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Estrela Mountain Dog The Estrela Mountain Dog gets his name from the mountain range of the same name in the central part of Portugal where he originates .He is likely to be descended from Mastiff type dogs taken to the Iberian Peninsula by the Romans. The Estrela Mountain Dogs is a member of the mainland Europe group of herding guard dogs and was used to protect the herds of sheep and goats. British herding breeds developed differently as they were not required to guard flocks and herds from large predators like wolves and bears. The importance of the Estrela Mountain Dog to the farmers meant that their guarding abilities were highly valued. They were required to protect the herds against wolves they needed to be powerful and courageous and were often equipped with vicious spiked collars to protect them against attacking wolves. The Estrela Mountains are fairly inaccessible and this helped keep the breed pure; they became known outside the mountains when they caught the eye of the aristocracy and were used to adorn mansions from where they made their way into the pet-owning world. The Estrela Mountain Dog is a big dog, up to 30" at the withers, and of great substance. The Breed Standard demands "A sturdy, well built dog of mastiff type, conveying an impression of strength and vigour", and in common with other guarding breeds needs an owner who can dominate him. As a mountain dog he is an impressive jumper which needs to be considered when dog-proofing the garden; he also has a loud bark which he is not afraid to use. The Estrela coat can be either smooth or long, and in the long-coated variety the male develops a heavy mane; colours are either fawn, in all shades, brindle or wolf grey. He is reputed to be excellent with children and is quite trainable, though he is a very substantial dog so adequate space is needed to keep him.
General Appearance A sturdy, well built dog of mastiff type, conveying an impression of strength and vigour. Never cumbersome. Has distinctive small ears, folding backwards, and hook to tail. Characteristics A hardy guard dog, active and has considerable stamina.Temperament Loyal, affectionate to owners, aloof to others. Intelligent and alert. Self-willed yet trainable.Head and Skull Head long and powerful with broad, slightly rounded skull. Moderate stop set halfway between nose and slightly defined occiput. Muzzle moderately tapered. Topline of muzzle almost straight, with slightly aquiline nose. A narrow head and pointed muzzle undesirable. Large black nose with well-opened nostrils. Jaws well developed. Lips black, tightly closed and not pendulous. Roof of mouth black.
Eyes Neither deep nor prominent, of medium size, oval in shape with calm and intelligent expression, preferably amber or darker. Black-rimmed eyelids closing well, with rather prominent eyebrows. Ears Small in relation to body, thin, triangular, rounded at tips. Moderately high set. Rose ear folding backwards, with inner edge apparent, carried close to skull. Mouth Teeth very strong. Jaw strong with perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Neck Short, muscular and well set on. A hard, thick tuft of hair under throat. Dewlap undesirable.
Forequarters Forelegs straight, well muscled and with strong, round bone. Moderately sloping shoulders and upper arms. Short pasterns which appear nearly vertical when viewed from the side. Body Back preferably short, slightly higher at withers and almost level. Short coupled, broad, well muscled loin. Slightly sloping croup. Chest moderately deep and broad. Ribs well sprung. Underline very gently rising. Hindquarters Moderate angulation. Thighs well muscled. Hocks moderately well let down. Rear pasterns vertical. Feet Oval with thick, hard pads and tightly closed toes. Abundant hair between pads. Dark, or preferably black nails. Tail Set on slightly low. Reaching to the hock. Forming a distinctive, rigid hook at the tip. Well furnished and feathered. Carried low. On the move may be carried slightly higher than the level of the back. Gait/Movement Free and easy purposeful jog trot. Has a tendency to converge at a faster pace, without weakness. Should not be penalised for carrying the head level with the topline in motion.
Coat Two types: Long Coat: Outer coat thick and slightly coarse without being too harsh. Lying close over the body, flat or slightly waved, never curly. Undercoat very dense and normally lighter in colour than the outer coat. Short and smooth hair on head diminishing in length from base of ears to tip. Thick and abundant round the neck and chest forming a ruff, particularly in the male. Forearms, thighs, rear pasterns and tail abundantly feathered. Short, smooth hair on front of legs. A woolly or fluffy coat undesirable. Short coat: Short, thick and slightly coarse, without being too harsh, with a shorter, dense undercoat. Any feathering should be in proportion.
Colour Recognised colours are: Fawn: which varies from burnt yellow through reddish gold to a deep red. With or without guard hairs. The fawn should never be so pale as to be a dirty white. Brindle: any of the previous permitted colours with the addition of streaks or smudges of black or brown varying in intensity. Wolf Grey. a mixture of grey and black hairs intermingled, with or without guard hairs. Black muzzle or mask highly desirable. White markings on chest, underside, feet or tail are tolerated but undesirable.
Size Height: dogs: 65-72 cms (25 & 1/2 - 28 & 1/2 ins); bitches: 62-68 cms (24 & 1/2 - 27 ins). A tolerance of 4 cms (11 & 1/2 ins) above these limits is allowed. Faults Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog. Note Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
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