Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Great Pyrenees - Breed Comparison

Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Great Pyrenees - Breed ComparisonRafeiro do Alentejo is originated from Portugal but Great Pyrenees is originated from France. Rafeiro do Alentejo may grow 7 cm / 2 inches shorter than Great Pyrenees. Rafeiro do Alentejo may weigh 6 kg / 14 pounds more than Great Pyrenees. Both Rafeiro do Alentejo and Great Pyrenees has same life span. Both Rafeiro do Alentejo and Great Pyrenees has almost same litter size. Both Rafeiro do Alentejo and Great Pyrenees requires Moderate maintenance.

History

rafeiro do alentejo - historyKnown also as the Portuguese Mastiff, the Rafeiro do Alentejo comes from Portugal and has always been used as guardian for livestock. Their numbers declined quite a bit when there was no longer a need for this kind of job.Today it is essentially a companion dog.

The official standard of the Rafeiro do Alentejo was established in 1953. The dog is is recognized as a breed by the Portuguese Caniculture Club as well as the Federation Cynologique Interationale.

great pyrenees - historyThe Great Pyrenees could be from Spain or France because the dog hails from the Pyrenees Mountains, which spans both France and Spain.

The dog was used to defend flocks from predators but its lineage goes a long way back, thousands of years in fact. It is thought that they only arrived in Europe about 5,000 years ago. The dog was adopted into the court of Louis the XIV as a royal dog.

During the mid 1600s, the dog's numbers dwindled but the French developed kennel clubs where the dog could be bred and its numbers restored. It was in 1933 that the Great Pyrenees received American Kennel Club recognition.

Basic Information

Group:
Working dog
Working dog
Origin:
Portugal
France
Height Male:
64 - 75 cm
25 - 30 inches
70 - 82 cm
27 - 33 inches
Height Female:
64 - 75 cm
25 - 30 inches
65 - 78 cm
25 - 31 inches
Weight Male:
45 - 60 kg
99 - 133 pounds
48 - 54 kg
105 - 120 pounds
Weight Female:
45 - 60 kg
99 - 133 pounds
44 - 54 kg
97 - 120 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 12 Years
10 - 12 Years
Litter Size:
4 - 10
7 - 12
Size:
Large dog
Large dog
Other Names:
Portuguese Mastiff
Pyrenean Mountain Dog
Colors Available:
Fawn, cream and black. , white, a wolf grey
cream, White, white with patches of light tan or grey
Coat:
Short to medium length, dense
Medium to long, coarse, straight or wavy
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate maintenance
Moderate maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

Description

rafeiro do alentejo puppy - descriptionThe Alentejo is a large dog standing at between 64 and 75cm in height and weighing 45 to 60kg. He is a powerful dog with a deep chest, dark eyes, floppy ears. His coat is short to medium length, thick and straight. The color of the coat is a mix of fawn, a wolf grey, white, cream and black.

Temperament:

This is a serious dog with a calm demeanour about him. It doesn’t matter how calm he is though, as every dog will require training ad socialization if you want to enjoy having an obedient, well mannered dog around you. This is particularly important with a large, independent, self-confident, territorial dog like this.

He isn’t an aggressive dog but he is protective, wanting to guard and look out for his human family. They are dogs that get on well with children and other pets in the home, being wary of strangers.

They’re not recommended for life in small properties in the city as he requires a large garden at least.

great pyrenees puppy - descriptionThis is a beautiful dog, noticeable by the essentially white coat and his overall size, standing at 70 to 82cm and weighing between 40 to 54 kg.

The double coat is medium to long, coarse and straight or wavy and and it can be solid white, cream or white with patches of light tan or grey.

The nose is black, the eyes brown, the ears of medium length and floppy and the tail long and plumed.

Temperament:

The Great Pyrenees is an intelligent, strong willed dog with a mind of his own so he will be able to be trained and socialized successfully.

His huge size will require that he be trained because when he is indoors he can knock things over and he must be able to respond to you telling him to lie down.

As a large dog, he isn’t suited for tiny homes, as he requires lots of space even though he doesn’t require a lot of exercise. Not only that, he takes his watchdog duties seriously and he is inclined to bark a lot, and in a small place, you’ll be getting constant complaints from the neighbors.

When trained and socialized, your big dog is social, active and loving. He gets on well with children, the elderly and with pets in the home. He isn’t that overly active and will happily make himself at home on your couch and bed.

Characteristics

rafeiro do alentejo dog - characteristicsThe Rafeiro do Alentejo is a quiet dog, but intelligent and strong-willed. Training and socialization will make him easy to get on with.

He will become an excellent companion, and can come indoors because he is well mannered and considerate. He was bred to be a guard dog, and the responsibilities he had taking care of livestock has been transferred to looking out for- and protecting his human family.

He makes a wonderful pet and companion, even with children and other pets, more so when brought up correctly by loving, firm, consistent dog owners.

great pyrenees dog - characteristicsThe Great Pyrenees is such a calm, independent, serious, well-mannered dog who loves to be around his human family and to please them. He is gentle and knows how to behave well around children, the elderly as well as with any pets in the home.

He makes a wonderful companion and although he loves indoor life as much as outdoor life, he is much happier settling into life in the country or the suburbs as opposed to life in the city and a tiny property.

Give your big white coated pet all the love he thrives on, and you'll enjoy a wonderful relationship with this large, amicable dog.

Health Problems

rafeiro do alentejo puppies - health problemsThe Rafeiro do Alentejo is a generally healthy dog breed, and with good care can get to 11, 12 or 13 years of age.

Of course with a large dog like this, it is always a good idea to be aware of canine hip dysplasia, particularly because this is a large dog with a deep chest.

