Estrela Shepherd Dog Breed Characteristics and Care

The Estrela Shepherd is a native breed of the Iberian Peninsula, one of the few that remains fully working.

• Country of origin: Portugal
• Size: large
• Height: 62-73 cm
• Weight: 35-60 kg
• Age: 11-13 years
• FCI breed group: Pinschers and Schnauzers, Molossoid breeds, Mountain and Swiss Cattle Dogs

Key points

• Cão da Serra da Estrela – this is how poetic the name of the breed sounds in Portuguese. Estrela – the region that gave it its name – is located in the highlands of Northern Portugal. It is here that these dogs have lived and developed since time immemorial.
• The history of their appearance is shrouded in fog; there is no precise data either about the century in which this could have happened, or about the probable predecessors.
• Throughout history, Estrela Shepherds have been and remain shepherds and guards, almost unknown outside their native mountainous region.
• Farmers breed four-legged helpers without a critically strict look at the official standard, focusing more on working qualities. In the Estrela Mountains today, there are a few wolves and other predators left, from which the sheep must be protected. Show individuals make up a minority of the population.
• There are two varieties of these shepherds, distinguished by the length of their fur: short hair is more common in working pets, long-haired ones are rare among them.
• In addition to herding livestock, the impressive dogs are used to pull small carts, harnessed like ponies or donkeys.
• Outside Portugal, this breed is still not widespread, but in recent years there has been a tendency towards its popularization.

Historical background

The years of the Estrela Shepherd’s appearance cannot be named even approximately, no information about this has reached us, but it is considered one of the oldest aboriginal breeds of the Iberian Peninsula, there is no disagreement on this issue. Based on this, researchers believe that the probable ancestors – dogs of the Moloss type – could have been brought to the mountainous regions of the Sierra da Estrela during the Roman Empire, but it is possible that they got there later, with the Visigoths.

Perhaps, at the early stage of their formation, these powerful dogs were not uniform, the population consisted of individuals with different characteristics. Over the past centuries, they mixed and developed the qualities necessary for survival in the harsh mountain conditions. With the development of cattle breeding in this area in the Middle Ages, the Estrela Shepherd received a powerful incentive to improve and increase their numbers. Since the region was almost isolated from the outside world, these dogs were not bred outside of it.

They were first heard of in the early 20th century, when the animals appeared in the rings. At first, the dogs were ignored, but after some time, special exhibitions called concursus were organized, aimed at preserving and popularizing the Estrela Shepherd. They included herding trials and were held from 1908 to 1919. At the same time, an attempt was made to create a breeding registry, but it failed.

The first standard was formulated in 1922, it did not resemble the modern one and reflected only functional features. In 1933, a new description was published, according to which Estrela Shepherds were distinguished as an independent breed. Some features were assigned to them, which are present in the document in force since 1955 and its updates.

Interest in these dogs revived in the 1950s, and enthusiasts once again made efforts to breed them and improve their appearance. The FCI registered them in 1955.

Today, most dogs remain working dogs and are little known outside Portugal.

Description of the appearance of the Estrela Shepherd Dog

This breed is a typical representative of mastiffs – large , powerful, massive, impressive and solid, with a serious calm look. At the same time, it cannot be called clumsy or rough – the physique of Estrela Shepherds is harmonious, and their movements are agile. There are two varieties – short-haired and long-haired. The second is more common among show animals than working ones.

The FCI standard, published in 1955, has been updated several times; its current version dates back to 30.03.2009.

Head
Voluminous, long, rounded in profile. All parts are proportional to each other and to the body. The upper lines of the developed cranial area and the elongated muzzle, tapering towards the nose, having a slight hump, slightly diverge, the stop between them is small. The superciliary arches and longitudinal groove are weakly expressed, the forehead is convex. The lips are not thick, close tightly, do not hang down, their edges, the palate and the entire mouth are brightly colored black. The jaws are strong, the teeth are complete, a scissor bite is preferable, but a pincer bite is also acceptable.

Eyes
Medium, rather even small, with an oval cut. Set straight, necessarily of the same size, open. Dark amber color is desirable, eyelids are pigmented. Expression is penetrating.

Ears
Set at a moderate height. Hanging, the thin fabric falls back, leaving the front edge slightly open (this shape is called “rose”). Triangular, the tips are rounded. The ears are small in comparison with the overall size of the dog.

Neck
Short, straight, without bending, thick in cross-section. Set on the shoulders firmly, solidly. Dewlap present, but not too large.

Frame
Slightly stretched, with a straight, almost level topline. The back, loin and sloping croup are muscular, wide, short. The chest with arched ribs, deep down to the elbow or lower, while being less than half the height at the withers. The bottom rises smoothly to the groin, the belly is slightly lowered.

