Official ICCF Breed Description
Historical Background
The Castro Laboreiro Dog is an ancient Portuguese herding and guardian breed originating from the mountainous region of Castro Laboreiro in the north of the country. It is considered one of the oldest shepherd dogs of the Iberian Peninsula, shaped naturally by harsh climates and constant threats from predators. For centuries, these dogs guarded flocks of sheep and goats on high-altitude pastures, demonstrating independence, bravery, and exceptional adaptability to rugged terrain. The breed was preserved mainly in isolated villages, which helped maintain its original type and working abilities. In the 20th century, interest in the Castro Laboreiro Dog increased, and the breed gained recognition as a rare and valued representative of Portugal’s national heritage.
General Appearance
The Castro Laboreiro Dog is a medium-large, strong, and resilient dog with a powerful yet balanced body that reflects its working origin. The outline is slightly elongated, with straight, stable toplines. Musculature is dry, well-defined, but not overly heavy. The chest is deep, the back firm and straight, the loin strong, and the croup slightly sloping. The head is broad and expressive, with a strong muzzle and an attentive, alert expression. Movement is free, light, and energetic, highlighting the dog’s ability to work long hours in difficult landscapes. The overall appearance combines physical strength, agility, and independence typical of mountain herding dogs with a pronounced guarding instinct.
Important Proportions
The body of the Castro Laboreiro Dog is slightly elongated: the length slightly exceeds the height at the withers while maintaining balance and stability. Chest depth equals approximately half of the dog’s height. The head is large and proportional, with a length of about 40% of the height at the withers. The muzzle is powerful, slightly shorter than the skull, yet sufficiently deep. The neck is strong, of medium length, blending harmoniously into the shoulders. Limbs are straight, strong, with well-defined angulation, enabling secure movement on rocky terrain. The tail is of medium length, thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. Overall proportions emphasize the breed’s natural adaptation to mountainous work and its functionality as a versatile shepherd dog.
Behavior and Temperament
The Castro Laboreiro Dog is known for its independent, brave, and alert temperament, shaped by centuries of work as a guardian dog. It shows natural vigilance, quickly evaluates situations, and makes autonomous decisions. The breed is strongly territorial and highly responsible, making it a reliable protector of flock and home. With its family, the dog is loyal, calm, and balanced, while towards strangers it remains reserved. The Castro Laboreiro Dog is not prone to unprovoked aggression and acts thoughtfully and confidently. High intelligence, endurance, and stress resistance enable effective work even under challenging conditions. Firm leadership and consistent training are essential.
Head
The head of the Castro Laboreiro Dog is large, powerful, and expressive, reflecting the breed’s working character. The skull is broad, slightly domed, with well-developed cheekbones and moderate convexity. The stop is gently defined, without a sharp break. The proportions of the head emphasize strength, independence, and attentiveness. Musculature is well developed but not coarse, allowing for an effective bite and control over predators. The overall lines of the head are harmonious, forming a balanced profile typical of mountain herding dogs. The expression is confident, alert, and indicative of natural independence shaped by centuries of work in isolated Portuguese mountain regions.
Facial Region
The facial region is strong, deep, and well formed. The muzzle is broad at the base and gradually tapers toward the nose while maintaining a straight profile. The muzzle is slightly shorter than the skull, but the proportions remain harmonious. The nose is large, dark, with wide nostrils, allowing proper ventilation during prolonged work in mountainous environments. Lips are firm, moderately tight, without excessive looseness. Jaws are powerful and solid, with a complete dentition and a scissor bite. The facial region reflects the breed’s decisiveness and suitability for protective work. The muzzle must remain clean in outline, without coarseness or excessive refinement.
Eyes
The eyes are oval, medium-sized, set slightly obliquely, giving an expression of attentiveness and alertness. Eye color ranges from dark hazel to nearly black, always harmonizing with the dog’s overall coloration. Eyelids are tight, well-pigmented, and provide good protection. The expression reflects seriousness, wisdom, independence, and the ability to respond quickly to environmental changes. Round, protruding, overly light eyes, weak eyelid closure, or signs of irritation are undesirable. Correct shape and expression emphasize confidence and the breed’s innate guarding instinct.
