Also known as the Cao de Laboreiro and the Dog of Castro Laboreiro, the Portuguese Cattle Dog is an intelligent, affectionate, and protective breed. But how do you know whether you are ready to purchase a pet and if this breed is right for you? This information is absolutely necessary in making the decision to purchase a pet.
History
The exact origin of the Portuguese Cattle Dog has not been well documented. Enthusiasts believe that the breed dates back as far as 16th century Portugal and descended from such breeds as the Estrela Mountain Dog, Alentejo Mastiff, and various other Mastiff breeds, though this has never been proven scientifically or otherwise.
Throughout its history, the Portuguese Cattle Dog has been most commonly used for herding, driving, and guarding cattle against predators such as wolves and wild cats, and as a watch and guard dog, proving its superior abilities to work endlessly while providing both protection and warm companionship.
Today, while the Portuguese Cattle Dog has attained an underground popularity as a working and companion dog, the breed remains rather rare outside of its native Portugal.
Personality Traits
Best known for its loyal, protective, and devoted nature, the Portuguese Cattle Dog is willing to do anything necessary in order to protect its owner and property. These dogs thrive on strong and dependable relationships with humans, love to receive praise and playing the role of guardian. This breed is very intelligent and generally easy to train. As a pet, the Portuguese Cattle Dog is obedient, loyal, loving, and affectionate. The Portuguese Cattle Dog is not suited for full-time indoor or apartment living, as it enjoys spending time outdoors, taking long and leisurely walks, and having plenty of room to roam, run, and play.
Train-ability
Due to its eagerness to please and impress its owner and willingness to learn, the Portuguese Cattle Dog generally responds well to basic training and commands. This bright breed has the ability to learn to perform most any task its trainer is willing to take the time to teach.
Establishing immediate dominance, trust, and respect is key to successfully training the Portuguese Cattle Dog. These dogs require a confident, strong, and patient handler with a stern yet gentle approach to repetitive exercises and tasks.
Benefits and Disadvantages of the Breed
There are many benefits to owning a Portuguese Cattle Dog, such as its no hassle, low maintenance coat. This active and adventurous breed is always on the move, and often quite amusing and entertaining to watch while at play. These intelligent dogs are obedient by nature, easy to train, and capable of learning to perform many impressive tricks and tasks. When properly socialized from a young age, the Portuguese Cattle Dog gets along well with small children and non-dog pets. This breed is alert, protective, and territorial, making an incredible watch and guard dog by announcing the arrival of guests and unwanted visitors, and serving as a deterrent to would-be intruders. The Portuguese Cattle Dog is obedient, loyal, loving, and affectionate, making an excellent working and guardian dog, family pet, and companion alike.
Unfortunately, there are also disadvantages to owning a Portuguese Cattle Dog. These energetic and athletic dogs require large amounts of daily exercise and room to run and play outdoors. Anyone wishing to purchase this breed lacking the adequate amount of time and space to dedicate to the dog is strongly advised against doing so. A Portuguese Cattle Dog not receiving the proper amount of exercise and space will often act out by destroying property, chewing, digging, barking, whining, and ignoring basic training such as housebreaking.
The Portuguese Cattle Dog is not recommended for households with ill-behaved children or other dogs. Even with proper socialization from a young age, this breed is known to grow impatient will ill-behaved children and may show excessive aggression, dominance, and jealousy towards other dogs.
As previously mentioned, the Portuguese Cattle Dog remains rather rare outside of its native Portugal and can prove difficult to obtain. Individuals seeking to purchase this breed often encounter such challenges as inability to locate a breeder, extremely high prices, and being placed on long waiting lists.
Common Health Concerns
While the Portuguese Cattle Dog is typically known as a healthy and hearty breed, they may suffer from a few health problems, including: hip dysplasia, Degenerative Disk Disease and other spinal conditions, frequent muscle strain, entropian – folding inward of the eye lid, ectropian – folding outward of the eye lid, cherry eye, obesity, and bloat.
Now that you know all about the breed, do you think you are ready to own a Portuguese Cattle Dog? Remember, purchasing a pet is a big decision and should be discussed thoroughly and seriously with your entire family.
Sources:
http://pets-place.net/portuguesecattledogprofile.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/cao_de_castro_laboreiro
