Cao da Serra de Aires vs Canis Panther - Breed Comparison

The Canis Panther is a strong, muscled dog who has been developed in the USA in the 1970s by Scorpio Jones, Michael Stratten, and Lucas Lopez. They mixed the Doberman Pinscher, the Great Dane the Labrador Retriever and the American Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

This dog hasn’t got a long history, having only been established in the 1970's, but the breeders wanted a dog much like the Doberman but somewhat larger and stronger. It is a dog breed which is still fairly unknown in the United States and elsewhere.

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.

The Canis Panther is a large dog measuring roughly 68 – 77 cm in height and weighing around 50 to 63 kg. He has a deep chest and strong neck. The coat is short and dense and it is is essentially a solid color - fawn, grey, blue, chocolate or black.

He looks magnificent with his cropped ears and short docked tail. Unfortunately with regulations surrounding the docking of dog’s tails, the dog these days is often left with a long tail.

He is an intelligent, territorial dog and makes an excellent watchdog. He is a dog which can be easily trained and socialized and then he makes a great family dog. He is loving and loyal to his human family, being somewhat aloof with strangers. His gets along well with children in the home as well as with other pets.

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.

The Canis Panther is a loving dog in spite of his large, guard-dog looks. He is intelligent, bold and courageous, and when trained and socialized is a devoted, loyal, loving pet.

He is known for his high intelligence and becomes so attached to his human family he will fight to the death for them if needs be. He is a territorial dog and won’t welcome strangers to his door.

The Canis Panther puppy is outgoing and playful, loving the company of kids in the family.He requires a firm owner who can see to it that he gets in a good quota of exercise. He is an energetic dog and if he isn’t given enough exercise he can become destructive and aggressive through no fault of his own but because of an irresponsible owner.

The Canis Panther is a large dog but given love and proper care he becomes the most awesome, strong devoted pet and protector.

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.

The Canis Panther breed is not known to have any particular illness and he can live to be 10, 11 or 12 years of age. However, like every other dog, there are some more common dog illnesses that you will need to be aware of and which are seen more commonly in larger dog breeds, some of which are -

Bone Cancer

Larger breeds can be prone to bone cancer, known as Osteosarcoma and found more often in the limbs. Dogs develop swelling in the affected part of the limb and the bones can break easily. If you notice swelling or limping, see that you get your pet to the vet.

Lymphoma

This is another kind of cancer which affects the Lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. Dogs with Lymphoma may have an enlarged lymph node under the chin and neck for instance or the swelling could be in the groin area. Get your dog to the vet so as to have the lump biopsied.

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.

With his short coat, the Canis Panther is looked upon as a low mainenance dog. You’ll need to brush his hair at least twice a week though to remove loose hairs and keep the coat shiny.

Dental Care

Brush your pet’s teeth at least 2 or 3 times a week. You get special toothpaste and toothbrush for dogs and your vet can guide you on how to use them. If you don’t attend to your pet's teeth, he can experience tartar build up. This can lead to gum disease and tooth loss. Not only that, bad teeth can affect other parts of the body too.

Exercise

This breed comes from several large dog breeds and as a big dog, he is certainly going to need a good deal of exercise. He’ll need a walk every day or perhaps frisbee games in the park where he is made to run.

Any dog requires exercise, and especially a magnificent dog like this one. You want to make sure you maintain those lean, muscled limbs by ensuring he gets his fair share of exercise.

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.