Portuguese Sheepdog

The colours of the coat of this dog are seen of black, grey and fawn.

The single coat of this dog is long, extremely abundant and slightly harsh to the touch. The hair of its face gives rise to a beard, moustache and eyebrows. 

Hazel or amber.

A robust dog with a rustic appearance; the Portuguese Sheepdog is compact, stocky and well-proportioned. The head is slightly square, longer than it is broad. The ears are set high and hang against the cheeks of the dog. 

The Portuguese is loyal and affectionate. It is an even-tempered and well-mannered dog. 

This dog likes to entertain but its playful nature is at times interspersed with its need to assert its dominance.  

This is a lively and excitable dog. It does not enjoy sudden loud noises or sudden movements and can, as a result of these things, become timid and agitated. 

The Portuguese is known to be a quick learner. It is however just as likely to pick up bad habits, and it requires command reinforcement from time to time. It is a smart dog that can make decisions by itself and will obey orders from its handler. 

Portuguese Sheepdogs are not hunters; they are herding dogs. As such they do not have a high prey drive. 

The Portuguese tends to be reserved and timid around strangers. It takes these dogs quite a while to trust people who aren’t already in their ‘circle’. Patience and time are needed of an owner when introducing this dog to new people. 

This is a wilful dog. In order that it stays good-natured and obedient the dog requires firm and steady training, and an owner’s reinforcement of the pack hierarchy. 

The Portuguese does not tolerate solitude. 

Training of this dog must be done right. Portuguese Sheepdogs get bored easily of routine and will try to dominate proceedings. 

This is a dog that will bark incessantly if not trained to stop on command. 

Generally speaking, a Portuguese will respond to your voice and not run away. 

If it finds itself at home for long periods of time without human company the Portuguese will be destructive. 

This dog is not known to be greedy. 

Although not willing to back up its bark with a bite, the Portuguese is exceptionally territorial. It makes an excellent watchdog. 

A Portuguese Sheepdog needs to be exercised and trained well in order to stay out of trouble. It is unlikely that a first-time owner would successfully manage such a dog. 

The Portuguese needs plenty of exercise. It will not be happy living in a flat, but a large outside garden will provide some of its exercise needs. 

An energetic dog is the Portuguese. It enjoys long and adventurous walks. 

Once trained, a Portuguese Sheepdog is comfortable to travel. 

This dog will tolerate a cat that it is familiar with but it may not be so tolerant of other cats. 

Portuguese Sheepdogs are very social and will interact well with other dogs. 

The Portuguese is careful and gentle around children but it can be boisterous. 

Because it is a dog that requires lots of exercise, the Portuguese Sheepdog may not be the perfect choice of dog for some of senior years. 

The Portuguese is a low shedder, but does shed throughout the year. 

Having been successfully bred for centuries, the Portuguese Sheepdog is generally healthy and robust. 

The Portuguese is strong and agile. It does not readily suffer with ailments. 

The Portuguese tolerates hot weather reasonably well. 

The double coat of the Portuguese keeps the dog warm even when it is walking in the snow. 

Weight gain is seen of any dog that is not exercised as regularly as it should be and is fed too much human or substandard food. 

• Hip dysplasia

The Portuguese Sheepdog was first bred in the 1910s. It may have descended from the French Briard. The dog was prized by farmers throughout the first part of the 20th Century, but by 1970 the breed was almost extinct. Since the 70s breeders have been able to reassert the breed as a pet, and it is now a popular choice of companion for Portuguese families.