Medium
American Leopard Hound
Foundation Stock Service
- Weight:35–75 lb (16–34 kg)
- Life span:12–15 years
Portuguese Sheepdog
Also called Cão da Serra de Aires, Monkey Dog and Portuguese Shepherd
- Great with kids
- Needs space
The Portuguese Sheepdog is a medium-sized herding breed that originated in Portugal. It is an intelligent and loyal breed that is friendly with people and other animals. The Portuguese Sheepdog stands between 17-21 inches at the shoulder and has a medium-length coat that can come in various colors and patterns.
- Weight
- 37–60 lb (17–27 kg)
- Height at the shoulder
- 17–22 in (42–55 cm)
- Life span
- 12–14 years
- Exercise
- About 60 minutes a day
- Coat
- Long
- Origin
- Alentejo (Serra de Aires), Portugal (early 20th century)
Traits
Family and friends
- Children: Good with children
- Other dogs: OK with other dogs
- Strangers: Reserved with strangers
Home and activity
- Energy: Energetic
- Apartment living: Needs space
- Barking: Barks sometimes
- Training: Fairly easy to train
Care
- Grooming: Frequent grooming
- Shedding: Sheds a little
- Drooling: Hardly drools
Temperament
Intelligent
Lively
Loyal
Stubborn
Vigilant
Wary of strangers
Coat colours
Black, brown, fawn, grey, with tan markings, wolf grey and yellow
Males and females
| Measure | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 37–60 lb (17–27 kg) | 37–60 lb (17–27 kg) |
| Height | 18–22 in (45–55 cm) | 17–20 in (42–52 cm) |
Recognized by
Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) and United Kennel Club (UKC)
Caring for a Portuguese Sheepdog
Find pet services near you that suit this breed.
Breeds of a similar size
All medium breeds
Medium
Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog
Foundation Stock Service
- Weight:33–44 lb (15–20 kg)
- Life span:12–15 years
Medium
Basset Fauve de Bretagne
Foundation Stock Service
- Weight:22–42 lb (10–19 kg)
- Life span:12–15 years
Sources
- FCI-Standard N°93 Cão da Serra de Aires (opens in a new tab)
- Standard – Clube Português do Cão da Serra de Aires (opens in a new tab)
- Portuguese Sheepdog - AKC Dog Breed Information (opens in a new tab)
- Cão da Serra de Aires Dog Breed Information and Pictures | PetGuide (opens in a new tab)
- Cão da Serra de Aires FCI-Standard (opens in a new tab)
Breed details from The Dog API (opens in a new tab).