Estrela Mountain Dog
Description
The Estela Mountain Dog is without a doubt one of the oldest breeds of dogs; however, his origins are blurry. The first Estrelas were herding/guard dogs in what today is called Portugal. There isn’t any records of the dogs lineage, but rumors are that it is either decedent from Roman dogs or from invading Visigoths dogs. The Estrela we have today took hundreds of years to evolve. Where they are from was/is such a remote area that the bloodlines have remained fairly pure. The Estrela was bred to protect and herd his masters flock. A big dog they stand between 24.5 and 28.5 in. and weigh between 66 to 110 lbs. Females being on the smaller side of these averages. The Estrela comes with either a long or short coat…in either case the fur will resemble that of a goats. The undercoat is very dense and woolly and the outer coat is more course and also thick. They come in a few variations in color…Yellow with or without bridling. Wolf gray and Fawn with black shading around the face and ears and sometimes white markings.
Temperament
The Estrela has a tenancy to be stubborn, but also very loyal and loving towards his owner, but this dogs passion is children…hands down children is this dogs favorite thing ever. The Estrela are very intelligent and make wonderful family dogs but will need proper training and a job to do. He will bond with you, and look to you for companionship.
Grooming/Exercise
The Estrela need a good brushing once a week to keep there coat in good shape. They need to have regular daily exercise, long daily walks are good, but indoors they have a relatively low activity level. They do need room to run in a large fenced enclosure.
Health
Life Expectancy is 9 to 13 years.
Possible Issues
- Hip Dyspalsia
- Gastric Problems
