Cão da Serra de Aires
Encyclopedia
The Cão da Serra de Aires (FCI no. 93) is a medium sized breed
of dog
of the herding
dog type
, and is one of the indigenous regional dogs of Portugal
. Called the Portuguese Sheepdog in English
, the original name refers to the Serra de Aires, a range of hills or mountains marking the boundary between Ribatejo
and Oeste
, north of the Tagus
river. The breed is nicknamed the "cão macaco" (monkey dog, referring to the macaque or monkey
) for its furry face and lively attitude.
for males (females slightly smaller) and 12 to 18 kg (26 to 40 lbs) in weight. The dog's body is long and has a long coat
without an undercoat, of medium thickness and described as having a "goat
like" texture. The lack of an undercoat made the dog less resistant to extreme weather as a working dog
, but as a pet
, lack of undercoat makes for easier grooming. Typical coat colours include yellow, chestnut, grey, fawn, wolf grey (fulva e a lobeira), and black, with tan marks. White hairs may be mixed in with the coat, but there should be no large white patches.
The tail should be long, and a natural bobtail
is a disqualification under the breed standard
, meaning that owners are discouraged from breeding such non typical dogs, and tailless dogs cannot compete for breed championships
. The tail should never be docked. The drop (hanging) ears are set high and close to the head. Detailed descriptions of all of the ideal proportions and colours are listed in the original breed standard, as well as faults
which are aspects not typical
for the breed or that are structural problems.
of European sheepdogs, believed to be closely related to the Pyrenean and Catalan Sheepdog
s. It is also believed to be descended from Briard
s imported into Portugal in the early 1900s by the Conde de Castro Guimarães from Cascais
, and crossed with the Pyrenean Sheepdog. The landscape of the Serra de Aires is barren and harsh and it has been noted that the breed would have had a difficult time adapting to the climate there. That it is a recent breed was validated by a DNA study done in Portugal on regional breeds.
The Cão da Serra de Aires breed standard was written by Dr. Antonio Cabral and Dr. Felipe Morgado Romeiros and was accepted by the Portuguese Kennel Club, and the breed was recognised internationally in 1996 by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale
. The breed has been exported to other countries, and has become a popular companion and pet in Europe. In the United States, the breed is recognised by the United Kennel Club
in the Herding Group
as of 2006, using the name Portuguese Sheepdog. It is also recognised and listed under its original name or various translations of the name by minor kennel clubs, specialty clubs, and internet dog registry businesses, and is promoted as a rare breed
for those seeking a unique pet.
and Rafeiro do Alentejo
traditionally did similar work herding livestock in other mountain areas of the country. Nowadays, most of them are kept as pets.
trials, obedience
, showmanship
, flyball
, tracking
, and herding
events. Herding
instincts and trainability can be measured at noncompetitive herding tests. Portuguese Sheepdogs 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 dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
of the herding
Herding dog
A 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...
dog 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....
, and is one of the indigenous regional dogs of Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. Called the Portuguese Sheepdog in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, the original name refers to the Serra de Aires, a range of hills or mountains marking the boundary between Ribatejo
Ribatejo
The Ribatejo is the most central of the traditional provinces of Portugal, with no coastline or border with Spain. The region is crossed by the Tagus River...
and Oeste
Oeste
Oeste, is a NUTS 3 sub-region of the NUTS 2 Centro Region of Portugal. The sub-region is coterminous with the Comunidade Intermunicipal do Oeste of the same name...
, north of the Tagus
Tagus
The Tagus is the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula. It is long, in Spain, along the border between Portugal and Spain and in Portugal, where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Lisbon. It drains an area of . The Tagus is highly utilized for most of its course...
river. The breed is nicknamed the "cão macaco" (monkey dog, referring to the macaque or monkey
Macaque
The macaques constitute a genus of Old World monkeys of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. - Description :Aside from humans , the macaques are the most widespread primate genus, ranging from Japan to Afghanistan and, in the case of the barbary macaque, to North Africa...
) for its furry face and lively attitude.
Appearance
The Cão da Serra de Aires is a medium-sized dog, standing 45 to 55 cm (17½ to 21½ 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...
for males (females slightly smaller) and 12 to 18 kg (26 to 40 lbs) in weight. The dog's body is long and has a long coat
Dog coat
Dog coat can refer to:*rug , jacket or blanket for a dog*coat , dog's fur or hair...
without an undercoat, of medium thickness and described as having a "goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
like" texture. The lack of an undercoat made the dog less resistant to extreme weather as a working dog
Working dog
A working dog refers to a canine working animal, i.e., a type of dog that is not merely a pet but learns and performs tasks to assist and/or entertain its human companions, or a breed of such origin...
, but as a pet
Pet
A pet is a household animal kept for companionship and a person's enjoyment, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful...
, lack of undercoat makes for easier grooming. Typical coat colours include yellow, chestnut, grey, fawn, wolf grey (fulva e a lobeira), and black, with tan marks. White hairs may be mixed in with the coat, but there should be no large white patches.
