Cao da Serra de Aires vs Alano Espanol - Breed Comparison

Alano Espanol is a very old breed and first data originate back in the 5th century. Alano has been used as dogs for war and dogs that traveled with explorers. After some, time Alano Espanol becoming more and more popular for bullfights and wild boar hunting. Nowadays, Alano Espanol is still not recognized worldwide, but it seems like this breed is getting more and more popular. They are excellent hunters and amazing working dogs.

Ancestors of the Cao da Sera de Aires were used for herding livestock in the Serra de Aires and Alentejo, Portugal. This herding dog is native to Portugal and throughout the 20th Century he was kept as a working dog.

Known also as the Portuguese Sheepdog, Portuguese Shepherd Dog or Serra de Aires Mountain Dog, there are some questions surrounding the breed's ancestry as there are few records of dogs before 1900. The dog is thought to be related to the Pyrenean and Catalan Sheepdogs and that it has descended from Briards which were imported into Portugal and crossed with the Pyrenean Sheepdog.

The Cão da Serra de Aires breed standard was accepted by the Portuguese Kennel Club, and the breed was recognized internationally in 1996. The dog was also recognized by the United Kennel Club in the Herding Group in 2006.

On average, Alano Espanol approximately weights 34-40kg, while their average height is 56-64cm. Females are slightly smaller than male dogs.

A lifespan of Alano Espanol variates but on average it is 11 to 14 years.

Litter Size is 4-8 puppies, but it depends on every dog.

Other Names for Alano Espanol are Spanish Bulldog and Spanish Alano.

The beautiful Cão da Serra de Aires is a medium-sized dog. He stands at 45 to 55 cm at the withers and weighs about 17 to 27 kg. He is recognizable by the long, shaggy, single-layer coat, of straight or slightly wavy hair. Don’t be deceived by the coat as below, the dog has a muscular, athletic body.

The coat comes in different shades such as fawn, gray, yellow and black. The dog has a long tail which is held straight out or down and he has medium-length, floppy ears. You’ve got to look hard, as the facial features of the dog are hidden by its shaggy coat. He has a lot of facial hair that sometimes you have to wonder if he can see out of his eyes.

Temperament:

The Cao da Serra de Aires is a wonderful canine companion and is devoted and loyal, forming strong bonds with their human family. He is a playful, amicable dog and gets on well with children in the home as well as with other pets.

He is intelligent and trainable, and when properly trained and socialized,he becomes an even nicer pet to have around and is obedient to his master’s voice. He is territorial, strong willed and dominant and makes a good watchdog too.

Alano Espanol is an extra-large breed but they are very well balanced breed and they tend to be very reliable and calm. They are not very comfortable living in the small apartments. They are better in houses. They are also very good with kids. Alano Espanol needs a lot of daily exercise with a minimum of 3 walks per day. Even though people used them for dogfights and bullfights through the history. They are not recommended for the first time owners because they are strong-willed dogs who tend to be leaders in the pack. Strong will and constant training are very important for them. They are very dominant breed and have Alpha character. Socialization is also very important for Alano Espanol because they are very powerful and they can easily hurt other animals. They will listen the master but it is important that they play and socialize with other animals from very young age. Alano Espanol can be a very good with other animals even in the same household, but only with proper socialization. If the dogs are the same sex, they tend to show dominance. Basically, they can be amazing pets, but it is important to train them properly.

The Cão da Serra de Aires is such a loyal dog to his human family that he makes a splendid pet. He is active, having worked historically at herding and guarding.

Socialization and obedience training ensure that he becomes an exceptional pet and he has a host of positive attributes to his name – he is intelligent, energetic, loyal and loving. He may have been used long ago to guard livestock, but today he is selected as a pet specifically for his excellent companionship and for his protective nature.

Alano Espanol is a very strong and healthy breed. They do not have any major health issues. Aldo, as with every large breed you should be careful of dogs genetic because they might have dysplasia. However, they are very healthy dogs with no health issues so your dog will live happy and healthy life with a proper care and occasional vet examination.

As with most dogs that are looked after well, their health can be good. The Cao da Serra de Aires isn’t likely to keep you at the vet often. Just like with any good dog, there are some health disorders that can benefit you to know about.

Being forewarned , you can get your pet to the vet quickly before the illness gets out of hand.

There are some pet owners who want to have their pets tested by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals as well as the Canine Eye Registration Foundation to rule out health defects such as hip dysplasia and cataracts before they manifest themselves in their pets. This is of particular importance to breeders so as to prevent the parent dogs passing bad genetic conditions to the puppies.

Hip Dysplasia:

This is a common skeletal disease where the dog’s hip joints don’t develop properly. It can be terribly painful for your pet to get around. It’s a genetic condition and while it is more prevalent in big dogs, any breeds are susceptible.

Your dog will battle along with painful joints and sometimes his hind-end will be lame. You’ll notice that once lying down, he battles to get up again. Fortunately vets are well acquainted with this ailment and they have different options to treat and manage it.

Cataracts:

Cataracts in your dog come about from a disease process which affects the lens of the eye. The eye loses its transparency and impairs vision. There are some instances where cataracts can cause blindness. You’ll see a whitish gray area in your pets eye. The most common cause of cataracts is genetics. Get your pet to the vet who will do certain tests to evaluate the eyes and make a recommendation.

Feeding Alano Espanol

Feeding habits of any dog depend on daily activity and size. Alano Espanol should eat approximately 4-5 cups of high-quality food divided into two meals. You can also add some vegetables, fruit, oil or basically anything that you see your dog enjoy eating.

Feeding Alano Espanol puppy

Alano Espanol puppies need more food divided into 3-5 meals per day. It is very important that puppy has all the necessary vitamins and minerals to develop into a big and healthy adult.

Grooming Alano Espanol

Alano Espanol is a very easy breed to groom. They have short hair with no undercoat, so minimal grooming is all that it takes. Alano does not drool, so it is not very hard to keep them clean. They will need occasional baths, but only when they are dirty because if you bath your dog too much, the skin could dry and start to itch.

As a working dog used to long hours of action, the Cao da Serra de Aires will need lots of activity. He’ll need you taking him for long walks and playing ball games with him. He can become frustrated and destructive when left without any physical stimulation.

Grooming

The Cao da Serra de Aires may have long hair but he isn’t high maintenance. He won’t require professional grooming, but will require a good brush a least twice a week. This is because the long coat can tangle.

To keep him looking his best, you’ll want to be trimming the hair around his paws. Another important grooming task is checking his ears and cleaning them. You have to be careful about cleaning your pet ears if you don’t know how, as it could damage the ears. Your vet can always advise you on how this is done.