Little is known about the origin of this dog breed origin according to Clube Português de Canicultura, it is one of the oldest dog breeds to exist in the Iberian Peninsula.
Serra da Estrela is a dog that is usually found precisely in Serra da Estrela, in the North of Portugal. The dog will be very loyal to its family, as well it being a great guardian for flocks, being used for this type of work since ever.
A Serra da Estrela may weigh from 30 to 50 kilos and some professionals advise the owners to have a fence surrounding their house 1,80 metres high because the dog is very agile and very territorial.

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This breed of dogs will require at least an hour of physical exercise and it is not recommended to adopt one if living in an apartment, as they have a lot of energy that needs to be released.
There are two types of Serra da Estrela, with long or short hair, which is advised to be scrubbed at least twice a week. The shortest hair species descend from those dogs, who spent the greatest part of their life in the coldest areas of Serra da Estrela, to avoid having humidity in their hair.
The dog might require some training, especially if the owners have friends or family over quite a few times. The dog will be very territorial, so it is advisable to have them used to visits, but at the same time teach him how to protect the house from unexpected visits or animals.

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Deeply in love with music and with a guilty pleasure in criminal cases, Bruno G. Santos decided to study Journalism and Communication, hoping to combine both passions into writing. The journalist is also a passionate traveller who likes to write about other cultures and discover the various hidden gems from Portugal and the world. Press card: 8463. 

Bruno G. Santos