Estrela Mountain Dog

Quick Take

• This breed's greatest strength is also its biggest training liability, a fact that catches most owners completely off guard. See why intelligence backfires →
• Historians still can't agree on who brought this ancient dog to Portugal, and that unresolved question changes everything about the breed's identity. Explore the disputed origins →
• It loves kids and dogs but draws a hard line with one common household pet. Do you know which one? See the cat compatibility issue →
• Skipping one step during puppyhood can turn this gentle giant into a serious problem. The article spells out exactly what's at stake. Learn about early socialization →

These large, agile dogs make excellent guard dogs because they are incredibly loyal to their masters and wary of strangers. Proper socialization in their early days is crucial; without it, you will have a huge dog who could become aggressive to those outside his family.

The Estrela Mountain dog is a calm, watchful breed that is wonderful with children. Its loyalty also makes it an excellent family pet.

3 Pros and Cons of Owning an Estrela Mountain Dog

Evolution and Origins

Also referred to as cão da Serra da Estrela, this domestic canine is considered to be one of the oldest breeds in the mountainous region for which it is named. While no one can quite decide whether it was introduced to the Estrela Mountains by the Romans or the Visigoths, they agree that this hardy, intelligent dog was bred over centuries for agility in navigating tricky mountain paths, an insulating coat to handle the mountain chill, and the endurance to chase errant sheep on limited sustenance.

In the 1900s, attempts were made to establish standards for the breed, which had faced stiff competition from other foreign breeds. By the mid-20th century, its visibility increased thanks to its participation in shows. Today, the breed can be found in the USA and the UK. It can also be found in its native Portugal, where it continues to guard livestock, is the canine of choice for the National Police force, and is a much-loved family pet.

Size and Weight

Estrela Mountain Dogs are a giant breed that can weigh 77 to 132 pounds, with males standing 26 to 30 inches high at the shoulder and females standing 24 to 28 inches high at the shoulder. The males of this breed are slightly larger than the females. They have a thick, wavy coat that comes in a variety of colors, including gray, yellow, and fawn.

Common Health Issues

As with all purebreds, responsible breeders are the key to generations of healthy dogs. That said, these dogs are a generally healthy breed and don’t have any particular genetic diseases to worry about, though, like any large breed, they are susceptible to hip and elbow dysplasia.

Temperament

Estrela Mountain Dogs are courageous and loyal, and therefore make excellent guard dogs. They have an adaptable, laidback personality, so they will be happy taking long walks and hikes or just curling up beside their owners. These dogs get along great with children and with other dogs and make wonderful family pets. They do have a bit of a prey drive, so if you want them to get along with cats or other small animals, you should introduce these animals to them when they are puppies.

These dogs are highly intelligent, which is both a blessing and a curse in terms of training. They can learn new tricks and commands with ease, but you must be consistent with the rules. Otherwise, they will only follow your lead when they want to. This breed also has a fair amount of wanderlust and likes to have large open areas to roam. This wanderlust makes them ill-suited for apartment living.

How To Take Care of an Estrela Mountain Dog

This is an easy breed to maintain. As long as you feed them high-quality food, give them a moderate amount of daily exercise, and establish a simple grooming regimen, you’ll have a happy and healthy canine companion for many years to come.

Food and Diet

These dogs do quite well on high-quality food for extra-large dogs. They don’t have any particular dietary concerns.

During puppyhood, feed them a puppy food rich in nutrients like calcium, DHA, and protein, and then transition to an equally nutritious adult dog food.

Insurance

These dogs have no particular health concerns that need consideration when choosing pet insurance.

Maintenance And Grooming

There is no special maintenance involved in caring for these dogs. This breed sheds moderately year-round, so you should brush them regularly to reduce their shedding. Beyond that, all you need to do to keep them happy and healthy is to maintain a grooming regimen that includes brushing their teeth, cleaning their ears, and clipping their nails.

Training

These dogs are quite intelligent and can master new tricks and commands with ease. This intelligence, however, often leads to stubbornness, so you’ll need to be firm, gentle, and consistent with the rules to earn your dog’s respect.

Exercise

After puppyhood, this is a fairly calm breed that doesn’t need much exercise. For instance, one walk each day or a game of fetch in the backyard should keep this gentle giant happy and healthy.

Puppies

Like any other breed, the puppies have more energy than the adults, so you’ll need to spend more time exercising them when they are young to prevent the destructiveness that comes with pent-up energy. Early socialization is also important, especially if you plan to raise them with cats or other small animals. They can be quite stubborn when it comes to training, so puppy obedience classes can give a new owner some welcome help in this area.

Children

Fortunately, the calm, protective nature of these dogs makes them fantastic companions for children. As with any large breed, you’ll need to teach both dogs and children how to safely interact with one another and never leave them unsupervised, to prevent any accidental injuries.

Dogs Similar to the Estrela Mountain Dog

A few breeds that are similar in size or temperament to these dogs include the Newfoundland, Saint Bernard, and the Bernese Mountain Dog.

• Newfoundland: The Newfoundland is excellent with children and highly trainable, making it the perfect fit for new dog owners.
• Saint Bernard: The Saint Bernard is known for its gentleness and is careful around children. These dogs are eager to please, which makes training a pleasure.
• Bernese Mountain Dog: The Bernese Mountain Dog loves children and tends to attach itself to one special human in its family. These dogs are affectionate with their pack but reserved around strangers.