Cao de Gado Transmontano vs Alangu Mastiff - Breed Comparison

The Cão de Gado Transmontano which is also known as the Transmontano Mastiff or Transmontano Cattle Dog is a large dog – in fact a giant dog breed. This is a rare molosser working dog, hailing from the region of Tras-os-Montes e Alto Douro Province in Portugal.

The large dog has always been used to herd livestock and to also ward off wolves. It is believed that the dog’s roots come from the Tibetan Mastiff as well as a Portuguese cattle dog known as the Rafeiro do Alentejo. The dog also shares some similarities with the short-haired Estrela Mountain Dog.

In 1995 the breed was still exclusive to Portugal, but now the breed has been imported to Oregon, USA to be part of an experiment to document bigger breeds and their role in protecting livestock from wolves. They were re-introduced to north-east Oregon from 2008.

Alangu Mastiff is a breed that ,originates from southern India. Since the very beginning of this breed, it has been used as guard dogs and official dogs of Persian Army. They have been used mostly for wars and as a guard dogs for protection. Also, Alangu Mastiff was used as large gain hunters because of its size and power.

The Cão de Gado Transmontano is a large dog, believed to be the biggest of the Portuguese dog breeds. He is powerful and muscular with a large head and can stand up to 83cm in height and can weigh up to 65kg.

He is tough, and is quite comfortable living outside. He is a long-legged dog with a wide chest with medium length floppy ears and a long tail. The coat is fairly short although it can be in a variety of lengths. It is the medium length coated dog with the right coloring that is looked upon as a pure breed. The dog is white with large patches of brown, fawn, grey, brindle and black shades.

Temperament:

The Transmontano Mastiff is an intelligent, obedient dog who is also independent and stubborn. As with all dogs, it is important to have him trained and socialized as this makes him obedient and eager to please. He loves to be patted by his owners and is a dog which is easy to train, responding well to firmness and fairness.

He is calm and somewhat docile but at the same time he is energetic and alert, making him a good watchdog. He won’t do well cooped up in a tiny space. He gets on well with children and other pets in the home.

Weight of Alangu Mastiff depends but approximately, male weight is 70-90kg, while females are 60-70kg. While males height is 76-86cm. Females are slightly smaller with an average height of 75-80cm.

Lifespan depends drastically on every breed, but it is approximately 8-10 years.

The average litter size of Alangu Mastiff is 6-8 puppies.

Another Name for Alangu Mastiff is Sindh Mastiff.

The Cão de Gado Transmontano may look like a fairly formidable dog but they aren’t aggressive. They are full of courage and are above all, loving and loyal to their human family.

When you choose to have one of these large dogs as your pet, it is important to make sure he knows that you’re the leader. With training and socialization this dog is a gentle giant who makes an exceptional family pet.

Alangu Mastiff is a very powerful breed. They are a giant breed that is very strong and protective. If you are first time owner, you definitely don’t want this breed as your first pet. They can be very aggressive, and if you are not a dominant owner who knows what he is doing all the time, you can have a lot of troubles with this breed. Alangu Mastiff is a guard dog, and they tend to protect the family no matter what is happening. Of course, with proper care and socialization, they can be wonderful pets that love family, and they can be gentle with children too. Basically, it is very important to socialize them from the earliest age. Alangu is also very hard to train, so you have to be patient and devote a lot of time to train your dog properly. Since they are large dogs, they require a lot of exercises. Walking with the leash is not enough for this breed. They need to run to be fully happy. They can be very aggressive towards other dogs, so it is not very recommendable to spend time with other pets, at least not if they are not socialized. If you train them from an early age, then you should still be careful how your dog behaves around other pets and animals. Don’t get this wrong, Alangu can be a wonderful pet for the whole family, but you have to be careful and well-trained for this breed. They require a lot of attention, patience and time, but overall they can be amazing pets.

The Cão de Gado Transmontano is a tough dog, used to spending long hours outside guarding sheep. These days however, he is also a companion dog and you’ll want to be aware of some common dog ailments that can strip him of his health and his joy of life.

Hip Dysplasia:

Hip Dysplasia is a looseness with the hip joint, and while it can occur with all dogs, it is more common in large dogs. It’s a disease which can lead to arthritis, pain and also joint degeneration. It’s a disease which can be debilitating for the dog and you will need to get your dog to the vet.

Dilated Cardiomyopathy:

This is a heart disease seen in large breed dogs and where the heart becomes weak and can’t properly pump blood throughout the body. Symptoms include coughing, weakness, difficulty with breathing as well as a fluid-distended abdomen.

Basically most of the health problems depend on the dog to dog. If you choose puppy carefully, with an adequate examination of professional you will have a healthy dog. Alangu Mastiff is overall healthy breed, but as every other breed, they can develop some issues. Hip dysplasia is can be common for this breed, but again, only if you don’t select your puppy carefully.

Diet:

Just because this is a large dog, doesn’t mean you need to over-feed him. He is muscular and athletic, and by watching his diet, he’ll continue to be strong, lean and healthy. You can feed him a top quality pet-food brand and include boiled chicken, rice and vegetables. Every now and then mix in some raw meat with his dog food to ensure that his skin remains free of rashes and itchiness. Fresh, cool water must be available to him day and night as he drinks abundantly.

Grooming:

Some dog breeds need to be trimmed or stripped to look good, and dog owners often invest in expensive equipment to groom their pets themselves, Fortunately the large Cão de Gado Transmontano is a low maintenance dog and all you’ll need to do is give him a good brush-down twice a week.

Check his eyes, ears, teeth and nails regularly. Remember that dental hygiene is imperative and special canine toothbrush and toothpaste is available to brush your dog’s teeth 2 or 3x a week to get rid of plaque and to prevent gum disease and tooth decay.

Feeding Alangu Mastiff

Feeding of your dog highly depends on activity, size, and food that you are feeding your dog. 5-10 cups of high-quality food divided into 2 meals would be enough for an average Alangu Mastiff, but again, you should feed your dog based on activity.

Feeding the Alangu puppy

Puppies must eat 3-5 times per day, few cups of high-quality food. They need to eat quality food with a lot of vitamins and minerals to develop into a happy and healthy adult.

Grooming Alangu Mastif

Groming is one of the easiest jobs that you should do around your Alangu Mastiff. They are very easy to take care off. Few brushes every now and then would be enough to have perfectly groomed pet. They do not have long coats with a lot of fur so there will be no hair around the house, and maintaining this majestic creature is very easy.