Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Central Asian Shepherd - Breed Comparison

Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Central Asian Shepherd - Breed ComparisonCentral Asian Shepherd is originated from Russia but Rafeiro do Alentejo is originated from Portugal. Both Central Asian Shepherd and Rafeiro do Alentejo are having almost same height. Central Asian Shepherd may weigh 10 kg / 22 pounds lesser than Rafeiro do Alentejo. Central Asian Shepherd may live 3 years more than Rafeiro do Alentejo. Both Central Asian Shepherd and Rafeiro do Alentejo has same litter size. Both Central Asian Shepherd and Rafeiro do Alentejo requires Moderate Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Working dog
Working dog
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Russia
Portugal
Height Male:
62 - 70 cm
24 - 28 inches
64 - 75 cm
25 - 30 inches
Height Female:
62 - 70 cm
24 - 28 inches
64 - 75 cm
25 - 30 inches
Weight Male:
40 - 50 kg
88 - 111 pounds
45 - 60 kg
99 - 133 pounds
Weight Female:
40 - 50 kg
88 - 111 pounds
45 - 60 kg
99 - 133 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
10 - 12 Years
Litter Size:
4 - 10
4 - 10
Size:
Large
Large
Other Names:
Central Asian Ovtcharka
Portuguese Mastiff
Colors Available:
brindle, flecked and bi-colored, grey, black, White, tan
Fawn, cream and black. , white, a wolf grey
Coat:
Short hair and long haired
Short to medium length, dense
Shedding:
Moderate, Seasonal
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Aggressive, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
No
Yes

History

central asian shepherdThis large dog breed is a native to the wilds of Central Asia, where it has been guarding and protecting livestock for thousands of years. In fact the Central Asian Shepherd is one of the oldest dog breeds of the world.

Early records as to the precise origin of the breed aren’t available. There are suggestions that the breed descended from ancient Middle Eastern livestock guarding breeds, while the other suggests the dog is descended from the Tibetan Mastiff. It is almost certain that the dog was domesticated from the Wolf.

rafeiro do alentejoKnown also as the Portuguese Mastiff, the Rafeiro do Alentejo comes from Portugal and has always been used as guardian for livestock. Their numbers declined quite a bit when there was no longer a need for this kind of job.Today it is essentially a companion dog.

The official standard of the Rafeiro do Alentejo was established in 1953. The dog is is recognized as a breed by the Portuguese Caniculture Club as well as the Federation Cynologique Interationale.

Description

central asian shepherd puppy - descriptionThe Central Asian Shepherd is a large dog, standing at up to 70cm in height and weighing in the region of 50kg. The dog is powerfully built and muscular, with the tail being traditionally docked to a short bob. Undocked, the tail is naturally long, thick at the base and tapering down. When relaxed, the tail is carried low, but when he becomes alert and excited, the tail is up and curved.

The ears of this dog are also traditionally cropped close to the head so that the dog almost appears to have no visible ears. This practice is also falling away and the natural ears of this breed are small and set at- or below eye level.

The brown eyes are small to medium size and are deep set. The Central Asian Shepherd Dog is double-coated with short to medium length hair and can be found in quite a few different colors such as tan, white, black, grey, brindle, ticked or a blend of these colors.

Temperament:

You have to be careful about where you buy your Asian Shepherd from as these dogs can be prone to aggression. With good breeding however, the dog is evenly tempered. As a first time dog owner, this shouldn’t be your first choice as it is a dominant, wilful, territorial, independent dog who will require a tough, firm, strong owner. Training and socialization are imperative to ensure he becomes obedient. He is then capable of forming close and strong bonds with his master, becoming a loyal and devoted pet. He also makes an excellent guard dog.

He is a protective dog breed, and once trained can get on well with children and other pets. He is the kind of dog that you will want to supervise around small children.

rafeiro do alentejo puppy - descriptionThe Alentejo is a large dog standing at between 64 and 75cm in height and weighing 45 to 60kg. He is a powerful dog with a deep chest, dark eyes, floppy ears. His coat is short to medium length, thick and straight. The color of the coat is a mix of fawn, a wolf grey, white, cream and black.

Temperament:

This is a serious dog with a calm demeanour about him. It doesn’t matter how calm he is though, as every dog will require training ad socialization if you want to enjoy having an obedient, well mannered dog around you. This is particularly important with a large, independent, self-confident, territorial dog like this.

He isn’t an aggressive dog but he is protective, wanting to guard and look out for his human family. They are dogs that get on well with children and other pets in the home, being wary of strangers.

They’re not recommended for life in small properties in the city as he requires a large garden at least.

Characteristics

central asian shepherd dog - characteristicsIt is important for those interested in the Central Asian Shepherd Dog as a pet to do some research on the breed. For instance this is a large dog that has been used for fighting.

While he can’t be described as being overly aggressive, you do need to be aware of his history, especially when you have small children in the home.

