Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Pachon Navarro - Breed Comparison

Known also as the Navarra Pointer, this is a Spanish hunting dog native to Navarre, Spain and descended from the extinct Old Spanish Pointer.

Major kennel clubs don’t recognize this dog as a standardized breed, but the Spanish Kennel Club has accepted the Pachón Navarro as a breed.

It is believed that this dog has also descended from other hounds as well as the Talbot hounds. It isn’t a new breed as it is thought that the dog originated in the 12th century already. There were times when the dog almost became extinct but efforts to preserve it have been made and to also establish it as a standardized breed.

Known also as the Portuguese Mastiff, the Rafeiro do Alentejo comes from Portugal and has always been used as guardian for livestock. Their numbers declined quite a bit when there was no longer a need for this kind of job.Today it is essentially a companion dog.

The official standard of the Rafeiro do Alentejo was established in 1953. The dog is is recognized as a breed by the Portuguese Caniculture Club as well as the Federation Cynologique Interationale.

This dog is large sized, standing at between 48 and 57cm in height and weighing between 27 and 33kg. A most unusual feature and characteristic unseen in dogs in general is his split or double nose. The nose of the dog serves the same purpose however, as with any other dog.

The head is fairly large with a broad forehead. The broad head of the dog is generally solid colored. The coat of the coat of the dog is short and of a hard texture. Colors of the coat are white and brown or white and black or white and an orangey color with ticking.

The eyes are large and brown, the ears are long and broad with a rounded tip and the tail is long too. These dogs have a strong, sturdy body with strong legs.

Temperament:

The Pachon Navarro is a friendly, social, intelligent, loving and loyal dog. He is also gentle and docile with an amicable nature, making him a splendid choice for those with children in the home as well as pets.

He is athletic and energetic and is going to need a good dose of daily exercise. Apart from their strong hunting instincts, they make excellent family pets and companions and is most certainly not a dog to be put outdoors day after day without the contact of his human family.

He is intelligent and a quick learner and will benefit from training and socialization as this makes him obedient and it also bring about positive changes with any bad behavior from this excellent pet.

He requires a kind, firm, patient and consistent owner. This particular dog won’t be suited to living in a tiny property in the city, as they require a lot of space to run and exercise.

The Alentejo is a large dog standing at between 64 and 75cm in height and weighing 45 to 60kg. He is a powerful dog with a deep chest, dark eyes, floppy ears. His coat is short to medium length, thick and straight. The color of the coat is a mix of fawn, a wolf grey, white, cream and black.

Temperament:

This is a serious dog with a calm demeanour about him. It doesn’t matter how calm he is though, as every dog will require training ad socialization if you want to enjoy having an obedient, well mannered dog around you. This is particularly important with a large, independent, self-confident, territorial dog like this.

He isn’t an aggressive dog but he is protective, wanting to guard and look out for his human family. They are dogs that get on well with children and other pets in the home, being wary of strangers.

They’re not recommended for life in small properties in the city as he requires a large garden at least.

The Pachón Navarro is an active, friendly, playful, affectionate dog and he makes a great family pet. He will however want lots of outdoor exercise, making him a suitable companion for active owners. Inactive city dwellers should think of keeping a more docile kind of indoor pet.

Your Pachón Navarro just loves the company of his human family and will be dejected if made to spend all his time outside and away from his owner.

He also takes his role as guardian and protector seriously. Give him what he requires and make him part of the family and he will be a most remarkable friend and companion.

The Rafeiro do Alentejo is a quiet dog, but intelligent and strong-willed. Training and socialization will make him easy to get on with.

He will become an excellent companion, and can come indoors because he is well mannered and considerate. He was bred to be a guard dog, and the responsibilities he had taking care of livestock has been transferred to looking out for- and protecting his human family.

He makes a wonderful pet and companion, even with children and other pets, more so when brought up correctly by loving, firm, consistent dog owners.

Pachon Navarros are generally healthy dogs and you’re not likely to spend much time at the vets with these dogs. They can reach up to 15 years of age if looked after well, but with the long ears they are prone to ear infections.

Moisture, wax and dirt can all build up inside the dog's ears and this can cause a painful ear infection with the dog scratching and pawing at his ear.

Bloat is another illness to look out for and you'll notice your dog is lethargic and has a swollen, hard stomach with gas being trapped inside. The condition is life threatening and will require a trip to the vet.

The Rafeiro do Alentejo is a generally healthy dog breed, and with good care can get to 11, 12 or 13 years of age.

Of course with a large dog like this, it is always a good idea to be aware of canine hip dysplasia, particularly because this is a large dog with a deep chest.

This makes him also vulnerable to bloat, a condition where the stomach swells with gas and which can be life threatening. Other things to watch for are ear infections and parasites.

Your Pachon Navarros is a low maintenance dog and you will just be required to give him a good brush. He is a moderate shedder and this brushing down will keep the skin and coat healthy.

Because of his long, floppy ears, you will need to check inside them because moisture, dirt and wax can build up and encourage an ear infection. Don’t try to clean inside your pet’s ears if you’re not sure how, rather find out about cleaning the ears from the vet.

The nails will also need to be clipped as well as checking regularly on the eyes and teeth.

Diet:

Your Pachon Navarro is a hardworking dog and you want to ensure tasty, palatable food that is properly digested and eliminated without problems. If you feed your dog a commercially manufactured dog food, choose the best quality and check out the labels.

Make sure that the food doesn’t contain lots of preservatives, colorants and fillers. Some of the best kibble has the right balance of vitamins and minerals in them. With these kind of hunting dogs, it is best to feed your dog hours before vigorous exercise such as a hunt.

Try and vary the regular kibble by adding in simple, but tasty home-made food occasionally. Dogs appreciate simple food without spices and exotic ingredients as its keeps their stomachs free from pain, gas and bloat.

Some chopped up boiled chicken, some brown rice or pasta and some vegetables such as sweet potato, carrots and spinach is super healthy for your pet as well as adding in a little bit of raw meat from time to time.

Remember clean, fresh water must be constantly available.

Grooming:

Make your grooming time with this serious, calm canine friend of yours a special bonding time. His coat simply requires a brush twice a week to keep it healthy and shiny.

While bushing him, run your hands over him to make sure there aren’t any unusual lumps. Check inside the floppy ears to make sure they’re not red which could be the start of a painful ear infection.

Look a his nails and trim them if they’ve become too long. Check inside his mouth and make sure there aren’t any black, rotten teeth as this can seriously impact the health of your pet.

Exercise:

Options for exercise will include long walks and a chance to run off his leash. In the back yard it will be to his benefit to throw balls for him to fetch. You can even bring him indoors and play some calm games with him. He should have exercise every single day.

Diet:

Good food is needed for good health. It is always convenient to make use of the commercially manufactured dog foods there are on the market.

You don’t want to feed this to your dog day after day so provide your pet with some tasty home-made food too. Dogs want simplicity and consistency with their diets so they don’t battle with upset stomachs and an unnecessary trip to the vet.

Some home-cooked food twice a week and added to the dry kibble can keep him healthy and happy. Boiled chicken, sweet potatoes, brown rice or pasta, carrots and spinach will be perfect for him. Chop the food up finely and add it into the dry kibble once or twice a week.

Some people even cook it in bulk, refrigerate it and warm up small portions to add to the kibble. Raw meat added in occasionally can also be a good treat. Make sure your pet is never without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.