Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Mioritic Sheepdog - Breed Comparison

Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Mioritic Sheepdog - Breed ComparisonMioritic Sheepdog is originated from Romania but Rafeiro do Alentejo is originated from Portugal. Both Mioritic Sheepdog and Rafeiro do Alentejo are of same height. Both Mioritic Sheepdog and Rafeiro do Alentejo are of same weight. Both Mioritic Sheepdog and Rafeiro do Alentejo has almost same life span. Both Mioritic Sheepdog and Rafeiro do Alentejo has almost same litter size. Both Mioritic Sheepdog and Rafeiro do Alentejo requires Moderate Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Herding dogs
Working dog
undefined
Romania
Portugal
Height Male:
65 - 75 cm
25 - 30 inches
64 - 75 cm
25 - 30 inches
Height Female:
65 - 75 cm
25 - 30 inches
64 - 75 cm
25 - 30 inches
Weight Male:
50 - 60 kg
110 - 133 pounds
45 - 60 kg
99 - 133 pounds
Weight Female:
50 - 60 kg
110 - 133 pounds
45 - 60 kg
99 - 133 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 14 Years
10 - 12 Years
Litter Size:
3 - 9
4 - 10
Size:
Large
Large
Other Names:
Mioritic Shepherd Dog
Portuguese Mastiff
Colors Available:
cream or pale gray, White
Fawn, cream and black. , white, a wolf grey
Coat:
Long hair, double coat
Short to medium length, dense
Shedding:
Moderate, Constant
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Aggressive, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, 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:
Yes
Yes

History

mioritic sheepdogThis is a large dog coming from the Carpathian mountain area of Romania.

He has always been an excellent working dog, guarding and protecting sheep. Farmers always kept these dogs as working dogs, with no written records being kept about the development of the breed.

The breed is ancient, possibly dating back to ancient Roman times. It was in the 20th century that interest in the breed was ignited, and in 1981 the first official breed standard was recorded. The breed was also registered with the Federation Cynologique Internationale in 2005.

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

mioritic sheepdog puppy - descriptionThe Mioritic Sheepdog looks very much like the Old English Sheepdog with his huge body covered with long hair.

His head is also large with a black nose and smallish to medium length floppy ears. The color of the double coat is usually white, cream or pale gray, and sometimes you will find patches of these colors.

The tail has always been traditionally docked, otherwise the tail is left long with a slight curl at the end. The height of the dog is 65 to 75cm and he weighs roughly 50–60kg. Below the thick coat is a muscular dog with strong, straight legs which can help him become quite agile and speedy when needed. Allowed to breed, they can produce anything from 3 to 9 of the most adorable looking puppies.

Temperament:

The Mioritic Sheepdog is a balanced dog, loving to be with his owners but being wary of strangers. He is a brave dog, willing to guard his human family with his life.

He is also a strong-willed and dominant so it will be to his benefit to be trained and socialized so that he becomes obedient and easy to have around.Training won’t be difficult as he is an intelligent breed and already naturally obedient.

He is an energetic dog too so he will need to have regular exercise and games. He therefore gets on well with children in the home, loving to join in with all their games. He will need to be supervised around small children just because of his cumbersome, large size.

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

mioritic sheepdog dog - characteristicsThe Mioritic Shepherd has always been used to guard and protect livestock, but even though he has always taken this role seriously, he is calm and loving around his human family, making a splendid family pet.

He also plays the role of guardian and protector of his human family seriously. He is a big strong dog and training and socialization will become necessary as he can become aggressive with certain people who he doesn’t trust.

Inviting one of these dogs into your home will ensure having a constant and loving companion at your side.

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

mioritic sheepdog puppies - health problemsThe Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog is a truly hardy dog breed and with good care such as good food and exercise can reach 14 years of age.

There are always some common dog illnesses to look out for and because he is a large dog, hip dysplasia can be a problem.

Hip Dysplasia:

This is a disease where there is abnormal growth of the hip joints. Smooth movement of the joint is hindered and this leads to inflammation and pain.

At first you may find your dog limping and then you may find that after lying down, he battles to get up again. The joint becomes thickened with less mobility and the dog is reluctant to play like he used to. He will certainly need to get to the vet for treatments to make him more comfortable.

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

mioritic sheepdog dogs - caringThe Mioritic Sheepdog’s long hair is coarse and will need to be regularly brushed to keep it free of tangles. It will certainly need to be brushed 2 or 3 times a week, while some owners of this dog will prefer to have the coat professionally clipped. Because of the long hair, while brushing him it is an excellent time to check for ticks and fleas.

Diet:

The food you give your pet plays such a critical role in his health and longevity. Always make sure that you’re giving your pet an uncomplicated diet to avoid stomach upsets.

Give him the best commercially manufactured kibble. To provide him with some variety, add in some boiled chicken, cooked vegetables such as potato, carrots and spinach to his kibble from time to time. He will also benefit greatly from having some raw meat added into the kibble occasionally.

Learn to know which human foods are totally toxic to him and avoid these. Make sure he is never without cool, fresh water.

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

  1. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  2. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  4. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  5. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  15. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  16. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  18. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  19. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  20. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  21. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  22. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  23. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  24. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  25. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Mioritic Sheepdog vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Mioritic Sheepdog vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Mioritic Sheepdog vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Mioritic Sheepdog vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Mioritic Sheepdog vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Mioritic Sheepdog vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Mioritic Sheepdog vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Mioritic Sheepdog vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Mioritic Sheepdog vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Mioritic Sheepdog vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Mioritic Sheepdog vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Mioritic Sheepdog vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Mioritic Sheepdog vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Mioritic Sheepdog vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Mioritic Sheepdog vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Mioritic Sheepdog vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Mioritic Sheepdog vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Mioritic Sheepdog vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Mioritic Sheepdog vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Mioritic Sheepdog vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Mioritic Sheepdog vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Mioritic Sheepdog vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Mioritic Sheepdog vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Mioritic Sheepdog vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Mioritic Sheepdog vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison