Gran Mastin de Borinquen vs Catalan Sheepdog - Breed Comparison

The Gran Mastín de Borinquen is also referred to as the Puerto Rican Mastiff or the Mastín Borincano and is actually native to Puerto Rico.

The dog seems to have originated long ago already during the 16th century. Its a dog that descends from a number of dogs, and the dog from these crosses became a huge, ferocious dog.

For centuries the Gran Mastin de Borinquen was used to protect the estates of the Spanish nobility. Today the breed is considered rare and it isn't recognized by any major kennel club as a standardized breed.

The Catalan Sheepdog, known also as the Gos d’Atura, hails from Catalonia, Spain. It is believed that the dog is related to the Portuguese- and Pyrenean Sheepdogs.

The standard for this breed was formulated in 1929. The sheepdog developed during Roman Empire times between 200 and 100 BC already, being used as livestock guard dogs. With the breed dwindling in the 1970s, Catalonian Sheepdog lovers started promoting it, but it remains a rare breed.

The Gran Mastin de Borinquen is a large dog. He stands roughly between 56 and 71cm and weighs in at between 41 and 68kg.

He is well muscled with a large head and short floppy ears but until recently the ears have always been cropped. The nose is black, the eyes dark brown and small and he has an alert, intelligent look to him.

These days the tail is kept long and it is held low. The coat is short in length and harsh with the colour being fawn, black, cream or brindle. You'll also find some small inclusions of white on the coat.

Temperament:

Loyal and protective, the Gran Mastin de Borinquen forms a strong bond with his master, becoming aggressive with any stranger who comes too close to his owner.Its a dog that has been taught to be aggressive so he isn't the best pet to choose if you have children in the home. He isn't the best dog either for first time dog owners, particularly if the person isn't a strong, firm person around him, showing who is boss.

However there are people who have had their pet trained and socialized and who claim he makes a wonderful family pet. The way a dog is brought up can play a large role in the way he turns out.

Train and socialize your Gran Mastin de Borinquen because he is inclined to be strong-willed and for a large, aggressive type of dog, you want him to be obeying you.

The Catalan is a medium sized dog but gives the impression of being bigger than he actually is. He stands from 45 – 55cm in height and weighs between 20 to 25kg.

This breed also has double dew claws on the hind feet. He has a long coat which is slightly wavy and available in different shades such as fawn to brownish to dark grey to black. He has floppy, feathery ears and a fairly long, feathery tail. He has quite a bit of hair on he face too, so you’ll notice a beard, moustache as well as hair which covers the eyes somewhat.

Temperament

Brave and courageous, the Catalan Sheepdog is also intelligent, active and hardy. He has a round face with a friendly, amicable expression. He is totally pleasant and sweet natured. However, in his role as guardian of sheep he took his role seriously, forming a strong relationship with both shepherd and sheep.

He is wary of strangers. Early socialization and training is always important, and while he makes a wonderful family pet, this training and socialization makes him more relaxed and obedient and he gets on well with children in the home as well as with other pets. While he is a placid, docile and gentle pet, he is also looked upon as a protector, and will defend his family.

Noble, courageous and loyal, a trained, socialized Gran Mastin de Borinquen who has learned simple commands such as sit, down, come, stay, lie-down and heel will be an absolute pleasure to have around and be a well behaved, obedient companion for you.

Your Gran Masin is a dignified, loving animal, but because of his size and his origin, bred to be aggressive, he isn’t looked upon as the first choice when you’ve got small children in the home. With the right owner – fair, firm and loving - he makes a splendid pet.

The Catalan Sheepdog is such an amicable character – he is going to make an awesome pet. He is an intelligent and obedient dog and is easily trained.

He has been used for guarding- and herding work and as a family pet makes a excellent guard dog as well. Capable of being gentle too, he is everything his human family wants him to be and just becomes a regular member of the family.

Your Gran Mastin de Borinquen can get to 12 years of age with good care. Mastiff-type dogs like this can be prone to eye problems as well as having to tackle joint problems such as hip dysplasia.

Other issues that can appear in this breed, but are unlikely be cancer, bloat, hypothyroidism and von Willebrand’s Disease which is a bleeding disorder.

Remember to do daily inspections of your Gran Mastin de Borinquen for fleas and ticks, particularly during the Summer month. Toxins introduced into the body by a tick bite for instance can make your pet seriously ill so that veterinary intervention is required.

The Catalan Sheepdog is a fairly healthy breed and has a life expectancy of 12, 13 or 14 years. Nonetheless you will still need to watch out with common dog ailments with him, particularly hip dysplasia.

Hyp Dysplasia:

This is a joint and hip disease which can start with symptoms from 6 months of age already. Your dog will be hesitant to play and jump, doesn’t like to go upstairs, tires easily during a walk and develops a hop-like way to walk. You’ll notice that when he lies down, he battles to- or is reluctant to get up again.

X-rays may be required to confirm the diagnosis of hip dysplasia. There are different treatment options, all with the wellbeing of your pet in mind. You don’t want him to have a life of pain and lameness.

Grooming:

The Gran Mastin de Borinquen, with his short coat, is a relatively low maintenance breed. Brush him at least twice a week to keep the coat free of loose hairs. Other grooming requirements are keeping his ears clean and dry. You can ask about alcohol wipes at your local pet shop to use in his ears. Check the nails too and remember to brush his teeth a couple of times a week to avoid dental decay.

Exercise:

You won't find the Gran Mastin de Borinquen being a particularly high energy dog but he also isn't a couch potato. If you enjoy a walk every day for your own good health, include him in these walks and give him a game of ball every now and again.

Diet:

This Mastiff -type dog is large, and they tend to be fairly lazy, not using up great deals of energy. Young dogs however use up more energy and will require a diet with good quality protein.

Dogs that have been spayed or neutered as well as senior dogs will require less calories. If you buy commercially manufactured food, check the labels carefully and buy high quality food for a large breed.

Don't just feed your Gran Mastin kibble everyday but alternate it sometimes, mixing in some raw meat into his kibble or mixing in some cooked chicken, rice and vegetables.

Exercise:

The Catalan Sheepdog is a working breed, so he is going to need plenty of exercise. While he adapts easily to city- or country life, it will be to his benefit to have a garden to romp in. You will still need to take him for walks and play ball- and rope games with him. This will prevent boredom and destructive behavior from him.

Grooming:

The Catalan Sheepdog has long hair so he will need to be brushed twice a week to avoid matting. This will help to remove loose hair too, but also distribute natural oils through his coat, keeping his hair and skin healthy and free from skin rashes and itchiness.

This brushing ensures other benefits as you can simultaneously check him for parasites such as fleas and ticks.

Diet:

If you feed him commercial dog food, make sure its a high quality one. He is an active breed so will require high protein. Give him some homemade rice, vegetables and meat, and include raw meat in his food from time to time too. Always ensure that there is fresh, cool water constantly within reach.