I Have a Cao de fila de Sao Miguel (Azores cattle dog) she is 6 months old. Exellent dog we have two daughters 2.5 & 5.5 also two cats we are getting a litte pup that will only be 4lb when grown. I'm not worried about the small dog getting hurt my mom has a 3lb dog my pup wants to play with the small dog but is respectfull like she is with the cats she is very stable & Sound needs a firm hand but very responsive. I got her at 8 weeks 3 days later we went to our lake lot she doen't wander has never been locked up just some renforment of the border the kids next door have to come on our property to play with the dog when they leave she stays. Now they are a very strong breed but have been selected for 500 years to be the best farm dog possible by people that needed a dog that would protect them from pirates but not eat the chickens stay on the farm or with the cattle there life depended on it even watching the melon patch a woman I know grew up on the Island says they would play in the melon patch the dogs never bit the kids but nobody could take a melon.I think this is a great breed I've worked 2.5 years in a vet clinic the largest in my city I have owed 3 generations of rottweiler female's one litter each exept the last one was very dog agressive I didn't breed her she lived to 10.5 I had them from 1989 to 2006 I also helped agitate 3 GSD dogs that made it to the police force. This is a good working breed that hasn't been ruined by show people or population surges I think they are capable of anything search & rescue in or out of water, protection of everything you have thats not true of many breeds. They are long lived usually 15-16 years with no know heath issues they have a short coat but not super short that is always brindle the only breed I know that is always brindle. They aren't a giant breed they range from 19 to 24 inches and 60 to 90 pounds small females to large males my female Is 21 inches and 54 pounds at 6 months she should be about 23in 80pd. There is the estrella mountian dog that comes in short or long hair they are more than 110pd they are a livestock gardian breed.