The tail should be long, and a natural bobtail
Natural bobtail
A natural bobtail is an animal's tail which due to a mutated gene grows unusually short or is missing completely. The genes for the shortened tail may be dominant or recessive....
is a disqualification under the breed standard
Breed standard (dogs)
A breed standard in the dog fancy is a set of guidelines covering specific externally observable qualities such as appearance, movement, and temperament for that dog breed...
, meaning that owners are discouraged from breeding such non typical dogs, and tailless dogs cannot compete for breed championships
Championship (dog)
Championships are awarded to dogs who have passed through a process of selection at dog shows. Traditionally, a championship was received at a conformation show, but championships are now offered for dogs who have attained a high degree of perfection in other dog sports as well.-The conformation...
. The tail should never be docked. The drop (hanging) ears are set high and close to the head. Detailed descriptions of all of the ideal proportions and colours are listed in the original breed standard, as well as faults
Fault (dog)
The term fault is used in animal breed standards to describe an aspect of appearance or temperament that is considered detrimental to the breed type of the animal's breed. In dogs, faults have to do with the externally observable qualities of the dog such as appearance, movement, and temperament...
which are aspects not typical
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....
for the breed or that are structural problems.
History
Ancestors of today's breed were traditionally used for herding cows, sheep, goats, horses and even pigs in the Serra de Aires and in the Alentejo. Although there is speculation about the breed's ancestry, as with other breeds who came from undocumented, working dog origins, "...data is rare, or does not exist...most guardian and herding breeds do not have records before 1900". The dog is recognisable as one of the old-fashioned typesDog 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....
of European sheepdogs, believed to be closely related to the Pyrenean and Catalan Sheepdog
Catalan Sheepdog
The Catalan sheepdog is a breed of Catalan pyrenean dog used as a sheepdog. The dog is bred in Europe, especially in Catalonia, Finland, Germany, and Sweden.-Appearance:...
s. It is also believed to be descended from Briard
Briard
The Briard is a large breed of dog, one of many herding breeds. The Briard has been known for some centuries. Charlemagne, Napoleon, Thomas Jefferson, and Lafayette all owned Briards. This ancient sheep guard and herder has also been used by the French Army as a sentry, messenger, and to search for...
s imported into Portugal in the early 1900s by the Conde de Castro Guimarães from Cascais
Cascais
Cascais is a coastal town in Cascais Municipality in Portugal, 30 kilometres west of Lisbon, with about 35,000 residents. It is a cosmopolitan suburb of the Portuguese capital and one of the richest municipalities in Portugal. The former fishing village gained fame as a resort for Portugal's royal...
, and crossed with the Pyrenean Sheepdog. The landscape of the Serra de Aires is barren and harsh and it has been noted that the breed would have had a difficult time adapting to the climate there. That it is a recent breed was validated by a DNA study done in Portugal on regional breeds.
The Cão da Serra de Aires breed standard was written by Dr. Antonio Cabral and Dr. Felipe Morgado Romeiros and was accepted by the Portuguese Kennel Club, and the breed was recognised internationally in 1996 by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale
Fédération Cynologique Internationale
Fédération Cynologique Internationale is an international federation of kennel clubs based in Thuin, Belgium. The English language translation, World Canine Organisation, is not often used.Its goals are described in Article 2 of their regulations:...
. The breed has been exported to other countries, and has become a popular companion and pet in Europe. In the United States, the breed is recognised by the United Kennel Club
United Kennel Club
The United Kennel Club is the second oldest all-breed registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States and the second largest in the world. According to the website, the club records 250,000 registrations annually. The UKC is not part of the International Canine Organisation, Fédération...
in the Herding Group
Herding Group
Herding Group is the name of a breed Group of dogs, used by kennel clubs to classify a defined collection of dog breeds. It does not refer to one particular type of dog. How the Herding Group is defined varies among kennel clubs, and different kennel clubs may not include the same breeds in their...
as of 2006, using the name Portuguese Sheepdog. It is also recognised and listed under its original name or various translations of the name by minor kennel clubs, specialty clubs, and internet dog registry businesses, and is promoted as a 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...
for those seeking a unique pet.
Related Portuguese breeds
The Cão da Serra de Aires is a regional herding breed, and in other areas of the country the Cão de Fila de São Miguel, Cão da Serra da Estrela, Cão de Castro LaboreiroCão de Castro Laboreiro
The 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....
and Rafeiro do Alentejo
Rafeiro do Alentejo
The Rafeiro do Alentejo or Alentejo Mastiff, also called the Portuguese Mastiff, is a breed of dog that originated in Portugal. The Rafeiro do Alentejo is of the livestock guardian dog type, and the name refers to its area of origin, Alentejo, in south-central Portugal...
traditionally did similar work herding livestock in other mountain areas of the country. Nowadays, most of them are kept as pets.
Health
No health problems or claims of extraordinary health have been documented for this breed.Temperament
The breed standard states that the ideal Cão da Serra de Aires is "exceptionally intelligent and very lively."Activities
Cão da Serra de Aires 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...
, showmanship
Dog showmanship
Dog showmanship is a set of skills and etiquette used by handlers of dogs in a dog competition. Dog showmanship is not a competition in itself but a qualification of the handler to present a dog to its best advantage. Skills are technical as well as artistic...
, 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. Portuguese Sheepdogs exhibiting basic herding instincts can be trained to compete in herding trials.