Estrela Mountain Dog vs Braque Francais - Breed Comparison

Also known as the Cao da Serra de Estrela, the large Estrela Mountain Dog from Portugal is an ancient breed, having been used for centuries to guard homesteads and livestock.

The Estrela, as a herding dog, has been developed over a long period of time because shepherds particularly wanted a dog that could survive in the mountains and be strong enough to guard livestock from predators.

The first official recorded breed standard was published in 1933, with an attempt to make the Estrela a distinct breed with a hooked tail and double dew claws.

Today the Estrela is a dog which can be found in other countries beyond Portugal, and in fact in 1973 pairs of the dogs were imported to the United States.

Braque Francais was at first one general breed of hounds in the Gascognes and Pyrenees Mountains areas of France. The one breed became two. Known as the Braque Francais Gascognes and the Braque Francais Pyrenees - two separate breeds of very alike dogs. The Gascognes is a lot less common than his smaller brother. Not very much is known about the beginnings of these two strains of Braque Francais as the breed has been around since at least the 15th century. Because the Braque Francais was exported or taken to so many different countries in the 15th-18th centuries, a lot of the origins of the breeds were lost. A major bloodline search was The conducted in the 19th century and found that these were two very distinct breeds of dog.

It is known that France was the birthplace of this breed and it was developed because of a need for a tracker that could point, flush and retrieve. The Braque Francais Gascogne probably came from the south of France. It is related to the German Shorthair Pointer and the English Pointer as well. Having existed since the 15th century, he was the father of all pointing dogs in France. By the 17th century the breed had grown enough to be called the “old style Braque Francais”,

Though the origin of the breed is not known there are of course several theories about it. The most prevalent belief is that the Braque Francais Gascogne is a descendent of the Chien d’Oysel, a spaniel breed of medium size and white or brown with brown markings. The Chien d’Oysel is an ancient breed used for hunting prior to the 13th century. Hunters crossed the Chien with local dogs on a routine basis.

Braque Francais came out of these breedings. It was probably French Scent hounds that created the larger size of the Gascogne. This also increased the stamina and strength of the Gascogne as opposed to the Pyrenees. There was also a mixing in of the Grand Bleu De Gasgogne and the Petit Bleu De Gasgogne.

The other prominent theory is that this breed the Gasgogne was actually developed from the Portugese, Spanish and Italian pointers rather than the French dogs. These dogs originated not with the Chien d’Oysel but with the scent hounds. From these dogs came the Spanish and English Pointers. All that is truly known is that all of these types of dogs were present in Europe by the fifteenth century and were moved among countries and cross bred regularly. However in the part of France called the Central Pyrenees region and in a small southern part of France the original, old style Braque Francais was pure bred. This aspect of the breed contributed to the development of all of the French pointers and European shorthaired dogs. By the end of the 1800’s today’s breed was developed.

In 1850 the first Braque Francais breed club was established and in the breed standards for both dogs followed in 1880. They were then registered in the French Kennel Club and the International Kennel Club (FCI). The French Kennel Club does not allow dogs with any common ancestors in Generations 1-3 into the Club in order to keep out the practice of inbreeding. In Canada only the Gascogne is recognized and the United States’ United Kennel Club (UKC) recognizes both. The American Kennel Club (AKC) does not recognize either.

With most local regions and countries choosing their local dogs over other breeds, the Braque Francais Gascogne has become fairly rare outside of France where the breed was the most popular gun dog throughout the 1700’s. The Gascogne was mostly a dog of the hunting nobility because of its size and food needs. Following the French Revolution, the breed fell off dramatically, while the smaller Pyrenees continued to thrive. This was because in the Pyrenees Mountains and the Southwestern region of Gascony, the English Pointer never supplanted the Braque Francais.

The Second World War was brutal to the Braque Francais Gascognes and as it recovered it became much less common than its sister breed. Today it is found almost exclusively in France.

The large Estrela Mountain Dog stands between 62 and 72cm and weighs between 30kg and 50kg.

The dog has 2 coat types – short and long but always coarse and thick. The coat is available in a number of colors, from fawn to gray to yellow and brindle and there can be white and black mixed throughout the coat.

The head of the dog is large and long, the neck fairly short and thick, he has dark brown eyes, a bright, intelligent expression with small, floppy ears which are set high on the skull, falling backwards against the side of the head. The tail is long and thick and the dog has a deep chest.

