What makes the Cão Fila de São Miguel Unique?
A medium sized working dog. As with all working dogs, it must be given regular training and a job to do. Temperaments of individual dogs may vary greatly. These dogs are family friendly and loving dogs, they like to cuddle and be near their owners. Suitability of an individual dog for a particular kind of work may depend on the quality of early training. This breed creates a deep bond with its owner, being very gentle, loving and receptive. When trained well, these dogs make fantastic family pets as they are highly intelligent and docile.
Breed Groups
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| Size: | Males – 50 to 61 cm (19.5 to 24 inches) Females – 48 to 58 cm (19 to 21 inches) |
| Weight: | Males – 25 to 41 kg (55 to 90 pounds) Females – 21 to 36 kg (45 to 80 pounds) |
| Origin: | São Miguel Island, Portugal |
| Life Span: | 12 – 15 Years |
| Colour: | Reddish-yellow, streaked and the gray |
| Litter Size: | 5 to 10 puppies |
Is the Cão Fila de São Miguel Right For You?
The Cão de Fila de São Miguel is a cattle dog, which originated from the São Miguel Island in the Azores near Portugal. The breed is a natural guard dog and requires a firm leader if meant to be kept as a family pet. Filas do best when giving a job to do. They are known for creating a deep bond with their owners and for being extremely gentle and receptive to the families. They can be aloof and defensive with strangers.
The Cão de Fila de Sãao Miguel should live next to its owner. This dog is not suited for apartment living. It needs a job to do.
In 5 Words
- Intelligent
- Fast Learner
- Protective
- Defensive
- Territorial
Characteristics
Learn About the Cão Fila de São Miguel
Description
The Cão de Fila de São Miguel (Azores Cattle Dog) bears the specific characteristic of being a medium-sized dog, which sets it apart from other cattle dogs, as on average it is much bigger. They are square headed animals, with very strong jaws, expressive dark brown eyes and well-developed musculature of the trunk and limbs. The dog stands between 19.5 to 23.5 inches and weighs between 55-75 lbs. This robust and hardy dog is slightly longer than tall. It has a strong head with broad and square shapped skull. Nose is wide and black with straight muzzle while medium size expressive eyes are oval shaped and set slightly sunken. Ears are set above the level of the eyes; when not cropped they are of medium size, triangular and dropping but not touching to the cheeks. They have a square-shaped head and a powerful set of jaws. Their eyes are dark brown in color and their ears are typically docked into a rounded shape. Their trunk and limbs are fiercely muscled, prompting the dogs to waddle slightly when it walks.. The breed’s temperament is described as “variable” and “aggressive.” These dogs are kept primarily as guard dogs and companions today. They are said to be very intelligent. They can be very territorial.
Short History of the Cão Fila de São Miguel
The breed is named for São Miguel Island in the Azores, settled by the Portuguese, beginning in 1439. Another of the Azores, Terceira Island, is known for bullfights and cattle raising; large dogs used on cattle there were brought to São Miguel Island and contributed to the development of the breed. According to the original breed standard, the existence of the Cão Fila de São Miguel has been documented since the early 19th century. A breed standard was developed in the breed’s area of origin and first published in 1984. The inhabitants of the these islands feel great proud of this breed; they think it is, with good justification, a part of the old tradition and culture. The breed is very rare, which is demonstrated by the fact that there are only about 3000 registered individuals in the whole world, almost all of them on their home island.The persons that foster the breed want to keep it as a pure working dog and that is why they want to control also the sale of the dogs. The Azores Cattle Dogs must have the right to do what they were meant for, and that is why we absolutely do not recommend them as dogs for company or hobby.
Temperament
The Cão de Fãila de São Miguel is a rustic and dominant animal, capable of remaining outdoors during the entire year guarding the herds and the tools used in agriculture. It’s very intelligent and quick to learn, executing various commands. rustic, aggressive, intelligent, receptive, quick-to-learn, watchfu. loyal, protective and docile toward family. some may be overly shy or aggressive.Lines are clearly defined and rules are set. Because a dog communicates his displeasure with growling and eventually biting, all other humans MUST be higher up in the order than the dog. The humans must be the ones making the decisions, not the dogs. That is the only way your relationship with your dog can be a complete success.
Caring for Your Cão Fila de São Miguel
General Health
Cão Fila de São Miguel from Portugal have no documented health problems, but dogs bred elsewhere are often bred to be very oversize (over 60 cm/23.6 in and 35 kg/77 lb) and may suffer from elbow or hip dysplasia and other ailments particular to deep chested oversize dogs, such as bloat.
Grooming & Bathing
This dog has a kind of “wash and wear” coat that does not need extensive maintenance. Brushing the coat a few times a week would be enough to promote its good condition. The Azores Cattle Dog is a hardy breed but being working dogs that spend their time outdoors, the dog is prone to cuts. Thorns and other foreign objects may get lodged between the toes and on the ears. The dog may not need extensive brushing but the ears and the feet must be regularly checked and cleaned.
Exercise & Training
Needs daily exercise, which includes a daily, long walk. It loves to run, play and work.
Cão Fila de São Miguel Picture Gallery
