- The following colours and considered typical: - Solid: yellow, fawn and grey in all ranges of colour intensity
- - Wolf Grey: fawn, yellow and grey tones, commonly in lighter and darker shades. - Brindle: Fawn, yellow or grey base colour with blackish brindling.
- In the cranium-facial area, a dark coloured mask is typical.
- White markings only at the extremities of fore- and hind feet and on a small extension on the lower region of neck and chest
About the Estrela Mountain Dog
Origin: Portugal
- Typical life span
- 10-14 years
- Size
- Large — from its typical weight
- Weight
- Male
- 40-60 kg
- Female
- 30-50 kg
- Height
- Male
- 65-72 cm
- Female
- 62-69 cm
- FCI status
- Recognised by FCI
- FCI groupFCI divides this breed into varieties, and our sources don’t record which one a breeder works. Ask them which variety their line is.
- Pinscher and Schnauzer - Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattledogs
- Origin
- Portugal
- Also called
- Perro de la Sierra de la Estrela
- Known hereditary risks
- 2 documented conditions, with the test for each
About
What is a Estrela Mountain Dog?
Large, powerful, and imposing livestock guardian dog from the Estrela Mountains of Portugal with a dense double coat and protective temperament. Known for its intelligence, loyalty, and calm yet fearless demeanor, this athletic breed combines strength with a naturally protective nature.
Estrela Mountain Dog history and origins
One of the oldest breeds in Portugal, developed in the Estrela Mountains as a livestock guardian to protect flocks from wolves and other predators. Ancient breed with lineage tied to Mastiff-type dogs of the region, recognized by FCI.
Estrela Mountain Dog appearance and size
Males typically weigh 40-60 kg and stand 65-72 cm at the shoulder; females 30-50 kg and 62-69 cm.
What the breed standard says
- Bred for
- A livestock guarding dog, watch dog and companion dog; also used for draught work
- Behaviour and temperament
“Inseparable companion of the shepherd and faithful flock guardian, bravely protecting it against predators and thieves. Wonderful farm and house guard, distrustful towards strangers and typically docile to its master”
Quoted from FCI standard n°173. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed reference from The Dog API.
Characteristics
- Size
- Large
- Exercise needs
- —
- Easy to train
- —
- Amount of shedding
- 3 of 5
- Grooming needs
- 4 of 5
- Good with children
- —
- Cost to keep
- —
- Tolerates being alone
- —
- Intelligence
- —
- Health of breed
- 2 conditions documented
Pros & cons
Pros & cons for the Estrela Mountain Dog
What you get with the Estrela Mountain Dog
- Purpose stated in the standard: “A livestock guarding dog, watch dog and companion dog; also used for draught work”
- The standard describes the breed as: “Inseparable companion of the shepherd and faithful flock guardian, bravely protecting it against predators and thieves”
What you are taking on
- 2 serious inherited conditions are documented, mainly in heart & circulation and bones & joints. The health guide tab has the test to ask for on each.
- High grooming needs — the standard’s own description is “- Long-haired variety: Straight or slightly wavy topcoat, uneven in some areas.”
Drawn from sources rather than written as an opinion — cited health research, the registry’s own standard, and peer-reviewed longevity. FCI breed standard; Ginja et al. 2009, The Veterinary Journal (PubMed). One breeder’s animals can differ from any of it, and an empty column means we hold nothing for that side rather than that there is nothing to say.
Characteristics
FCI standard · Estrela Mountain Dog
Coat and colour
As the FCI standard sets it out. Every line below is the standard’s own wording.
Coat
Strong, very abundant, slightly coarse, without excessive harshness, the texture is similar to goat hair.
The undercoat is composed of fine hair, short, abundant and entangled, normally lighter in colour than the outer coat. - Long-haired variety: Straight or slightly wavy topcoat, uneven in some areas.
It is shorter and denser on the limbs, below the elbows and hocks, as well as on the head
on the ears, it becomes gradually shorter from the base to the tip, becoming thinner and softer.
It is longer on the tail, which is bushy, thick and feathered, around the neck and throat and on the buttocks, which are abundantly feathered, as well as the back side of the forearms.
Short-haired variety: Short hair, evenly distributed over the body, slightly shorter on the head and limbs, without feathering
Colour
- Preferred
- Permissible
- Undesirable
- Disqualifying
Preferred, permissible, undesirable and disqualifying are FCI’s own words about the breed. They describe what the standard asks for — not an assessment of any individual dog, and not ours.
Shortened from FCI standard n°173 — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source.
What the breed standard says
- Size
- “Height at the withers: Males: 65-73 cm. Females: 62-69 cm. Tolerance: + 2 cm. Weight: Males: 45-60 Kg. Females: 35-45 Kg”
- FCI states a tolerance around the figure.
Quoted from FCI standard n°173. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
What the standard penalises
What a judge marks the Estrela Mountain Dog down for, and what puts one out of the ring, in the registry’s own words. This describes the breed standard — it is not a checklist for the animal in front of you, and a pet with a disqualifying fault is an unshowable dog rather than an unhealthy one.
Severe faults
Marked heavily against a specimen in the ring.
- Behaviour: Animals showing nervous unbalance with signs of shyness.
- Nose: Pale coloured nostrils, partly unpigmented nose.
- Ears: Cropped.
- Tail: Docked or rudimentary.
- Coat: Hair somewhat different from the described type.
- Height: Males: Under 65 cm or over 75 cm. Females: Under 62 cm or over 71 cm
FCI varieties
FCI divides the Estrela Mountain Dog into these varieties, listed in the registry's own words. Depending on the breed they separate colour, coat, size or line — they are not a full list of colours, which no registry we hold publishes. Ask a breeder which variety their line is.
- Short-haired
- Long-haired
Breed-level information from The Dog API. It describes the Estrela Mountain Dog in general; any individual animal can differ.
Health guide
Health & screening guide for the Estrela Mountain Dog
Known hereditary risks for the Estrela Mountain Dog breed, and the specific documentation to request from any breeder before paying a deposit. A responsible breeder will have these readily available; deflection is a red flag.
2 conditions documentedThis is breed-level literature, not veterinary advice about an individual animal — your vet knows the animal.
Health checklist (PDF)Heart & circulation
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)
Serious
A disease of the heart muscle that weakens its pumping ability and can progress to heart failure. Histological studies of affected Estrelas found distinctive fibrosis and fatty infiltration of the heart muscle, and a dedicated Portuguese PhD studied its heritability in this specific breed.
What to ask for
Echocardiogram read by a board-certified veterinary cardiologist on both parents; no DNA test currently exists for DCM in this breed
Bones & joints
Hip dysplasia
Serious
Malformation of the hip joint that leads to instability and, over time, osteoarthritis. A Portuguese study of 313 dogs scored under FCI criteria found dysplasia in 66% of the breed, though many affected dogs show no obvious lameness.
What to ask for
Hip score from a recognised scheme (FCI, OFA or BVA/KC) on both parents
Gallery
No photographs yet
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Puppies
No puppies listed right now
No Estrela Mountain Dog breeder has a record on this platform yet, so there is nothing to list. That is a gap in our coverage, not a fact about the breed.