Renascence Bulldogge vs Cao da Serra de Aires - Breed Comparison

The Renascence Bulldogge, sometimes referred to as the Gargoyle – or Guardian bulldogs, came about by crossing the American Bulldogs with Bullmastiffs, Bandogges, English Bulldogs and Hermes Bulldogges.

The idea was to re-create the working British Bulldogge breed of the 1800's. The Renascence Bulldogge is bred to a standard and is a rare dog. The idea was to bring about a dog like the English Bulldog but with less health problems.

There is a Renascence Bulldogge Kennel Club in existence.

Ancestors of the Cao da Sera de Aires were used for herding livestock in the Serra de Aires and Alentejo, Portugal. This herding dog is native to Portugal and throughout the 20th Century he was kept as a working dog.

Known also as the Portuguese Sheepdog, Portuguese Shepherd Dog or Serra de Aires Mountain Dog, there are some questions surrounding the breed's ancestry as there are few records of dogs before 1900. The dog is thought to be related to the Pyrenean and Catalan Sheepdogs and that it has descended from Briards which were imported into Portugal and crossed with the Pyrenean Sheepdog.

The Cão da Serra de Aires breed standard was accepted by the Portuguese Kennel Club, and the breed was recognized internationally in 1996. The dog was also recognized by the United Kennel Club in the Herding Group in 2006.

The Renascence Bulldogge is a well proportioned, muscular, medium sized dog with a large head and strong neck.

He can weigh between 27 to 41 kilograms and stand at between 43 and 56cm. A dock tailed is the preferred look, giving the dog a nice compact, distinguished look, but these days the tail is left to grow long. The coat is short and smooth and the colors are fawn, white and black. The eyes of the dog are low and wide, the muzzle broad and the ears are high set and semi-erect, semi-floppy. The back legs are muscular and heavy, quite a bit longer than the front legs.

Temperament:

Protective and territorial, the Renascence Bulldogge happens to also be a friendly, social, playful dog wih his human family. He tends to be a bit reserved and wary around strangers.

This powerful Molosser is also easy to train, and with training and socialization he becomes a pleasure to have around – obedient and well mannered.

The beautiful Cão da Serra de Aires is a medium-sized dog. He stands at 45 to 55 cm at the withers and weighs about 17 to 27 kg. He is recognizable by the long, shaggy, single-layer coat, of straight or slightly wavy hair. Don’t be deceived by the coat as below, the dog has a muscular, athletic body.

The coat comes in different shades such as fawn, gray, yellow and black. The dog has a long tail which is held straight out or down and he has medium-length, floppy ears. You’ve got to look hard, as the facial features of the dog are hidden by its shaggy coat. He has a lot of facial hair that sometimes you have to wonder if he can see out of his eyes.

Temperament:

The Cao da Serra de Aires is a wonderful canine companion and is devoted and loyal, forming strong bonds with their human family. He is a playful, amicable dog and gets on well with children in the home as well as with other pets.

He is intelligent and trainable, and when properly trained and socialized,he becomes an even nicer pet to have around and is obedient to his master’s voice. He is territorial, strong willed and dominant and makes a good watchdog too.

The Renascence Bulldogge is a rare dog and they are now being bred more often by people who love the English Bulldog but who don't want so many health problems.

The Renaissance Bulldog is a lot more healthier and more robust than the English Bulldog. The best part is that he has the English Bulldog's characteristic look. Bring him into your home and you’ll have an entertaining, social, playful, loving pet and companion.

The Cão da Serra de Aires is such a loyal dog to his human family that he makes a splendid pet. He is active, having worked historically at herding and guarding.

Socialization and obedience training ensure that he becomes an exceptional pet and he has a host of positive attributes to his name – he is intelligent, energetic, loyal and loving. He may have been used long ago to guard livestock, but today he is selected as a pet specifically for his excellent companionship and for his protective nature.

Your Renascence Bulldogge can live to be anything from 10 to 15 years of age with good care.

Heat Stroke:

Heat stroke is a concern with the Renascence Bulldogge, and even with his daily walk, you will have to keep an eye on him You must never ever leave him alone in a hot car. These dogs have breathing problems as it is and overheating can kill him.Suffering from heatstroke is regarded as an emergency situation.

Bloat:

Any dog can suffer with bloat, not only the Renascence Bulldog. If your dog’s stomach is bloated, he will have a hard, swollen stomach, he will be restless and trying to vomit. This is also a life threatening condition.

Eczema:

Also referred to as canine atopic dermatitis, the Renascence Bulldog sometimes has to contend with this non-parasitic infection. Your poor dog will have dry, itchy skin and he can become frantic with this. You will need to get him to the vet.

Other things to look out for with your Bulldogge are hip dysplasia, cancer and eye infections.

As with most dogs that are looked after well, their health can be good. The Cao da Serra de Aires isn’t likely to keep you at the vet often. Just like with any good dog, there are some health disorders that can benefit you to know about.

Being forewarned , you can get your pet to the vet quickly before the illness gets out of hand.

There are some pet owners who want to have their pets tested by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals as well as the Canine Eye Registration Foundation to rule out health defects such as hip dysplasia and cataracts before they manifest themselves in their pets. This is of particular importance to breeders so as to prevent the parent dogs passing bad genetic conditions to the puppies.

Hip Dysplasia:

This is a common skeletal disease where the dog’s hip joints don’t develop properly. It can be terribly painful for your pet to get around. It’s a genetic condition and while it is more prevalent in big dogs, any breeds are susceptible.

Your dog will battle along with painful joints and sometimes his hind-end will be lame. You’ll notice that once lying down, he battles to get up again. Fortunately vets are well acquainted with this ailment and they have different options to treat and manage it.

Cataracts:

Cataracts in your dog come about from a disease process which affects the lens of the eye. The eye loses its transparency and impairs vision. There are some instances where cataracts can cause blindness. You’ll see a whitish gray area in your pets eye. The most common cause of cataracts is genetics. Get your pet to the vet who will do certain tests to evaluate the eyes and make a recommendation.

Your Renascence Bulldogge is a special, loving pet, but keeping him healthy can be a bit of a challenge.

Exercise:

A walk every day will be a good form of exercise for this dog.

General Care:

Your pet is one of these dogs that has quite a few layers around the face.You will need to wipe between these folds with a damp,warm cloth or with a natural,gentle anti-fungal wipe.

His skin can become irritated with the layers of skin and you don’t want such a cute pet to battle with a itchy rash on his skin.

Diet:

Your Renascence Bulldogge is going to need the very best food you can give him. The commercially manufactured foods are nice and convenient and the best ones are well balanced.

It’s nice to be able to give your Bulldogge some delicious home-made food, bearing in mind that dogs like simplicity and consistency.

Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and sweet potatoes, spinach and carrots all chopped up and added to your dog’s dry kibble twice a week will delight him. It will ensure he is healthy ad happy. A little bit of raw meat can also do wonders for his health. Never leave him without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

As a working dog used to long hours of action, the Cao da Serra de Aires will need lots of activity. He’ll need you taking him for long walks and playing ball games with him. He can become frustrated and destructive when left without any physical stimulation.

Grooming

The Cao da Serra de Aires may have long hair but he isn’t high maintenance. He won’t require professional grooming, but will require a good brush a least twice a week. This is because the long coat can tangle.

To keep him looking his best, you’ll want to be trimming the hair around his paws. Another important grooming task is checking his ears and cleaning them. You have to be careful about cleaning your pet ears if you don’t know how, as it could damage the ears. Your vet can always advise you on how this is done.