Ears
The ears are medium-sized, triangular with rounded tips, set moderately high, and hanging close to the head. Their shape enhances the dog’s attentive, alert expression. In their natural state, the ears are smooth, covered with short hair, and do not form folds. Ears must not be overly long, too high-set, or excessively low. Undesirable are stiff, outward-pointing, or incorrectly formed ears that break the outline of the head. Correct ear placement complements the breed’s working type and its ability to respond quickly to sounds in mountainous conditions.
Neck
The neck is strong, muscular, and sufficiently long to provide a wide range of motion and good visibility when working on uneven terrain. The topline of the neck is slightly arched, blending smoothly into the withers. Musculature is well-developed but not coarse, reflecting the dog’s strength and endurance. The skin is firm and elastic, without excessive dewlap, though slight looseness is acceptable in adult working dogs. The neck supports the large head and contributes to overall balance. Too short, excessively thick, or weak necks are incorrect as they compromise both balance and functionality.
Body
The body is strong and elongated, reflecting endurance and suitability for long work in mountainous terrain. The withers are clearly defined, the back straight, firm, and muscular. The loin is short, broad, and well-toned, providing stability and flexibility. The croup is long, slightly sloping, and powerful, enabling strong rear propulsion. The chest is deep and broad, with well-arched ribs that ensure significant lung capacity. The abdomen is moderately tucked up without excessive dryness. Body shape emphasizes functionality, allowing the breed to work for prolonged periods, maintain speed, navigate rough terrain, and guard livestock effectively.
Tail
The tail is long, thick at the base, and gradually tapers toward the tip. In a relaxed state, it hangs down with a slight curve; when alert, it rises above the topline but does not curl. The tail reaches the hock or slightly below. Hair on the tail is short and dense. Undesirable are tails that are too short, broken, curled, or excessively raised. The tail contributes to expressiveness and balance, indicating the dog’s focus, readiness, and emotional state. A correct tail enhances overall harmony and confirms the breed’s working type.
Forequarters
The forequarters are strong, straight, and well-boned, providing stability and confident movement on difficult terrain. Shoulders are long, sloping, and well-fitted, with strong musculature. The upper arm is solid, with angulation that allows wide, free movement. Elbows are directed backward without deviations inward or outward. Forearms are straight, uniform in thickness, and powerful. Pasterns are short, slightly sloping, but strong and elastic. Feet are compact, oval, with dense pads ensuring reliable traction. Weak pasterns, turned elbows, loose or overly narrow feet are faults. Correct forequarters highlight the breed’s suitability for mountainous work.
Hindquarters
The hindquarters are powerful, muscular, and well-balanced, providing strong propulsion and stability. Thighs are long, broad, and well-muscled. Stifles are strong with well-defined angulation, supporting free and elastic movement. Lower legs are long, dry, and straight. Hocks are low-set, broad, and firm. Metatarsi are short, vertical, without weakness or deviation. Feet are compact, oval, with dense pads for traction on rocky surfaces. Straight angulation, weak joints, cow hocks, or bow-legged stance are faults. The hindquarters must demonstrate the strength and functionality necessary for work in mountainous environments.
Gait / Movement
Movement is free, confident, and efficient, reflecting endurance and the ability to work long hours on uneven terrain. The primary gait is a steady, balanced trot with good reach in front and powerful rear drive. The back remains stable without sway. Movement is straight, balanced, and smooth even at increased speed. The dog should easily transition between walk and trot without losing coordination. Stiffness, pigeon-toed movement, short stride, crossing over, or signs of discomfort are unacceptable. Correct movement demonstrates the dog’s natural conditioning and ability to cover long distances in mountainous regions while maintaining stability and activity.
