Castro Laboreiro Dog
The Castro Laboreiro Dog, also known as the Portuguese cattle dog or Portuguese watchdog, is a dog breed of the livestock guardian type, originating from Castro Laboreiro in the northern mountains of Portugal.
History
The Portuguese name, meaning 'dog from Castro Laboreiro', refers to a small town in the far north of Portugal, now a parish in the Melgaço urban area. It is in the same mountains as the Peneda-Gerês National Park. Although now served by modern highways, the mountainous, rocky area was once quite remote. The modern breed is descended from a very old livestock guardians, which worked with livestock herders in the mountains, defending against wolves and other large predators.The origin of the breed is not known, although many legends are given. The Portuguese breed club notes that "Everything that is written about their origins is pure fiction, without any scientific or historical accuracy ... data is rare, or does not exist ... most guardian and herding breeds do not have records before 1900".
There are mentions of the Castro Laboreiro in the 19th century but none before 1800. Camilo Castelo Branco in his novella A Brasileira de Prazins mentions "the dogs of Castro Laboreiro, very fierce ..."
Modern genetic studies have shown that the modern breed is unique from other similar breeds in Portugal.
It is said to be "ferocious against wolves."
With the eradication of wolves and other large predators the Castro Laboreiro Dog lost its original use. Changes in agricultural methods over the last hundred years led to many of these dogs being abandoned, turning feral and becoming a problem for those that raise cattle and horses.
Today, the breed has mostly been removed from its native range and purpose, and is kept as a companion and guard dog. It was first exhibited at a dog show in 1914, and the first written breed standard was by veterinarian Manuel Marques in 1935, when the breed was recognised by the Clube Portugues de Canicultura, the official Fédération Cynologique Internationale kennel club for Portugal founded in 1897. The Castro Laboreiro Dog is recognised by the FCI in Group 2, Section 2.2: Mastiffs, Mountain Type, Portugal. It is also recognised, under its Portuguese name, by the United Kennel Club in the United States, in their Guardian dog group. It may also be listed under the name cão de Castro Laboreiro, similar-sounding names, or different English versions of the name by large commercial breeders, minor kennel clubs that require little to no breed verification for registration, and Internet-based dog registry businesses, where it is promoted as a rare breed for those seeking a fashionably novel or unique pet. Nevertheless, the number of specimens of this breed does not exceed 500 in the whole world. In Portugal, there are a half-dozen breeders, plus a couple more elsewhere in Europe, and one in the US.