Cão de Castro Laboreiro

The Cao de Castro Laboreiro is a breed of dog that was used as a guardian of livestock. They were first seen in the mountains of Portugal. This dog is also known as the Portuguese Cattle dog.

The Portuguese Cattle dog has a thick coat that is very resilient. It is slightly on the rougher side when touched. This dog has a somewhat wolf like appearance. The color of the coat ranges from light wolf color to dark wolf color. This breed of dog is not oversized but is quite large. The most authentic color of the Portuguese Cattle dog is what breeders call the mountain color. This color is a dark shade of gray with a few strands of hair that are dark red or brown. This discoloration is not called spots but rather a brindle.

The Portuguese cattle dogs are very protective and brave flock guardian dogs. They are fearless, intelligent and very dominating. The Cattle dog tends to have an aggressive approach to strangers and people they do not trust. They are however very friendly and docile with their owners and family. These breeds of dogs are very tolerant with children, especially from their own family. They are trustworthy and will stand as a protective guard of its owners. The people that the Laboreiro does not know will be considered a threat, untrustworthy and they will watch the stranger very closely, following them around everywhere.

The Portuguese Cattle dog is very intolerant of a stranger giving it orders. They will completely ignore the commands of the stranger but if the same command is given by the owner the Cattle dog will jump to its task. These dogs are instinctive protectors and will keep patrolling their territory. This trait makes them exceptional watch dogs. This dog will not let strange animals or people anywhere near what it is supposed to be protecting. These dogs will take a very aggressive approach to strangers that try to come close to its family or even cattle that they are meant to protect. These dogs do not bark a lot and are not generally vocal. Although when they do bark it is indicative of something unusual or out of the ordinary. These dogs will always pick a nice high spot to rest from where they can easily watch over their flock. This is not a breed for an inexperienced owner. This dog needs firm and good handling yet not very harsh. The dogs need to learn to respect and not fear their owners. The Cattle dog like others of its kind is happiest when they have work to do.

These dogs range in height from 51 to 60 cms and in weigh in at 45 to 75 kgs. The Laboreiro likes to have a job to perform and when not at work needs regular exercise. They need long walks and do not do well in an apartment home. They require very little grooming and are very self sufficient animals.