Pastor Garafiano vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison

Hailing from the Canary Islands, the Pastor Garafiano is a dog which was once used for working purposes but which is essentially a pet today.

Also known as the Spanish Collie, it is not really sure if the dog really has any links to the Collie.There are dog experts who claim that there are actually very few pure specimens of this dog because of interbreeding with other breeds such as the German Shepherd.

There was a time that the breed almost disappeared but a working group was established to further establish breeding centers for the dog. Today the Pastor Garafiano is a recognized breed and he has been registered since 1982.

At earlier time English Bulldogs were not as it was now. They were taller and was fierce in their nature. They were completely developed in England.The first breed was set in at about 1500. After that they were involved in a game called Bull baiting in England, where a fight was set in between a Bull and the Bulldog.

English Bulldogs will be on full fierce by biting and holding the bull even when they jump or struggle, until they fall on the ground. After that Bull baiting was banned in England, and everyone thought Bulldog will disappear. But some breeders re engineered it and made it as it was now. In 1950s Bulldogs ranked among top 10 in America.

This is a medium to large dog, with its hindquarters being a bit higher than the shoulders. The body is strongly built with a deep chest. He stands at between 55 to 64cm in height and weighs between 24 to 35kg.

The nose is black and the eyes brown. The ears are slightly erect. The double coat is long and thick and the color is almost golden or tawny, much like a lion. Puppies are born brown and the color changes as they get older.

The tail is long, and when the dog is in motion or alert the tail is lightly curled. He is an active dog requiring a lot of intensive physical exercise. It is therefore not recommended that he be kept on a small city property but that he be on a farm or have a large garden.

Temperament:

This is a good looking, confident sheepdog who is also intelligent and therefore easily trained. He makes a splendidly obedient pet when he has been trained and socialized.

He is docile, calm and friendly and good with children in the home who have been taught to be kind and gentle with him. Apart from regular play, make sure he gets his regular exercise and he is constantly allowed to be part of the family.

English Bulldogs are muscular in nature. They easily gain over weight and so exercising them is very mandatory. They are well suitable for apartment living, since they will always like to lie down and sleep. They will woke up only for their food. But they are very much faithful for their owners and it will be seen very loving when they come near and look at you.

Since they face respiratory problems they should not be compelled to play for very long time. Their look may be ferocious but they are very calm and loving towards others unless you do any harm to them or their owners.

The Pastor Garafiano is such a wonderful docile and friendly pet that he is guaranteed to make a wonderful companion for any family.

He is a dog that simply loves spending time with his human family and won’t do well when left alone in the backyard day after day. Take good care of this beautiful tawny dog and give him your attention and you will have a wonderful canine friend that is difficult to beat in terms of loyalty and devotion.

Children friendliness

They are good companion for children, but it is recommended to have an adult supervision and not allowing them alone.

Special talents

They are the best companion dogs. They take decisions after thinking for a while. They are very faithful for their owners, and if anybody does harm to their owners infront of them, then they will show their full energy and teach a lesson to them.

Adaptability

They adapt well for apartment living. They can be leaved alone in home for some hours but they love to stay with anyone in the house. English Bulldog love to live in moderate weather, both hot and cold weather will bring problems to them.

Learning ability

Bulldog will not do all things you order them, as they think well and take their decision well. They think what will they get by doing what you say, and then only they will do it.

Your Pastor Garafiano can reach anything from 10 – 14 years of age if he is happy and well taken care of. Every dog however, can fall prey to one of the many common dog illnesses there are. Some of these are -

Dermatomyositis:

This is an inherited inflammatory disease of the skin, blood vessels and muscles. Signs of dermatomyositis can vary from mild to severe skin lesions and inflammation of muscles and even a decrease in muscle mass. Severely affected dogs can even have difficulty with swallowing. Symptoms of the disease are usually seen before the dog is 6 months of age.

Progressive Retinal atrophy:

This is an eye disease where there is a gradual deterioration of the retina. Dogs can become night blind early in the disease and as the disease goes on, they can even lose their daytime vision.

Hip Dysplasia:

This is a very common dog ailment – the abnormal formation of the hip socket can cause pain, arthritis and even lameness. It is severe enough to know that dogs with hip dysplasia should never be bred.

They have chances of getting problems due to brachycephalic syndrome, this is because of their short face. Also they suffer from respiratory problems. Bone and joint problems are also common in them.

Hair fall

English Bulldog has chances of getting skin problems and hair fall is the initial for those skin problems. Normally they shed hair upto a considerable level.

Grooming:

Groom your Pastor Garafiano at least twice a week. Your dog’s coat is fairly long and it sheds too and you want to make sure it doesn't become all matted. There are different brushes you can use for his beautiful coat.

You can also use this grooming session to check other areas of your dog. Check inside his ears, check his eyes and feel for new or unusual lumps. Make sure to keep his nails trimmed.

Exercise your pet every day. Take him on walks or hikes and provide him with ball or frisbee games. Exercise keeps him fit and healthy but also happy and content.

Diet:

Nutrition is of critical importance to your pet's wellbeing. It is important to know what your pet needs to stay healthy and have a strong immune system which can ward off disease.

There are some good commercially manufactured dog foods on the market but it is important to choose the one that doesn’t come filled with toxic colorants, preservatives and fillers. Protein should be high on the list of ingredients listed on the pet food packaging. Also make sure to feed your pet food that had been made for his size, his breed, his age and his energy requirements.

To provide some variety to your pet’s diet, give him some tasty home-made food. Dog’s do well on simplicity and consistency. Some boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and some cooked vegetables such as spinach, sweet potato and carrots all chopped up and added into his dry kibble occasionally will keep him bright eyed and with his tail constantly wagging.

He’ll thank you for not varying his diet with things that can give him an upset stomach such as coffee, tea, popcorn, grapes, onions and chocolate.

Feeding the puppy

English Bulldog puppy needs more energy and nutrients for its growth, so they must be fed several times a day but the amount should be less. They should not be given raw meat and foods that may be gone bad. The food given to puppy should be allowed to eat for only 20 minutes. After that time if balance food remains in bowl they should be removed and for the next meal new food should be given.

The puppy shall be given cooked food which we eat and it is preferable to give cooked meat and bones three times a week. Salt should be added less for them and sugar should not be given.

Feeding the adult

The bulldog can be fed 1 to 2 times per day, that is morning and evening. It is not recommended to give them soybean oil, chocolates and onions. Kibbles can also be given to them.

Points for Good Health

Nutritional food is the main factor for their health and the vaccinations should be made at the right time with consulting the veterinarian.

Games and Exercises

English Bulldogs may have less energy, but they love to play. They can be made to chase after a ball or Frisbee. But short chasing will be good for them. They should not be made to play in hot sun as they suffer with some heat problems. Also they are interested in playing Tug of war, Hide and seek and solving puzzles.