Rafeiro of Alentejo

He is affectionate and always willing to receive cuddles and affection, though only acts this way towards his family.

This dog prefers to remain on guard, and play sessions could distract him from his mission.

Despite its somewhat intimidating appearance, the Rafeiro of Alentejo is calm, gentle and considerate within the home if well-trained and exercised.

Of average intelligence, he has a strong sense of observation and analysis, which allows him to fulfill his mission of guarding with great efficiency.

The Rafeiro of Alentejo used to be part of huge packs of dogs to hunt large wildlife. Though his prey drive seems to have lessened over time, this breed may still be tempted to chase livestock and wildlife.

He is extremely protective and therefore suspicious of strangers. Early and consistent socialisation is essential to avoid extreme shyness, and maybe even aggression, towards new people.

Overall, they are quite independent dogs, but still very close to members of their social group.

The Rafeiro of Alentejo is not afraid of spending extended periods alone as part of his guarding duties, as long as he has been educated for this from a young age.

This breed of dog can be quite slow to pick up new tricks and learn new commands. His dominant streak may mean he acts stubbornly towards training sessions. Being consistent and extensive in the Rafeiro of Alentejo’s training is essential because without it, he could become overly dominant and hard to control. Positive reinforcement is the best method.

The Rafeiro of Alentejo has an extremely loud bark, but if well-trained, only uses to alert its owners of strangers. However, this breed is noisy in other ways though - expect snores, snorts and grunts galore!

Due to this breed’s territorial instinct and fairly high prey drive, he should be kept in a securely fenced area if outdoors and on a lead in public areas until he is perfectly trained.

The Rafeiro of Alentejo will become destructive if left alone for too long.

Treats are useful in a training based on positive reinforcement.

The Rafeiro of Alentejo makes for the perfect watchdog! Bred to keep animals safe from predators, his naturally protective and will do absolutely anything to keep his family safe. He will bark at any strange activity or strangers entering his territory, especially at night.

He may cope in a large flat if well-exercised, but should ideally be kept in a house with a large, secure, fenced garden.

It may come as a surprise, but the Rafeiro’s need for exercise is fairly low. He will enjoy around an hour of leisurely walking or a slow jog every day, but should not be over-exerted, especially when young.

This is a pretty large dog, meaning he may be difficult to transport.

A Rafeiro who has been socialised around cats from a young age will tolerate them.

Again, if this breed is socialised well around other dogs and animals from a young age, he should be calm and docile, though not necessarily friendly, around other dogs.

The Rafeiro of Alentejo is known to be gentle, warm and friendly around children. Kids bring out the playful side of this breed! However, due to the big size, supervision is still recommended.

He’s too big and potentially hard to handle for an elderly owner.

Due to this breed’s independent and dominant nature, the Rafeiro of Alentejo is not recommended for first-time dog owners.