Cão Fila de São Miguel
Encyclopedia
The Cão de Fila de São Miguel (frequently translated into English as the São Miguel Cattle Dog, but other names, such as Azores Cattle Dog, may be used) is a dog breed
of molosser
type
originating on São Miguel Island
in the Azores
, an island chain which is one of the autonomous regions of Portugal
. The breed was originally used for working with cattle
.
and 35 kg (77 lbs) in weight, with females slightly smaller. The general appearance is of a normally proportioned, deep chested, muscular dog with a broad head and medium length neck, straight back, and long legs. The tail is held up and is slightly curved. Ears are drop unless they are cropped. The coat
is a brindle
of brown (pale brown is described as fawn) or grey, with black; it is short, smooth and harsh to the touch, with a short fringe on the tail (if undocked) and on the backs of the rear legs.
in the Azores
, settled by the Portuguese
, beginning in 1439. Another of the Azores, Terceira Island
, is known for bullfights and cattle raising; large dogs used on cattle there were brought to São Miguel Island and contributed to the development of the breed.
According to the original breed standard, the existence of the Cão de Fila de São Miguel has been documented since the early 19th century. A breed standard was developed in the breed's area of origin and first published in 1984. This standard was recognised internationally in 1995, when the standard was published by the FCI. Although described (and formerly used) as a cattle dog, the Cão Fila de São Miguel is actually a molosser, and is so recognised by the FCI in Group 2, Section 2, Molossoid breeds (number 340.) Today it is primarily used as a guard dog
and companion
.
Traditionally, the tail is docked, although this practice is now illegal in many areas. In addition, the ears were traditionally cropped short; cropped ears are characteristic of dogs used for fighting. The ears are cropped short and rounded off on top. The reasons for these traditions are unknown.
Literature about the breed warns that they can be very aggressive, a characteristic said to be valuable in handling feral cattle, but potentially dangerous in a pet.
Today, dogs from São Miguel are exported to North America and other areas of the world where they are bred and promoted for the rare breed
market. Minor kennel clubs and registries maintained by individual breeders write their own versions of the breed standard, which may vary from the breed standard developed on the island of São Miguel and recognised internationally by the FCI. Dogs of the breed may be sold under the original breed name, Cão de Fila de São Miguel, or any of the many translations and versions of the name.
This breed creates a deep bond with its owner, being very gentle, loving and receptive, despite being aggressive towards strangers and other dogs.
trials, obedience
, flyball
, tracking
, and herding
events. Herding
instincts and trainability can be measured at noncompetitive herding tests. Azores Cattle Dogs exhibiting basic herding instincts can be trained to compete in herding trials.
Dog breed
Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
of molosser
Molosser
Molosser is a category of large, solidly-built dog that includes several breeds, probably all descended from the same root stock. The name derives from Molossia, a subregion of ancient Epirus, ancient Greece, where the large shepherd dog was known as the Molossus.The proper noun "Mastiff", however,...
type
Dog type
Dog types are broad categories of dogs based on function, with dogs identified primarily by specific function or style of work rather than by lineage or appearance....
originating on São Miguel Island
São Miguel Island
São Miguel Island , nicknamed "The Green Island", is the largest and most populous island in the Portuguese Azores archipelago. The island covers and has around 140,000 inhabitants, 45,000 of these people located in the largest city in the archipelago: Ponta Delgada.-History:In 1427, São Miguel...
in the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
, an island chain which is one of the autonomous regions of Portugal
Autonomous regions of Portugal
The two Autonomous Regions of Portugal are the Azores and Madeira...
. The breed was originally used for working with cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
.
Appearance
A large dog, but not oversize; up to a maximum of 60 cm (23.6 ins) at the withersWithers
The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of a four-legged animal. In many species it is the tallest point of the body, and in horses and dogs it is the standard place to measure the animal's height .-Horses:The withers in horses are formed by the dorsal spinal processes of roughly the...
and 35 kg (77 lbs) in weight, with females slightly smaller. The general appearance is of a normally proportioned, deep chested, muscular dog with a broad head and medium length neck, straight back, and long legs. The tail is held up and is slightly curved. Ears are drop unless they are cropped. The coat
Coat (dog)
The coat of the domestic dog refers to the hair that covers its body. A dog's coat may be a double coat, made up of a soft undercoat and a coarser topcoat, or a single coat, which lacks an undercoat...
is a brindle
Brindle
Brindle is a coat coloring pattern in animals, particularly dogs, cats, cattle, guinea pigs, crested geckos and, rarely, horses. It is sometimes described as "tiger striped", although the brindle pattern is more subtle than that of a tiger's coat...
of brown (pale brown is described as fawn) or grey, with black; it is short, smooth and harsh to the touch, with a short fringe on the tail (if undocked) and on the backs of the rear legs.
History
The breed is named for São Miguel IslandSão Miguel Island
São Miguel Island , nicknamed "The Green Island", is the largest and most populous island in the Portuguese Azores archipelago. The island covers and has around 140,000 inhabitants, 45,000 of these people located in the largest city in the archipelago: Ponta Delgada.-History:In 1427, São Miguel...
in the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
, settled by the Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
, beginning in 1439. Another of the Azores, Terceira Island
Terceira Island
Referred to as the “Ilha Lilás” , Terceira is an island in the Azores archipelago, in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the larger islands of the archipelago, with a population of 56,000 inhabitants in an area of approximately 396.75 km²...
