Dogo Sardesco
Encyclopedia
Dogo Sardesco is a breed
of dog
used as a guard dog
, livestock guardian dog
, working dog
Rare and fairly unknown outside Italy, the Dogo Sardesco was developed in the villages of Sardinia as an all-around working Molosser. Equally adept as an aggressive watchdog, protective cattle herder and a dedicated farmdog, the breed is so valued by the Sardinian people that they routinely refuse to sell their puppies to strangers. Because of this attitude, it is also hard to determine the breed's heritage. It is almost certain that its ancestry lies in the same root stock as the rest of the old Cane E Presa population of Italy, from which the mighty Neapolitan Mastiff
, Cane Corso
, Bucciriscu Calabrese and others come from. The Dogo Sardesco is rarely seen outside its native region and no written standards are known to exist. Added confusion is created by reports of two separate Sardinian breeds under this name, one being the Pastore Fonnese
, a typical bearded sheepdog, while the real Dogo Sardo is known locally as the Cani Pertiatzu and is a shorthaired bully breed, similar to the Cane Corso. This confusion comes from this name wrongly being used for the Mastino Fonnese, which is the smooth-coated variety of the Pastore Fonnese, achieved by crossing the Fonnese Sheepdog with the Dogo Sardo.
The Dogo Sardo is a very muscular and athletic working dog, differing from the Cane Corso in some facial features, having a longer muzzle and tighter skin . Some rural dogs have fairly lupoid muzzles, but their purity is questionable. The body is lean and strong, with a powerful neck and sturdy legs. The ears are usually cropped, sometimes completely removed, while the tail can be both docked or left in its natural state. The coat of the Canis Pertiatzus is short and smooth, usually red, grey, black or brindle in colour, but some working specimens are also common in other shades, as well as having slightly rougher coats. This rugged dogge rarely exceeds 24 inches in height, but since there are no set size limits, a variety of heights can be encountered.
Dog breed
Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
of dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
used as a guard dog
Guard dog
A guard dog, an attack dog or watch dog is a dog used to guard against, and watch for, unwanted or unexpected people or animals. The dog is discriminating so that it does not annoy or attack familiar people.-Barking:...
, livestock guardian dog
Livestock guardian dog
A livestock guardian dog is a domesticated canine used to defend livestock against predators. LGDs are commonly referred to as "sheep dogs" since they most often have guarded flocks of sheep, but most are capable of guarding other species of livestock. They are classified as pastoral dogs...
, working dog
Working dog
A working dog refers to a canine working animal, i.e., a type of dog that is not merely a pet but learns and performs tasks to assist and/or entertain its human companions, or a breed of such origin...
Rare and fairly unknown outside Italy, the Dogo Sardesco was developed in the villages of Sardinia as an all-around working Molosser. Equally adept as an aggressive watchdog, protective cattle herder and a dedicated farmdog, the breed is so valued by the Sardinian people that they routinely refuse to sell their puppies to strangers. Because of this attitude, it is also hard to determine the breed's heritage. It is almost certain that its ancestry lies in the same root stock as the rest of the old Cane E Presa population of Italy, from which the mighty Neapolitan Mastiff
Neapolitan Mastiff
The Neapolitan Mastiff, Italian Mastiff, is a large, ancient dog breed. This massive breed is often used as a guard and defender of family and property due to their protective instincts and their fearsome appearance....
, Cane Corso
Cane Corso
The Cane Corso is an Italian breed of dog, for years valued highly in Italy as a companion, guardian and hunter.- Description :-Appearance:...
, Bucciriscu Calabrese and others come from. The Dogo Sardesco is rarely seen outside its native region and no written standards are known to exist. Added confusion is created by reports of two separate Sardinian breeds under this name, one being the Pastore Fonnese
Pastore Fonnese
The Pastore Fonnese is an old Sardinian breed of livestock guardian dog. In 1912 it was used by the Italian Army during a campaign in Libya. The Pastore Fonnese has not been officially recognized by ENCI, the Italian Kennel club, but is very well known locally. It is an excellent guardian of...
, a typical bearded sheepdog, while the real Dogo Sardo is known locally as the Cani Pertiatzu and is a shorthaired bully breed, similar to the Cane Corso. This confusion comes from this name wrongly being used for the Mastino Fonnese, which is the smooth-coated variety of the Pastore Fonnese, achieved by crossing the Fonnese Sheepdog with the Dogo Sardo.
The Dogo Sardo is a very muscular and athletic working dog, differing from the Cane Corso in some facial features, having a longer muzzle and tighter skin . Some rural dogs have fairly lupoid muzzles, but their purity is questionable. The body is lean and strong, with a powerful neck and sturdy legs. The ears are usually cropped, sometimes completely removed, while the tail can be both docked or left in its natural state. The coat of the Canis Pertiatzus is short and smooth, usually red, grey, black or brindle in colour, but some working specimens are also common in other shades, as well as having slightly rougher coats. This rugged dogge rarely exceeds 24 inches in height, but since there are no set size limits, a variety of heights can be encountered.