Tail
Set not too low, long, thick, sabre-shaped, with a hook at the end. When moving or excited, it can rise above the horizontal and curl forward and to the side, but is never held above the croup or thrown back further. In moments of rest, it hangs freely. In long-haired individuals, it has a good decorative fringe.

Limbs
Straight, parallel, strong skeleton, strong joints, with moderate angles, allow easy movement. The muscular frame is developed. The paws are intermediate in shape between those of a cat and a hare. The toes are large, collected, with abundant fur around the pads, the dewclaws can be single or double, they are not removed, this is an extremely important breed characteristic.

Features of gait and movements

All gaits are free, correct, without sluggishness, shaking and swaying. There are no more or less preferable ones when showing in the ring. When working, animals move more often at a walk or trot than at a gallop.

Coat of the Estrela Shepherd

The structure of the coat resembles goat’s – it is strong, coarse, but without excessive stiffness, thick. The undercoat is short, noticeably lighter than the outer coat..

The longhaired variety has slightly wavy, fine hair on the legs and head, especially on the ears. The most abundant hair is on the tail, mane and in the feathering on the back of the limbs.

Shorthaired individuals are evenly covered with approximately the same amount of hair, shortened only on the muzzle and paws.

Color

The standard provides for the following options:

• Solid fawn, yellow and grey of any saturation.
• Wolf in the same tones, from the lightest to almost black .
• Tiger similar combinations with stripes.

All colors have a dark mask. Small white markings are acceptable on the lower chest and on the tips of the paws. Puppies are born almost black, and acquire their “adult” coloring at about eight months.

Height and weight of the breed

The height at the withers of males is 65-73 cm with a body weight of 45-60 kg. “Girls” are slightly smaller – 62-69 cm in height, their weight can reach 35-45 kg. It is considered possible to exceed the prescribed limits by up to 2 cm. Sexual dimorphismobvious.

Estrela Shepherd Characteristics

This breed is distinguished by its balance and rare calm. Manifestations of cowardice or ill will are equally untypical for it. At the same time, dogs have a pronounced guard instinct. No one will be able to approach the herd or the object under their protection without the owner’s permission.

When the owner is not alarmed and the guest does not threaten his safety, the Estrela Shepherd will not consider it necessary to make unnecessary movements and will treat the visitor indifferently – without sympathy or hostility. This also applies to barking – when someone approaches, it will make noise to attract attention. A high degree of independence allows the dog to flawlessly perform its functions even in the absence of a person, perfectly orienting itself in the situation and making decisions.

Herding skills are also innate, shepherds manage sheep by nipping at their legs. When kept as a pet or guard, it can transfer this method to others, it is corrected by training from an early age.

The dogs are not sociable and playful, but they love affection, kind treatment, and positive contact with their owners. They get along well with their family and are friendly with children. It is known that female Estrela Shepherds often treat the owner’s child as their puppy, which implies not only unconditional protection, but also educational measures; you should not leave them with children unattended.

They communicate peacefully with most domestic animals, perceiving them as wards, which is due to their herding qualities, but they sometimes dislike dogs because of their desire to dominate, leading to rivalry. If another four-legged pet does not seek to challenge the authority of the mighty Estrela Shepherd, then such difficulties will not arise.

Such character traits as stubbornness, independence and dominance can slow down training. The owner needs a firm hand and the ability to prove his leadership without resorting to harsh measures; this breed is considered unsuitable for beginners.

Education and training

Calmness, firmness, tact, authority and control are the foundations of successful socialization and training of Estrela Shepherds. Like all large, strong and independent dogs, they strive to take and maintain leading positions in relationships with anyone, including their owners. This is unacceptable.

The habit of biting legs is corrected by prohibitive commands and discipline.

A responsible breeder teaches puppies the basics of behavior, but the main part of the task falls on the shoulders of the permanent owner. In the first months of life, the dog most easily adapts to the existing conditions. This is the most important process on which the well-being of the pet in adulthood depends. If you ignore it, then your four-legged friend may not obey orders, run away, misbehave, will not learn to communicate with other dogs and will not make friends among them. Socialization also contributes to the correct formation of the psyche. It is much more comfortable to visit public places with a well-mannered dog, he will not put you in an awkward situation, will calmly take the trip, and will remain obedient in a stressful situation.

You should start with small steps – short walks along quiet, calm streets, a park. As the baby gets more and more comfortable, begin introducing him to noisy areas of the city. In this work, systematicity, consistency, taking into account the individual characteristics of the puppy and the temperament of a particular breed are important. The same rules apply to practicing commands. The main ones are those that allow you to control the dog – “no/no”, “come”, “heel”, they are the minimum necessary basis for obedience.

Estrela Shepherds are well trained. If you have found a common language with your pet, and he unconditionally recognizes you as a leader, he will quickly master both the basic course and many skills beyond it. It is very useful to train under the guidance of a professional dog trainer, so you can achieve more impressive results.

Do not forget that these powerful dogs mature slowly, they usually reach full physical and psychological maturity by the age of three, but they gain height and muscle mass much earlier. Until this age, they are protected from excessive loads during training, otherwise the developing joints can easily be injured. Traditionally, Estrela Shepherds are not used in sports disciplines, although they have all the necessary talents, but the animals successfully work in the Portuguese police and rescue service.

Breed content

Due to the long, thick fur, it often seems that this dog is much larger than the prescribed size. It is not difficult to look after such a “fur coat”, it is periodically combed with a comb and a slicker brush, the hairs between the toes are trimmed, and it is washed several times a year. The frequency of procedures depends on the length of the fur, the shorter it is, the less attention can be paid.

Animals that attend shows require more thorough care, but in general it comes down to the same measures. Shampoos should be chosen taking into account the hard structure of the hair. They should not soften it, otherwise it will be noticeably more difficult to remove dead hairs, and the judge will lower the score in the ring. If there are no performances planned and the weather is hot, it is better to trim the pet so that it can more easily tolerate high temperatures.

Hanging ears are cleared of sulfur and dust with a disinfectant solution, preventing the development of fungi and bacteria that cause inflammation. Claws are inspected from time to time and shortened with nippers or a machine, although it is safer to contact a specialist for this, since it is quite easy to accidentally injure a paw. Veterinary pastes and brushes are needed for cleaning teeth.

Estrela Shepherds are trained to any procedures in the first months of life, so that they treat them calmly and do not create obstacles in older age. Redness, rash, ulcers, tartar, a broken or cracked claw, an unpleasant smell – reasons to make an appointment with a veterinarian as soon as possible.

The Estrela Shepherd does not require any special living conditions.

It takes up surprisingly little space in the house, a spacious yard is not necessary as long as you are ready to walk, play and train with it regularly. It is not advisable to leave it alone for a long time, because it will start making noise and looking for entertainment out of boredom. When working on a pasture, such difficulties do not arise, since the dog is busy with something. The breed is not highly active, it needs moderate but systematic walking, and in addition to that – developmental activities.

It is important to train the dog to a leash and discipline, and if walking in your own yard – a good fence, as the dog can go off on its own to explore the nearby streets. It does this because of its independent nature and curiosity.

Tips for healthy eating

Estrela Shepherds have few specific digestive features that are taken into account when choosing a diet. It is necessary to remember the tendency to increased gas formation, typical for large breeds. In severe form, it is a threat, so you need to carefully monitor the diet, follow general recommendations, control the calorie content and portion size, as well as the quality and freshness of the products.

These shepherds are not prone to obesity, for their weight and height they eat little, limiting themselves, for them it is more difficult to not become too thin than fat. Owners note that sometimes they refuse food for several days, and at the same time they are quite cheerful and healthy.

Feeding at an early age requires special attention, since at this time the body tissues and immunity of the baby are formed. The dog grows quickly, and therefore needs an appropriate regime and the supply of necessary substances in the right quantities. Their deficiency or excess are equally harmful and lead to undesirable consequences.

Balanced nutrition is just as important for mature individuals as it is for young and old ones. Each dog has its own micronutrient needs.and macronutrients, they should be taken into account, this can preserve the health of the four-legged friend and extend its years. Portuguese cynologists claim that at any period of life, Estrela Shepherds tolerate fatty foods very poorly.

Veterinarians call industrial feeds, both dry granules and wet canned food, the most useful. Thanks to special processing methods, their components are better absorbed, the composition contains all the necessary vitamins and minerals, and the range offered by trusted companies allows you to choose a product that best suits the current needs of the dog. In addition to age, consider its physical condition and activity level.

A natural menu may include lean meat and offal, sea fish, cereals, such as buckwheat or rice, cottage cheese, vegetables – for example, zucchini or carrots. However, do not forget that such a diet should be created by a nutritionist, without professional knowledge in this area it is easy to make a lot of mistakes. It is difficult to follow the doctor’s recommendations, a scrupulous calculation of the proportions of all components is necessary.

Clean drinking water should be available at all times; the need for it fluctuates on average from 60 to 120 ml per kilogram of body weight, and depends on the air temperature, the animal’s well-being and its loads.

Health and Diseases

No typical breed ailments or genetic disorders have been identified in Estrela Shepherds. Through centuries of natural selection, they have acquired rare resistance and strong immunity, making them one of the healthiest dogs in the world today.