Coat
The coat is short, dense, coarse, and close-fitting, providing protection against harsh weather of mountainous areas. The undercoat is thick, compact, and seasonal, offering insulation in winter and reducing during warmer months. Coat length may be slightly longer on the neck, back, and tail but must not form fringes or waves. The texture must remain firm and straight; soft, fluffy, or curly coats are incorrect. Coat quality reflects the breed’s working specialization and ability to withstand humidity, wind, and significant temperature fluctuations. The coat should emphasize the dog’s strength and natural silhouette without decorative elements.
Acceptable Colors
The Castro Laboreiro Dog has a distinctive and unique coloration. The primary color is “mountain” or “wolf” color—a complex blend of dark brown, black, and gray shades forming a characteristic marbled pattern. Darker or lighter variations are acceptable, but the color must remain natural and effectively camouflaging in mountainous landscapes. Minimal white markings are allowed on the chest or toes; large white areas are undesirable. Pigmentation of the nose, lips, and eyelids must be dark and uniform. Solid colors, brindle patterns, or pronounced spotting are not acceptable. Coat color must emphasize the breed’s origin and adaptation to its natural environment.
Size
The Castro Laboreiro Dog is a medium-large herding breed with size combining strength, mobility, and endurance. Males typically measure 55–60 cm at the withers; females 52–57 cm. Weight ranges from 25 to 40 kg depending on sex, bone structure, and condition. The dog must not be excessively heavy or overly light: too much mass reduces mobility, while insufficient mass reduces endurance in mountainous conditions. Body proportions must remain harmonious—length slightly exceeding height, chest deep, body strong. Correct size and balanced proportions ensure the dog’s ability to work long hours, maneuver effectively, and reliably guard flocks under demanding conditions.
Faults
Faults include deviations that reduce overall type and working ability but do not fully disqualify the dog. These include an overly light or excessively coarse body, weak musculature, flat or insufficiently deep chest. Undesirable are round or overly light eyes, weak pigmentation of eyelids or nose. Front faults include elbows turning inward or outward, weak pasterns, soft or narrow feet, insufficient angulation. In movement, stiffness, pigeon-toed stance, weak drive, or short stride are considered faults. Coat faults include soft, wavy, or fluffy texture. Assessment must consider the combined effect of faults on functionality.
Disqualifications
Disqualifying faults are serious deviations that fully compromise breed type, health, or functionality. Unprovoked aggression or panic-driven fearfulness is unacceptable—the breed must display confidence and autonomy. Severe bite defects, significant jaw deformities, or absence of functionally essential teeth are grounds for disqualification. Complete depigmentation of the nose, lips, or eyelids, very light or mismatched eye colors are unacceptable. Colors outside the standard, including solid, brindle, or spotted coats, are disqualifying. Physical deformities that limit movement, severe joint or spinal issues, or complete loss of breed type also result in disqualification.
Important Notes
As a working breed, evaluation must consider historical purpose, natural endurance, and adaptability to challenging mountainous environments. Minor working-related wear, seasonal coat changes, or variations in muscle tone should not overly reduce the score if the dog remains functional and healthy. Particular attention should be given to temperament— the breed must demonstrate confidence, alertness, and independence without unjustified aggression. In comparisons, preference is given to dogs with the best combination of anatomy, movement, temperament, and clear breed type. Functional ability must take precedence over decorative appearance.
Conclusion
The Castro Laboreiro Dog is a rare and culturally significant breed with deep roots in Portugal’s mountainous regions. It embodies strength, independence, intelligence, and exceptional adaptability to harsh conditions. The standard emphasizes balanced proportions, correct anatomy, stable temperament, and characteristic color. With proper care and training, the dog excels as a reliable guardian, devoted companion, and effective herding assistant. The breed maintains strong cultural value and remains appreciated for its unique features shaped by centuries of natural selection. The Castro Laboreiro Dog stands as a living symbol of Portugal’s working traditions and a model of sustainable functional type.
