Breeds / Large
Rafeiro do Alentejo puppies
Calm, watchful and deeply loyal to its own household, the Rafeiro do Alentejo is a Portuguese livestock guardian that stays reserved with strangers and is slow to give ground.
The facts
- Size class Large
- Country of origin Portugal
- Adult weight 34.9 to 59.9 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 77 to 132 lb
- Adult height 64 to 74 cm
- Energy level Moderate
- Grooming Low
- Coat type Short double
- Typical lifespan 12 to 14 years
- Good with children Fine with supervision
- Good with other dogs Fine with supervision
Where these come from:
About the Rafeiro do Alentejo
The Rafeiro do Alentejo comes from the plains of southern Portugal, where it moved with flocks between summer and winter grazing and guarded farms and homes through the night. It is a giant dog, 34.9 to 59.9 kg and 64 to 74 cm at the shoulder, heavy boned and slightly rectangular in outline, with a broad head and a short double coat. The character is calm and slow to rouse indoors, watchful outdoors, and firmly attached to its own household.
Exercise needs are moderate rather than punishing: several walks a day, a securely fenced garden and something to occupy the mind will cover it. The short coat asks for little beyond a weekly brush, regular nail trims and ear checks. It is rated three out of five with children and with other pets, so supervision and steady socialisation from puppyhood matter. The usual mistake is buying the calm and forgetting the guarding, because this dog needs early exposure to visitors and clear boundaries about who is welcome.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Rafeiro do Alentejo puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A large breed puppy at eight weeks looks deceptively normal sized and will roughly double every few weeks for a while. Keep exercise short and low impact, the growth plates are wide open. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Hip dysplasia, screened by x-ray evaluation of breeding stock
- Elbow dysplasia, screened by x-ray evaluation of breeding stock
- Bloat and gastric torsion, a surgical emergency in deep chested dogs
- Growth and joint problems in fast growing giant breed puppies, monitored by a vet through the first year
From Rafeiro do Alentejo breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/rafeiro-do-alentejo/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Your Rafeiro do Alentejo puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Large for a Rafeiro do Alentejo.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 34.9 to 59.9 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Other large breeds
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.