by LoveUniHateExams 51 Replies latest social family
LV101, the Serra da Estrela dog is of easy maintenance - feed him, give him space, respect his privacy and show him some affection and he's got your back for life! This breed has a lot in common with the great mastiffs. Their cubs are the cutest creatures on earth, if you don't fall in love for them, you have no heart :)
Eden
Sorry, Shanagirl, forgot to reply to you - that great Dane is majestic, and could almost be the horse in Black Beauty.
B_T_D_T - nice photo, are they border collies?
EdenOne - What a cutie! Now that's funny, "respect his privacy" -- you mean he needs his own bedroom or huge yard - or farm with acreage? I might have to check them out. I sure felt safe with my St. Bernards around and will always miss them. A couple of vets have told me Saints are one of the top 3 most vicious dogs - hard to believe but there's a couple of huge junk yds. off the strip and they have had Saints guarding them. Problem with some of the bigger dogs is shorter life span compared to smaller breeds and I just can't go through that again - guess it goes/comes with the territory if you want the best thing in the whole wide world (dogs) in your life. My husband likes them but isn't crazy about dogs like I am so I'll only be getting one, unfortunately. I'd prefer to have at least 3.
Thanks for info - I appreciate.
The "privacy" feature means that you shouldn't try to force them to come to you when they're not so inclined - they naturally come, but in their own terms. When they're in the mood, they're very affectuous and expressive. But often, they like to just "retreat" into a shady corner somewhere and be left alone. They're still doing their perceived job, to protect the property and the family, but they do it in their own terms. They have a super sharp ear and react promptly. Like I said, they tend to be very stubborn. The only health issue that's common to them is something common to most big dogs: with age, sometimes they develop a serious hip dysplasia and they get terrible pains to walk. In that situation one must wheigh the possibility to put an end to their misery.
Eden
A CAT!!!
BTW, the life span of a Serra da Estrela dog, if properly taken care of, is around 12-15 years.
Eden
My sister-in-law with Kai the Leonberger:
Well, I'm learning about different dog breeds - certainly like the sound of at least 12-15 yrs.
Love that Leonberger - he's beautiful, too.
tim, what a beautiful dog.
Eden
Van - I lost my feline companion this year, and understand. Missing her so much. xx
