| Country of Origin: | Portugal |
| Registries: | CKC, FCI, NKC, APRI, ACR, DRA, AKC/FSS |
| Breed Group: | FCI : Group 1:Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs (except Swiss Cattle Dogs) Section 1:Sheepdogs #93, UKC: Herding Dog |
| Occupation: | Herding livestock |
| Size: | Height: 45 to 55 cm (17½ to 21½ ins) Weight: 17 to 27 kg (37 to 60 lbs) |
| Longevity; | 12-13 years |
| Exercise: | Daily long walk |
| Training: | Requires a confident, firm handler and needs socialized properly |
| Grooming: | Easy |
| Colors: | Yellow, chestnut, grey, fawn, wolf grey (fulva e a lobeira), and black, with tan marks |
The ancestors of today’s Portuguese Sheepdog were mainly used for herding goats, sheep, cows etc in the Serra de Aires and in the Alentejo. Even though there are still a lot of speculations about the breed’s ancestry, this dog breed is recognisable as one of the old-fashioned types of European sheepdogs.
The standards for the Portuguese Sheepdog were written by Dr. Antonio Cabral and Dr. Felipe Morgado Romeiros and these standards were accepted by the Portuguese Kennel Club. This dog breed was recognised internationally in 1996 by the FCI. Since these dogs were commonly exported to other countries, they became very popular in the Europe. As of 2006 this dog breed is recognized by the United Kennel Club.
The Portuguese Sheepdog is a medium-sized dog, with a height of up to 21 inches and weight up to 60 lbs. Females are slightly smaller and lighter. These dogs have a long and strong body and long coat without an undercoat. Their fur is of medium thickness and with a “goat like” texture.Due to the lack of undercoat, this dog is not appropriate as a working dog during winters, however this is something that makes him a great pet due to the fact that it requires less grooming.
Typical coat colours for Portuguese Sheepdog include yellow, fawn, grey, chestnut, wolf grey and black with tan marks. There should be no large white patches according to the standards. The tail is long, and natural bobtail Portuguese Sheepdogs are automatically being disqualified on competitions. The tail should never be docked. Their drop ears are set high and close to the head.
The Portuguese Sheepdog is a very intelligent and very lively dog breed, and no extraordinary health problems have been documented for this dog breed.