| A Majorca Shepherd Dog | |||||||
| Other names | Ca de Bestiar Perro de Pastor Mallorquin |
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| Country of origin | Spain | ||||||
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| Dog (Canis lupus familiaris) | |||||||
The Majorca Shepherd Dog (Ca de Bestiar or Perro de Pastor Mallorquin) is a domesticated breed of dog,[1] used in the Balearic Islands of Spain, both for guarding sheep and as a general purpose farm dog.[2] It is a medium sized dog with black fur or black with white markings on its chest. It comes in both shorthaired and longhaired varieties.[1]
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The exact origins of the Majorca Shepherd Dog are unknown, but it classified as a European Sheepdog.[1]
The Majorca Shepherd Dog is a tall, up to 73 cm and up to 40-pound shepherd and guard dog. Most of the breed is short-haired, about 1.5 to 3 cm long on the back, with a very fine, thin undercoat. In the long haired variety, the hair is slightly wavy on the back and can reach over 7 cm in length in the winter. In the long-haired variety the undercoat is well distributed and not thick, showing varying shades of black. The ears, which are slightly bent from the side, are relatively small, triangular, thick and set high on the head. The color of the fur is described by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale as follows: "The only acceptable color is black in the shades jet, normal and pitch black. White is only permitted on the chest, a thin tie at the neck and the front and rear (...) ".[1] Räber mentions an additional dark brindle coloration.[3]
The Majorca Shepherd Dog was never bred for beauty and has a rough appearance. Temperamentally they are protective, potentially aggressive, and courageous.[1] Although it is unusual for a black dog to tolerate heat well, the Majorca Shepherd Dog can tolerate the high temperatures of the Mediterranean climate, and they have been exported to Brazil where they have been successfully used to protect private property.[2]