This dog is intelligent and confident too while also being exceptionally protective, and therefore he makes a good watchdog.

It is essential to have your Central Asian trained and socialized, and then he becomes far more relaxed and obedient, making him a loyal, loving guardian and friend.

rafeiro do alentejo dog - characteristicsThe Rafeiro do Alentejo is a quiet dog, but intelligent and strong-willed. Training and socialization will make him easy to get on with.

He will become an excellent companion, and can come indoors because he is well mannered and considerate. He was bred to be a guard dog, and the responsibilities he had taking care of livestock has been transferred to looking out for- and protecting his human family.

He makes a wonderful pet and companion, even with children and other pets, more so when brought up correctly by loving, firm, consistent dog owners.

Health Problems

central asian shepherd puppies - health problemsThe Central Asian Shepherd doesn't have any hereditary ailments and he is generally a healthy, robust breed.

Large breeds are always prone to hip- and elbow dysplasia, an abnormal development of hip and elbow, brought about by a number of factors such as genetics, the wrong diet and rapid growth with some large puppies.

A dysplastic hip or elbow doesn’t move smoothly as it should, and this results in joint inflammation and pain. Symptoms can include loss of muscle mass, pain when moving around and difficulty with standing up again once your pet lies down.

rafeiro do alentejo puppies - health problemsThe Rafeiro do Alentejo is a generally healthy dog breed, and with good care can get to 11, 12 or 13 years of age.

Of course with a large dog like this, it is always a good idea to be aware of canine hip dysplasia, particularly because this is a large dog with a deep chest.

This makes him also vulnerable to bloat, a condition where the stomach swells with gas and which can be life threatening. Other things to watch for are ear infections and parasites.

Caring The Pet

central asian shepherd dogs - caringCentral Asians are large dogs and when he is looked after well he can reach up to 15 years of age.

Diet:

It is important to see that he receives top quality, size-specific food, of which he eats a lot, and that it has all the vitamins and minerals he needs for his size.

A puppy will need high energy foods because of their energy. As he grows bigger, protein will become imperative. It is always a treat for your pet to add in some brown rice, vegetables and cooked chicken into his kibble from time to time.

Raw meat can be expensive, but if you can, it is important to ensure that your large pet gets some raw meat into his diet too, to keep his skin and coat healthy and to ward off disease. Make sure he has non-stop access to a bowl of fresh, cool water.

Grooming:

As previously mentioned, the coat of the Central Asian Shepherd can be fairly short but it can also be medium length. He isn't going to require any exceptional grooming but you will certainly need to give him a good brush twice a week, more so in his shedding periods. This will rid him of loose hair and keep his coat free of tangles and matting.

Grooming:

rafeiro do alentejo dogs - caringMake your grooming time with this serious, calm canine friend of yours a special bonding time. His coat simply requires a brush twice a week to keep it healthy and shiny.

While bushing him, run your hands over him to make sure there aren’t any unusual lumps. Check inside the floppy ears to make sure they’re not red which could be the start of a painful ear infection.

Look a his nails and trim them if they’ve become too long. Check inside his mouth and make sure there aren’t any black, rotten teeth as this can seriously impact the health of your pet.

Exercise:

Options for exercise will include long walks and a chance to run off his leash. In the back yard it will be to his benefit to throw balls for him to fetch. You can even bring him indoors and play some calm games with him. He should have exercise every single day.

Diet:

Good food is needed for good health. It is always convenient to make use of the commercially manufactured dog foods there are on the market.

You don’t want to feed this to your dog day after day so provide your pet with some tasty home-made food too. Dogs want simplicity and consistency with their diets so they don’t battle with upset stomachs and an unnecessary trip to the vet.

Some home-cooked food twice a week and added to the dry kibble can keep him healthy and happy. Boiled chicken, sweet potatoes, brown rice or pasta, carrots and spinach will be perfect for him. Chop the food up finely and add it into the dry kibble once or twice a week.

Some people even cook it in bulk, refrigerate it and warm up small portions to add to the kibble. Raw meat added in occasionally can also be a good treat. Make sure your pet is never without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Comparison with other breeds

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  26. Central Asian Shepherd vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Central Asian Shepherd vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Central Asian Shepherd vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Central Asian Shepherd vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Central Asian Shepherd vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Central Asian Shepherd vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Central Asian Shepherd vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Central Asian Shepherd vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Central Asian Shepherd vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Central Asian Shepherd vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Central Asian Shepherd vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Central Asian Shepherd vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Central Asian Shepherd vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Central Asian Shepherd vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Central Asian Shepherd vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Central Asian Shepherd vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Central Asian Shepherd vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Central Asian Shepherd vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Central Asian Shepherd vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Central Asian Shepherd vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Central Asian Shepherd vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Central Asian Shepherd vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Central Asian Shepherd vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Central Asian Shepherd vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Central Asian Shepherd vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison