Pastor Garafiano

The Garafiano Shepherd is sometimes called the Spanish Collie, but it is unclear whether it is because of its physical appearance or its heritage. Some fanciers of this beautiful breed claim that there is only a limited number of pure Garafiano dogs to be found today, thanks to numerous crossings with other breeds over the course of the 20th century, such as the German Shepherd Dog and the Scottish Collie. There is also a theory which deems all Garafiano Sheepdogs with erect ears as crossbreeds, but this claim isn't very popular, due to the fact that there is actually more erect-eared specimens in existance today than those with drop ears. There is also a variety of coat types, but the longhaired type is most common and valued.

The Pastor Garafiano is lupoid in head-type, has a short and massive neck, a deep and wide chest, strong legs and a powerful, but agile body. This breed is a very fast runner and needs a lot of excercise. Docile, even-tempered and intelligent, the always-alert Garafiano Shepherd Dog is easily trained and makes a good watchdog and family companion.

The rich coat comes in solid shades of golden yellow, orange, fawn and light reddish-brown, some with small white markings allowed. Average height is around 25 inches.