, is known for bullfights and cattle raising; large dogs used on cattle there were brought to São Miguel Island and contributed to the development of the breed.
According to the original breed standard, the existence of the Cão de Fila de São Miguel has been documented since the early 19th century. A breed standard was developed in the breed's area of origin and first published in 1984. This standard was recognised internationally in 1995, when the standard was published by the FCI. Although described (and formerly used) as a cattle dog, the Cão Fila de São Miguel is actually a molosser, and is so recognised by the FCI in Group 2, Section 2, Molossoid breeds (number 340.) Today it is primarily used as a guard dog
Guard dog
A guard dog, an attack dog or watch dog is a dog used to guard against, and watch for, unwanted or unexpected people or animals. The dog is discriminating so that it does not annoy or attack familiar people.-Barking:...
and companion
Companion dog
Companion dog usually describes a dog that does not work, providing only companionship as a pet, rather than usefulness by doing specific tasks. Many of the toy dog breeds are used only for the pleasure of their company, not as workers...
.
Traditionally, the tail is docked, although this practice is now illegal in many areas. In addition, the ears were traditionally cropped short; cropped ears are characteristic of dogs used for fighting. The ears are cropped short and rounded off on top. The reasons for these traditions are unknown.
Literature about the breed warns that they can be very aggressive, a characteristic said to be valuable in handling feral cattle, but potentially dangerous in a pet.
Today, dogs from São Miguel are exported to North America and other areas of the world where they are bred and promoted for the rare breed
Rare breed (dog)
Rare breed is any breed of dog that is small in number. Since dogs have greater genetic variability than other domesticated animals the number of possible breeds is vast...
market. Minor kennel clubs and registries maintained by individual breeders write their own versions of the breed standard, which may vary from the breed standard developed on the island of São Miguel and recognised internationally by the FCI. Dogs of the breed may be sold under the original breed name, Cão de Fila de São Miguel, or any of the many translations and versions of the name.
Temperament
A large, aggressive, working dog, the Cão de Fila de São Miguel must be well socialized at an early age if it is to be kept as a pet, and supervised when around unfamiliar children. As with all working dogs, it must be given regular training and a job to do. Temperaments of individual dogs may vary greatly. Suitability of an individual dog for a particular kind of work may depend on the quality of early training.This breed creates a deep bond with its owner, being very gentle, loving and receptive, despite being aggressive towards strangers and other dogs.
Activities
Cão Fila de São Miguel can compete in dog agilityDog agility
Dog agility is a dog sport in which a handler directs a dog through an obstacle course in a race for both time and accuracy. Dogs run off-leash with no food or toys as incentives, and the handler can touch neither dog nor obstacles...
trials, obedience
Obedience training
Obedience training usually refers to the training of a dog and the term is most commonly used in that context. Obedience training ranges from very basic training, such as teaching the dog to reliably respond to basic commands such as "sit", "down", "come", and "stay", to high level competition...
, flyball
Flyball
Flyball is a dog sport in which teams of dogs race against each other from a start/finish line, over a line of hurdles, to a box that releases a tennis ball to be caught when the dog presses the spring-loaded pad, then back to their handlers while carrying the ball.Flyball is run in teams of four...
, tracking
Tracking (dog)
Tracking is a technique in which dogs are trained to locate certain objects, such as a downed bird, using the object's scent. Many bird and rabbit hunters train their dogs in tracking. The scent hounds are generally regarded as having the best tracking abilities among all dog breeds.In dog sports,...
, and herding
Herding
Herding is the act of bringing individual animals together into a group , maintaining the group and moving the group from place to place—or any combination of those. While the layperson uses the term "herding", most individuals involved in the process term it mustering, "working stock" or...
events. Herding
Herding
Herding is the act of bringing individual animals together into a group , maintaining the group and moving the group from place to place—or any combination of those. While the layperson uses the term "herding", most individuals involved in the process term it mustering, "working stock" or...
instincts and trainability can be measured at noncompetitive herding tests. Azores Cattle Dogs exhibiting basic herding instincts can be trained to compete in herding trials.
Health
Cão de Fila de São Miguel from Portugal have no documented health problems, but dogs bred elsewhere are often bred to be very oversize (over 60 cm/23.6 in and 35 kg/77 lb) and may suffer from elbow or hip dysplasia and other ailments particular to deep chested oversize dogs, such as bloat.See also
- Herding dogHerding dogA herding dog, also known as a stock dog or working dog, is a type of pastoral dog that either has been trained in herding or belongs to breeds developed for herding...
- Guard dogGuard dogA guard dog, an attack dog or watch dog is a dog used to guard against, and watch for, unwanted or unexpected people or animals. The dog is discriminating so that it does not annoy or attack familiar people.-Barking:...
- MolosserMolosserMolosser is a category of large, solidly-built dog that includes several breeds, probably all descended from the same root stock. The name derives from Molossia, a subregion of ancient Epirus, ancient Greece, where the large shepherd dog was known as the Molossus.The proper noun "Mastiff", however,...
- List of dog breeds by country
- Cão de Castro LaboreiroCão de Castro LaboreiroThe Cão de Castro Laboreiro, or Dog from Castro Laboreiro, or Portuguese Cattle Dog or Portuguese Watch Dog, is a dog breed of the livestock guardian dog type, originating from Castro Laboreiro in the northern mountains of Portugal....
(Portuguese Cattle Dog or Portuguese Watch Dog)