Breed Standard

The Standard will not depart from the Breed Standard established by the Portuguese Kennel Club (copied directly from the Portuguese Kennel Club, found here.)

Portuguese breed not recognized by the FCI

OriginTerceira Island – Azores – Portugal
UseCattle driving dog par excellence, guard dog, companion dog.
FCI ratingGroup 1 – Shepherd Dogs and Cattle Dogs (except Swiss Cattle Dogs).Section 2 – Cattle Dogs (except Swiss Cattle Dogs).No proof of work.
Height and weightHeight at the withers:Males: 52-58 cm.Females: 48-54 cm.Weight:Males: 25-30 Kg.Females: 21-26 Kg.

Brief Historical Summary

With the beginning of the settlement of the Azorean islands, it was necessary to control and collect the various species of cattle introduced there soon after their discovery.Several types of dogs, including some used on the continent to handle livestock, arrived in the Azores.The “Barbado” probably evolved from dogs brought by settlers from the 16th century onwards. XV and that were used in the gathering of wild cattle. We must also not forget that over the following centuries, various peoples accompanied by their dogs, in transit through the islands, will have decisively influenced what Barbado is today.

Behavior and Character

Companion dog and faithful to the owner, intelligent, easy to teach, cheerful, sweet and willful.

General Aspect

Rustic dog, with a strong and well-muscled body, covered with long, abundant and wavy hair.

Important Proportions

Sub-longilinear dog. The length of the body is slightly greater than the height at the withers. The length of the skull is slightly greater than the length of the chamfer.

Head

Strong, solid and proportionate to the body. The upper craniofacial axes are parallel. The length of the skull is slightly greater than the length of the chamfer.

Cranial Region

Skull: Medium size, slightly domed. The median longitudinal depression begins approximately in the posterior third of the chamfer and extends to the middle of the skull. Supraciliary arches not prominent. The occipital crest is marked.

Nasal notch (Stop): Little pronounced.

Facial Region

Nose: Large, cubic and straight. Well-pigmented, black in color, brown in yellow coats.

Chamfer: Strong, cylindrical and straight in its topline. It is wide with parallel lateral faces. Jaws well developed.

Lips: Firm, thick and well pigmented. Labial commissure not very evident.

Teeth: Strong, solid, with well developed canines. The dentition articulates in scissors.

Faces: Dry adherent skin.

Eyes: Medium size, semi-frontal positioning, horizontal, oval shaped, expressive and intelligent. Honey to dark brown color. Well pigmented eyelids.

Ears:Medium to high set, triangular, of medium size. Hanging, broken and well covered with fur. They have the mobility of size and in attention they lift at the base and fold forward.

Neck

Medium, solid and well muscled. Well set in the shoulders, supporting the head
with dignity.

Stem

Top line: Straight and horizontal.

Withers: Wide, providing a good connection between the neckline and the backline.

Back: Broad, supple and well muscled.

Loin: Short and well joined to the croup.

Croup: Robust and slightly sloping.

Chest: Broad and deep, reaching to the elbows. Ribs well sprung, with good thoracic capacity.Bottom line and belly: Ascendant with slightly retracted belly.

Tail

Medium to low deployment. Shortened to the third vertebra or whole of medium size, without going beyond the hock. At rest the tail hangs and curls at the bottom. Anurans are allowed.

Former Members

General Appearance: Upright, broad boned, well muscled and upright.

Shoulders: Well developed and oblique.

Scapulohumeral angulation: Open.

Arms: Strong, with elbows close to the body.

Forearms: Vertical.

Carpus: Strong.

Pasterns: Slightly sloping.

Hands: Large and oval with well-arched fingers and thick, sturdy pads. Strong nails.

Hind limbs

General Appearance: Robust and well muscled. They are well angulated, denoting great thrust capacity.

Thighs: Well developed and well muscled.

Legs: Long. Well developed.

Femorotibial angulation: Closed. Tarsi: Strong.

Metatarsus: Strong, in an almost vertical position with short hocks.Feet: Oval, toes close together and arched, and may have forelegs.

Tempos

Agile paces with good impulsion, allowing sudden changes in direction and movement transition. Slightly wobbly step, springy trot with good reach and suspension. The gallop is energetic and fast.

Skin

Thin, pigmented and adherent.

coat

Long, bushy, slightly wavy, neither straight nor curly, with abundant undercoat all over the body. Working clipping shortens the hair uniformly, and this presentation should be used in beauty exhibitions.Hair: Strong, slightly coarse but not rough. Abundant all over the head, on the muzzle and over the eyes, where it falls forward. Abundant in the mandibular area, originating the beards from which it takes its name. On the limbs the hair is abundant, even between the toes. Abundant on the tail to the tip.

Colour: Yellow, grey, black, fawn and wolf in light, common and dark tones, and can be manelves, pedalees, squares, with open front, collared and with white spots on the chest, belly and tip of the tail.

General Defects

Any deviation from the standard must be considered a defect and penalized according to its severity and its consequences on the health and well-being of the dog and its ability to carry out its traditional work.

Serious Defects

Teeth: Pincer.

Nose: Depigmented.

Bevel: Pointed and narrow.

Coat: Soft coat and no undercoat. With meshes beyond the defined areas.

Height: Excessive (above 60 cm) or diminutive (below 48 cm).Gaits: Movements without reach and propulsion.

Eliminatory Defects (Disqualifications)

Behaviour/Character: Shyness and aggressiveness.

Jaws: Prognathism. Endognatism.

Eyes: Totally or partially blue.Coat: Brown or mottled.

Notes:
Any dog ​​that clearly presents physical or behavioral anomalies must be disqualified.Males should have both testicles, of normal appearance, well descended into the scrotum.Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs of typical breed conformation should be used for breeding.