Portugese Watchdog - Rafeiro Do Alentejo

Known also as the Portuguese Watchdog or the Rafeiro do Alentejo, this breed has acted as a flock guardian in southern Portugal for Many years.The Alentejo herder is thought to have descended from the Estrela and Spanish Mastiff. GENERAL APPEARANCE

A large dog, strong and sober. from profile slightly convenx. An excellent watch dog, particularly at night, in Alentejo he is used either to watch over the isolated houses or to follow the herds. He is devoted to his master, but aggressive towards strangers.

HEAD A bear type head. Wider at the end of the skull, narrower and less domed at the base, well proportioned to the size of the body. NOSE - Oval, with the tip slightly blunted, from up down and towards the back; Black.

MUZZLE - Arched, straight, shorter than the skull length, medium width.

LIPS - Slightly arched in front, overlapping and well cut. Thin and firm. The inferior profile slightly arched too.

JAWS - Strong well developed and well set.

STOP - Not pronounced, the upper longitudinal axes of muzzle and skull should be divergent.

SKULL - Broad, slightly round eye sockets not projecing, slight furrow between and above the eyes. Occiput no too marked, with the space between the ears slightly and regularly arched.

EYES - A calm expression, eyes almost level with face. Dark, horizontal eliptical and small. Black pigmented lids.

EARS - Set on medium high, tolded and hanging at the sides. Little mobility, when the dog is attentive, they still keep tolded, but they rise and fold in vertical wrinkles at the base. Triangular with a narrow base and the size about the same as the furrow; small.

NECK - Well set into the shoulders, straight, short, strong, with dewlap.

FOREQUARTERS

Strong, straight, either viewed from front or from profile.

SHOULDER AND ARM - Strong, medium size, rather apart, slightly sloping, well developed and muscled. Open shoulder angulation.

FOREARM - Vertical and long; thick and well muscled.

CARPUS - Thick.

PASTERN - Medium length, thick, slightly sloping.

FOOT - Thick toes, well closed and long, not too arched, strong nails. The colour changes according to the coat. Pads thick and tough. The foot should not be flat.

BODY

Strong; well muscled; long, bulky, slightly sloping from fore to rear, and moderately hollow. The bottow line raising gently from the brisket to the groin.

BREAST - Wide, but not very marked.

CHEST - Well down, wide, deep and with the sternum almost horizontal. RIBS - Straight; slightly obliquous.

BACK - Level, moderately sloping; long.

LOIN - Medium size and straight; wide; slightly hollowed; well muscled.

BELLY AND FLANKS - Proportioned to size; following the brisket line.

CROUP - Medium size, broad and high, slightly drooping.

HINDQUARTERS

Strong, well apart, upright viewed from the rear, as well as from profile.

THIGH - Long, broad, well muscled but not too marked.

HINDLEG - Slightly sloping; medium sized, well muscled.

HOCK - Medium height and length; lean; moderately angulated.

METATARSUS - Thick; medium length, slightly sloping; may have single or double dewclaws.

FOOT - Similar to the forefoot.

TAIL - Set on at medium height; thick, smoothly curved to the tip; long and not broken. When at rest, it should fall between the hocks and reach below them. In action, it may curl upwards.

COAT

Short or preferably medium length hair, heavy, dense, straight and evenly covering the body down to the toes and the space between them.

COLOUR - Black, wolf, tawny or yellow, marked with white; White marked with those colours; Bicoloured, roan or dappled, often streaked or grizzled.

SKIN - Thick and close-fitting. Internal and external membranes partially or totally pigmented with black.

HEIGHT

Males 66 to 74 cm, Females 64 to 70 cm.

WEIGHT - Males 40 to 50 kg, Females 35 to 45 kg.

GAIT

Heavy, slow and wavy movements.

FAULTS/PENALTIES

APPEARANCE - Obesity, underdevelopment, generally poor appearance.
NOSE - too thin or pointed, blunted.
MUZZLE - too long.
NECK - with no dewlap.
CROUP - too low.
TAIL - inserted too high or too low; curled at rest.
COAT - poorly presented. Lightness.

DISQUALIFICATIONS

HEAD - long and narrow.
MUZZLE - excessively long or arched.
JAWS - overshot or undershot.
SKULL - flat or narrow.
EYES - Light, of different colour or shape; partially covered by the third lid.
EARS - inserted too high or too low; big or round.
TAIL - Non existant or cut off.
HAIR - too short. Lack of black pigmentation in the tip or the nose, nostrils, mouth or lips. Albinism.