained using positive training methods and will not respond well to negative training methods.
Sourced From: http://www.terrificpets.com/dog_breeds/estrela_mountain_dog.asp