Temperament:

A large, athletic dog, the Estrela Mountain Dog is actually a calm dog, while still being protective towards his human family.

He is an intelligent dog who responds well to training and socialization. He is an independent dog, so this training and socialization is important - will be good for him, turning him into an obedient, relaxed pet who gets on well with other pets in the home as well as with children.

The Braque Francais Gascogne is a larger dog than the Pyrenees breed and is a very handsome dog. Both have a deep chest, a solid bodies, strong and slender legs and are well-proportioned. They have padded, round paws and a large brown head with floppy ears. The muzzle is a pointed block and he has a scissors bite, with a black nose and dark or amber eyes. The eyes are very expressive and round. The tail can be straight and long, or it can be docked. They are tall and athletic.

The Estrela Mountain Dog loves his human family and takes guarding them and protecting them seriously. He is a strong willed, independent dog that will require training and socialization. He makes an excellent pet, and is calm and gentle with children.

The Estrela Mountain Dog has so much going for him – he is beautiful to look at, he is loyal and protective with his human family, he is intelligent, loving and a healthy type of breed, and he is just waiting to become a member of your family.

This is a working breed, but they are nevertheless friendly and loyal to their families. They want to please their people and are usually docile. They love kids and are good as a first ever dog. They are friendly and even-tempered. They tolerate people they do not know but can be shy and are not guard dogs. instead they are loving, affectionate and people oriented. They need to be with their families and never left outside alone. They can develop separation anxiety.

The Estrela Mountain Dog can live to be between 10 and 14 years of age, but as with any large dog, he will have a tendency to suffer from hip- and elbow dysplasia.

Dilated cardiomyopathy is another common heart failure disease found particularly in large-breed dogs. The Estrela is prone to this disease and you’ll notice he has shortness of breath, abdominal swelling and coughing. The disease may not be curable, but there are certainly treatments for it.

The Braque Francais is a fairly healthy breed. They are susceptible to certain health conditions that most dogs of their size and working history are susceptible to. These include Patellar luxation which seems to be one of the most common problems for them. They also can have hip and/or elbow dysplasia, aortic stenosis which is a narrowing of the aorta, and some eye issues such as ectropion, entropion, and PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy as well as cataracts.

Diet:

The Estrela Mountain Dog is a large dog and thankfully, when it comes to feeding him, experts in dog feeding have come up with commercially manufactured dog feeds that particularly cater for a dog’s age, his size and any illnesses he may have.

As a large dog, your Estrela Mountain Dog can suffer with joint problems such as hip dysplasia. For hip dysplasia you want to be looking at a dog food for large dogs which contains joint-health ingredients. An ingredient in the dog food such as glucosamine can work to reduce the damage brought about by hip dysplasia.

Mix in some cooked brown rice, vegetables and chicken into his kibble from time to time. You want your pet to live a long, healthy life and raw meat added in occasionally can increase your pets energy levels, reduce the risk of joint disease and ensure a shiny, soft coat. Raw meat can provide iron, zinc, vitamins, minerals and potassium.

Grooming:

The Estrela isn’t a huge shedder, but his beautiful, thick coat will require brushing twice a week. It’s your chance to check him over for fleas and ticks as well, and the entire grooming process – checking his ears, nails and teeth – is an excellent bonding experience for you and your canine friend.

Exercise:

The Estrela may be large, but he is fairly calm. He’ll love to join you on your daily walks or for a ball game in the garden. He can adapt to life in the city or the country, but his big size will mean he isn’t suited to a tiny property.

Feeding

This is a high energy, working dog with a need for a high-quality energy food or raw food that you make up yourself. Be sure to include chicken, beef and fish. Feed him about 3 cups once a day or 1.5 cups twice a day.

Health issues

In addition to the conditions listed above, his long floppy ears can lead to ear infections if not cared for. Wash them out daily. He is also susceptible to bloat so don’t feed him large meals and don’t let him exercise or work right before or right after exercise.

Exercise and games

These dogs have a variety of hunting skills. They are not only pointers but can flush, trail and retrieve. The Gascogne is not as quick as the Pyrenees. They need a lot of exercise daily or they need a hunting job. They would do well with barn hunt, lure coursing and free play in an off leash fenced in area. If they don’t get rid of their energy, they can be destructive. They were bred to hunt and cannot resist the chase,