CANIL DA CASA DO SEAREIRO

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RAFEIRO DO ALENTEJO

ORIGINS

As with the graet majority of the most ancient canine breeds,   in wich the functional characteristics overlapped any other  in  their development,   it  is  not  possible to define without mistake the exact moment when the  Rafeiro do Alentejo appeared.  It is however accepted that, as the other european great mastiffs,  it descends from the Tibetan  Mastiffs,  brought to this neighbourhood by the roman legions and,  mixing with the local breeds,  originated this large group and marked the morphological differences seen from breed to breed. This origin should  be  common to the Rafeiro do Alentejo,  the Cão da Serra da Estrela and the Cão de Castro Laboreiro  but  the differences between these breeds may have been a direct consequence of the adaptation  to the climatic and orographic characteristics of the region where they were fixed and that begin to be their home.

GENERAL APPEARANCE

Ears are triangular, small, with a narrow base, set on medium high, folded and hanging at the sides. Little mobility. .

Wider on the top of the skull, narrower and less rounded at the base. Dark, horizontal elliptical and small eyes, with a calm expression. A bear type head..

Straight, long, moderately sloping back.. Strong and well muscled body. Wide and slightly rounded loin.

Set on at medium height tail, thick, long and slightly curved, more so towards the tip, but never kinky. In action it may roll upwards.

Not pronounced stop.

Muzzle shorter than the skull lenght, of medium width.

The hindquarters are strong, vertical, viwed from the rear as well as in profile. Legs standing well apart.

The chest is well down, wide, deep and with the sternum almost horizontal.  Underline not whippety

Strong toes, well closed and long, not too arched. Strong nails, their colour changing according to the coat..

The coat is short or, preferably, of medium lenght, heavy, dense, straight.  Black, wolf-like, tawny or yellow, with white markings, or white with marking of these colours, either dappled, streaked or brindled.The height can reach the 74 cm.

TEMPERAMENT

The Rafeiro do Alentejo have a calm but firm temperament.In his role as a guardian he  is  frankly aggressive to strangers who violate the territory left for him to guard, wich borders he knows and well fix the limits of,  being incorruptibel.  Excelent  guarding the flock,  mixes with the livestock giving the cattle feeling  of  safety,  wich is real.  Very  gentle  to  the owners  is  tolerant  to  the children. It's  a  dog that demands large spaces for it´s patrol walks. More active in the night. His temperament can be defined with three adjectives: NOBILITY, DIGNITY AND TRANQUILITY

The drawings used in this page are CPC propertie.