Rarely occurring hip dysplasia – anatomical misalignment of its head and socket due to abnormal tissue development – can be acquired as a result of injury or unbalanced nutrition, as well as excessive loads at an early age, when the body is in the stage of formation and growth. It can be easily avoided by maintaining a proper physical activity regimen, avoiding heavy exercises and controlling your diet.

Another possible problem is increased gas formation caused by a malfunction of the digestive system. Its causes may be different, but feeding errors are the leading ones. In severe form, it leads to bloating and torsion of the stomach., a dangerous condition requiring emergency medical intervention, and in milder cases – indigestion and flatulence . It occurs in any large dogs, this feature is related to size, not a specific breed.

The most serious threat to any dog without exception is infectious diseases. Vaccination against the most dangerous and widespread of them is mandatory – rabies , plague of carnivores, leptospirosis, parvovirus enteritis, parainfluenzaand adenovirus. Not all of these diseases are curable, some are transmitted to humans, so you can’t skip vaccinations. Medicines for them are included in certified complex vaccines.

Problems associated with parasites are also common. The most effective way to combat them is prevention. Many products have been developed for treatment against external ones – fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, etc., such as collars, sprays, tablets, shampoos, drops on the withers. Medicines for internal use, produced in solid or liquid forms, help against worms.

Despite their good health, dogs are recommended to be examined at least twice a year in a veterinary clinic to identify possible complications at an early stage.

Who is the breed suitable for?

The Estrela Shepherd is one of the largest and most difficult to train dogs, it is willful and stubborn, and therefore needs an experienced responsible owner. Its undoubted advantages include its moderate activity, which does not require long, tiring walks.

This is the best choice if you:

• A professional dog handler or an amateur with extensive experience, you know how to work with large guard dogs.
• Ready to be a leader and pack leader for your pet, maintain authority in his eyes, properly educate and control.
• Physically strong, but don’t want to lead a too active lifestyle.
• Looking for a reliable guard for your garden plot, preferably in the countryside. Also a great option for those who keep sheep or goats.
• We are ready to devote a lot of time to walking and training the dog, but, in general, the apartment is suitable for keeping an Estrela Shepherd.
• Owner of a large family. But with small children, the four-legged friend should not be left unattended.

Tips for choosing a puppy

It is unlikely that in the coming years it will be possible to buy a purebred Estrela Shepherd in Germany, since this breed is unknown here, and there are hardly a few dogs in the entire country.

There are nurseries in Europe, for example, in Great Britain or Germany, but even there litters are rare and few in number. The easiest place to find a puppy is in Portugal, where these aboriginal dogs are most popular and in demand. There are the best breeders and offspring from both show and working animals. The demand for Estrela Shepherds is high within the country, so it is highly likely that you will have to wait quite a long time.

Usually babies are reserved immediately after birth, and there are rarely any available. It cannot be said that local owners do not want to send their pets abroad, as interest in the breed abroad is gradually growing, but they will definitely talk to you to make sure of your reliability and experience.

Large clubs and nurseries help with the transportation of their graduates, but it is better to discuss this in advance and include the relevant points in the purchase and sale agreement, otherwise there is a high risk of encountering surprises at the last moment.

Owners’ experience

Since our compatriots are not familiar with this breed, we turned to comments from foreign dog breeders and professional dog handlers working with Estrela Shepherds.

Here’s what they think:

• Such a dog is not used to urban conditions. You will have to do a lot of training, walk it, educate it, in the village all this is required less, your dog is busy with its own business, if it does not have a herd to graze, then it will guard the house and look after family members.
• To keep your pet from getting bored, to get additional intellectual development and not to swallow the pieces too quickly, you can find new approaches to feeding, for example, with a dispenser or a puzzle toy. For an inquisitive Estrela Shepherd, this is an interesting way to spend time and learn something new.
• The dog eats surprisingly little, sometimes for several days in a row it does not take a bite into its mouth, while not changing its usual behavior and activity level. No fatty food should be given, an upset stomach is guaranteed.
• You have to be careful with puppies while they are growing, it is very easy to injure their bones and joints.
• Dogs seem to love the sound of their own voices and will alert you to anyone passing by with a loud bark.
• This is a working breed, it likes to be busy and work hard, idleness is contraindicated for it.

Cost of Estrela Shepherd Puppies

The approximate price in Portugal is 1000-1500 euros, pet-class babies are a little cheaper, show-class ones are more expensive. A similar situation is developing in nurseries of other European countries, in the USA the purchase costs will be about 2000 dollars. It is impossible to say how much a purebred Estrela Shepherd Dog with documents could cost in Russia at the moment, in theory experts name amounts from 30 to 100 thousand rubles.

The probable cost does not include the cost of transporting the puppy; inquire about it in advance, as the cost may be higher than the cost of the dog itself.