This makes him also vulnerable to bloat, a condition where the stomach swells with gas and which can be life threatening. Other things to watch for are ear infections and parasites.

great pyrenees puppies - health problemsYour Great Pyrenees is a big dog with an average lifespan of 10 to 12 years. His large size means you will need to look out for typical 'big dog' ailments such as hip dysplasia.

This problem can cause your pet to be in pain and he can also become lame, battling to walk and play and battling to get up after lying down.

Also, look out for bone cancer with your pet and as mentioned previously, bloat, which is a life threatening disease where the stomach of the dog swells up.

Caring The Pet

Grooming:

rafeiro do alentejo dogs - caringMake your grooming time with this serious, calm canine friend of yours a special bonding time. His coat simply requires a brush twice a week to keep it healthy and shiny.

While bushing him, run your hands over him to make sure there aren’t any unusual lumps. Check inside the floppy ears to make sure they’re not red which could be the start of a painful ear infection.

Look a his nails and trim them if they’ve become too long. Check inside his mouth and make sure there aren’t any black, rotten teeth as this can seriously impact the health of your pet.

Exercise:

Options for exercise will include long walks and a chance to run off his leash. In the back yard it will be to his benefit to throw balls for him to fetch. You can even bring him indoors and play some calm games with him. He should have exercise every single day.

Diet:

Good food is needed for good health. It is always convenient to make use of the commercially manufactured dog foods there are on the market.

You don’t want to feed this to your dog day after day so provide your pet with some tasty home-made food too. Dogs want simplicity and consistency with their diets so they don’t battle with upset stomachs and an unnecessary trip to the vet.

Some home-cooked food twice a week and added to the dry kibble can keep him healthy and happy. Boiled chicken, sweet potatoes, brown rice or pasta, carrots and spinach will be perfect for him. Chop the food up finely and add it into the dry kibble once or twice a week.

Some people even cook it in bulk, refrigerate it and warm up small portions to add to the kibble. Raw meat added in occasionally can also be a good treat. Make sure your pet is never without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Exercise:

great pyrenees dogs - caringYour Great Pyrenees isn't going to be a dog leaping around you demanding a game or walk like what you get from some energetic dogs. He certainly doesn't require strenuous exercise but will require a nice, brisk walk every day. Give him some ball or rope games too. He's territorial and likes large grounds to walk around and guard and this constant guarding is a good form of exercise too.

Grooming:

With two layers, the coat of the Great Pyrenees will need to be brushed twice a week to prevent burrs attaching to the fur and to prevent it from matting, It also gets rid of loose hair during shedding.

He tends to drool so it's handy keeping a damp cloth close by just to give his face area a wipe down. Your dog's ears will need to be cleaned with special ear-cleaning lotion and his nails will also need to be trimmed.

Socialization and Training:

Socialize your Great Pyrenees with other dogs and people from a young age. Without proper socialization, this breed can become territorial and possessive of his family, which could lead to aggression. He bonds with his family but tends to be wary of strangers.

Diet:

It is far better to feed your Great Pyrenees smaller meals throughout the day as opposed to 2 large meals a day. A large dog like him can develop bloat from gulping down a large amount of food too quickly.

If you feed your Great Pyrenees commercially manufactured food, make sure it is high in omega 3 and 6 to keep his thick white coat luxurious.

Your dog will need a dog food targeted at a large breed. Remember to include some raw meat as well as cooked chicken, vegetables and brown rice into his kibble and always ensure fresh, cool water is available.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Samoyed vs Rafeiro do Alentejo - Breed Comparison
  2. Sarplaninac vs Rafeiro do Alentejo - Breed Comparison
  3. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  4. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  5. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  6. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  7. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  8. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Alaskan Malamute - Breed Comparison
  9. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Bullmastiff - Breed Comparison
  10. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Great Pyrenees - Breed Comparison
  11. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Boerboel - Breed Comparison
  12. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Presa Canario - Breed Comparison
  13. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  14. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Labrador Husky - Breed Comparison
  15. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Argentine Dogo - Breed Comparison
  16. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Giant Schnauzer - Breed Comparison
  17. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  18. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  19. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Goldador - Breed Comparison
  20. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Bandog - Breed Comparison
  21. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) - Breed Comparison
  22. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Dogo Cubano - Breed Comparison
  23. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Dogo Sardesco - Breed Comparison
  24. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Beauceron - Breed Comparison
  25. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Central Asian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  26. Samoyed vs Great Pyrenees - Breed Comparison
  27. Great Pyrenees vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  28. Great Pyrenees vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  29. Great Pyrenees vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  30. Great Pyrenees vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  31. Great Pyrenees vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  32. Great Pyrenees vs Alaskan Malamute - Breed Comparison
  33. Great Pyrenees vs Bullmastiff - Breed Comparison
  34. Great Pyrenees vs Boerboel - Breed Comparison
  35. Great Pyrenees vs Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  36. Great Pyrenees vs Argentine Dogo - Breed Comparison
  37. Great Pyrenees vs Giant Schnauzer - Breed Comparison
  38. Great Pyrenees vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  39. Great Pyrenees vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  40. Great Pyrenees vs Goldador - Breed Comparison
  41. Great Pyrenees vs Bandog - Breed Comparison
  42. Great Pyrenees vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) - Breed Comparison
  43. Great Pyrenees vs Dogo Cubano - Breed Comparison
  44. Great Pyrenees vs Dogo Sardesco - Breed Comparison
  45. Great Pyrenees vs Beauceron - Breed Comparison
  46. Great Pyrenees vs Central Asian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  47. Great Pyrenees vs Black Russian Terrier - Breed Comparison
  48. Great Pyrenees vs German Longhaired Pointer - Breed Comparison
  49. Great Pyrenees vs Alano Espanol - Breed Comparison
  50. Great Pyrenees vs Entlebucher Mountain Dog - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds