One of the oldest breeds or Purtugal, the C�o da Serra da Estrela is also known as Estrela Mountain dog and Portuguese Shepherd. It has been used for hundred of years in mountains of Portugal to guard herds. It is a strong breed that has adapted itself to match the extreme weather conditions of the mountains.
The dog stands between 25.5 to 28.5 inches tall and weighs between 88-110 pounds. It comes in two types of coats. One type is long coat that is thick and slightly coarse from the outside. It lies closely to the body and may be flat or slightly wavy. Undercoat is very dense and lighter in colour than outer coat.
The other type is short coat with thick and slightly coarse hair and comes with shorter dense under coat. This dog is NOT recognized by AKC.