The Rafeiro do Alentejo – also called the Alentejo Mastiff – is an old Portuguese dog breed developed to protect herds
of sheep and cattle. The dogs are believed to stem from Molosser type dogs from Tibet that came to Europe thousands of years ago.
These dogs are calm, self confident, and highly independent. They are affectionate with their family and will bravely
protect the people, households, sheep, and cattle they perceive to be under their protection. They’re not aggressive, but
protective, and they are particularly watchful during nighttime.
Puppies mature slowly and need to be watched when young; they don’t
realize their limits and tend to overexert themselves with running, jumping, and climbing stairs. The breed is known to be suspicious against
strangers, and it is wise to subject the puppies to many different environments and people.
Being independent and bred to make decisions on their own, training a
Rafeiro do Alentejo requires consistency and patience. They love affection
and are eager to receive it, but won’t submit to a human’s every whim.
They don’t see the point in sitting, standing, sitting, lying down, sitting,
high-fiving, and so on, and they prefer to save their energy for real work
Besides the seasonal shedding period they require a minimum of grooming. They are generally calm indoors and don’t require excessive amounts
of exercise, but should get a longer walk or a jog every day.
These are very large dogs that weigh up to 135 lbs, and they require an
Extra Large PlexiDor Dog Door.
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