Mantiqueira Shepherd Dog
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| Other names | Brazilian Cattle Dog Pastor da Mantiqueira | ||||||||||||
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| Origin |  Brazil | ||||||||||||
| Breed status | Not recognized as a standardized breed by any major kennel club. | ||||||||||||
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| Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) | |||||||||||||
The Mantiqueira Shepherd Dog (Portuguese: Pastor-da-mantiqueira) is a herding dog breed which originated in the Mantiqueira Mountains that stretch across the southeastern region of Brazil.[1][2] This dog breed is recognized by the SOBRACI in Brazil.[3]
Origin[edit]
Evidence pertaining to the origin of the Mantiqueira Shepherd remains inconclusive, but it is widely believed that they descended from working dogs that were bred in Brazil and were popularly referred to as "policial" (a variety of the German Shepherd used by police). This may explain the local name by which they are still referred to in the Mantiqueria region.
Due to their appearance and suitability for herding, as well as historical records (time-frames during which similar dog breeds arrived in Brazil), Mantiqueira Shepherds are probably descendants of the Belgian Tervuren, to a lesser extent from the Dutch Shepherd, and also from the German Shepherd.[4]
The Mantiqueira Shepherd could also be a descendant of Iberian dogs, like the Garafian Shepherd and Basque Shepherd, and even the Can de Palleiro. These three breeds are of Spanish origin, and could have arrived in Brazil during the Iberian Union era. These breeds also share a physical resemblance with the Mantiqueira Shepherd.
Irrespective of their genealogy, it is known that dogs in the Mantiqueira Mountains region assisted cowboys and tropeiros with the daily work pertaining to cattle.[1] These workers needed a good rustic shepherd dog that was agile, strong and resistant, to lead the cattle along paths where the cowboys on their horses had difficulty accessing, due to the rugged terrain with steep slopes that marked the Mantiqueira Mountains. Also within the stock that was available, they sought to mate the dogs that best met their needs. Most often these dogs bred with other canine inhabitants of that region, like the Ovelheiro Gaucho that had descended from British working collies and had arrived with the traders.[5] Courtesy of this process of selective breeding over the centuries, this new breed eventually evolved.[1] Difficulty in accessing the Mantiqueira Mountains also helped to keep this dog breed relatively pure, and away from exotic genes of other breeds. Shepherd's dogs of Portuguese origin may also have contributed to the evolution of the Mantiqueira Shepherd.
Risk of extinction[edit]
The Mantiqueira Shepherd is increasingly threatened with extinction. This is attributed to their lesser involvement in cattle raising and also their miscegenation with foreign breeds.[1]
Regions with high population[edit]
Although the Serra da Mantiqueira is located in the states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, the population of the breed is concentrated in the municipalities of Minas Gerais, with a sporadic distribution in the municipalities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro respectively. Cities with the largest population of this dog breed are in Minas Gerais, and these municipalities: Virgínia, Passa Quatro, Marmelópolis, Delfim Moreira, Venceslau Brás, Itajubá, Piranguçu, Brasópolis, Gonçalves, Sapucaí Mirim, Paraisópolis, Conceição dos Ouros, Cachoeira de Minas, Santa Rita do Sapucaí, Piranguinho, Natércia, Pedralva, São José do Alegre, Heliodora, Cristina, Maria da Fé e Conceição das Pedras. In São Paulo state, the municipalities with the largest population of the breed are Monteiro Lobato, São Bento do Sapucaí, e Campos do Jordão.[1]
Features[edit]
Physical[edit]
Their coat comes in three sizes: short, medium and long. It can be smooth or curly, and varieties are categorized as short, smooth or curly haired. Possible colors are black, white, brown and gold in various shades of dark and light yellow. Among canines of these colors, most are in solid shades, with or without a black mask. Some have small markings in the other colors. Usually brown and gold are marked in black and white, and in these cases the markings are mostly found in the paws, chest, neck, tips of the ears and tails.[1][6]
There is also a minority of bicolor specimens of this dog breed, which are in black and tan, and they usually have a black mantle across the length of the dorsum over the tan body. Certainly the most common color characterizing this dog breed is the azulego, which comprises a yellow base color in any shade interpolated with black hairs, and its various nuances. This gives the dog a faded yellowish or greyish appearance most of the time, and also a bluish hue in some cases.[1][6]
The body is square and medium-sized, denoting great agility. This dog head has forward-facing, pricked ears, the muzzle is thin and their eyes may or may not be of different colors.[1][6]
Temperament[edit]
Its skills as a cattle herding dog are deeply appreciated among the cowboy communities of the Mantiqueira Mountains. As per the popular folklore, there is a trifecta - cowboy, horse and dog - which has contributed to the economy of the region for centuries. These canines are rustic and agile dogs, and they instinctively dedicate themselves to herding the cattle, helping to guide the cattle through the steep mountains of the Mantiqueira mountains, or to gather the cattle in the corrals when they reach their destination. Inhabitants of this region hold a strong belief that the Mantiqueira Shepherd is an indispensable work tool for the cowboy in the Mantiqueira Mountains.[1]
See also[edit]
Literature[edit]
- (in Portuguese) CÃES & CIA, Brasil: Editora Forix, 2010, mensal, Edição nº 379 (dezembro), ISSN 1413-3040, reportagem novas raças brasileiras: Pastor da Mantiqueira e Bullbrass.
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 "Sítio eletrônico Cão Pastor da Mantiqueira". Pastordamantiqueira.com.br. 2009. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
- ↑ "Pastor da Mantiqueira". www.pastordamantiqueira.com.br. Retrieved 2018-10-14.
- ↑ www.neoware.com.br, Neoware Criação e Desenvolvimento de Websites e Sistemas -. "Sociedade Brasileira de Cinofilia". SOBRACI – Registro de Pedigree (in português). Retrieved 2018-04-07.
- ↑ "Pastor da Mantiqueira". www.pastordamantiqueira.com.br. Retrieved 2018-10-14.
- ↑ "BC Museum: The Pastor Mantiqueira". www.bordercolliemuseum.org. Retrieved 2018-11-22.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Sítio eletrônico Pastor das Gerais". Pastoreiodasgerais.com.br. 2011. Archived from the original on 24 June 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
External links[edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mantiqueira Shepherd Dog. |
- Império da Mantiqueira Kennel (in Portuguese)
- SOBRACI (Sociedade Brasileira de Cinofilia). www.sobraci.com
Dogs originating in Brazil | ||
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| Extant |  | |
| Extinct | ||
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