The Catalan Sheepdog (, ) is a Spanish

breed A breed is a specific group of breedable domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist seve ...

herding dog A herding dog, also known as a stock dog or working dog, is a Dog type, type of dog that either has been trained in herding livestock or belongs to one of the dog breed, breeds that were developed for herding. A dog specifically trained to he ...

. It originated in valleys and foothills of the

Pyrenees The Pyrenees are a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. They extend nearly from their union with the Cantabrian Mountains to Cap de Creus on the Mediterranean coast, reaching a maximum elevation of at the peak of Aneto. ...

Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...

, but has spread throughout Catalonia and much of Spain; there are

breed societies Breed clubs are associations or clubs with activities centered on a single, specific breed of a particular species of domesticated animal. The purpose of the association will vary with the species of animal and the goals and needs of the members ...

in Finland, France, Germany and Holland. It was traditionally used to herd livestock, particularly horses and sheep. In the twenty-first century it may also be kept as a

companion animal A pet, or companion animal, is an animal kept primarily for a person's company or entertainment rather than as a working animal, livestock, or a laboratory animal. Popular pets are often considered to have attractive/ cute appearances, intel ...

History

The Gos d'Atura derives from the former wide and variable population of long-haired herding dogs in the Pyrenees, from which the

Pyrenean Shepherd The Pyrenean Sheepdog, the Chien de Berger des Pyrénées in French language, French, is a small to medium-sized Dog breed, breed of herding dog from the Pyrenees Mountains region of France. It is found herding flocks of sheep throughout the Pyr ...

and the Euskal Artzain Txakurra also derive. It was recognised as a breed at the time of the formation of the Real Sociedad Central para el Fomento de las Razas Caninas en España in 1911. The first

breed standard In animal husbandry or animal fancy, a breed standard is a description of the characteristics of a hypothetical or ideal example of a breed. The description may include phenotype, physical or morphology (biology), morphological detail, genotype, g ...

was drawn up in 1929, and was adopted by the

Fédération Cynologique Internationale The (; FCI; ) is the largest international federation of national kennel clubs and purebred registries. The FCI is based in Thuin, Belgium and has 98 members and contract partners (one from each country). History The FCI was founded in 1911 un ...

when it definitively accepted the breed in 1954. A new standard was prepared in 1982, and modified at the time of the formation of the Club del Gos d’Atura Català in 1984.

Characteristics

Height at the

withers Withers are the ridge between the shoulder blades of an animal, typically a quadruped. In many species, this ridge is the tallest point of the body. In horses and dogs, it is the standard place to measure the animal's height. In contrast, catt ...

is in the range for dogs, and for bitches. Their coat is long and either flat or slightly wavy, and ranges from fawn to dark sable and light to dark grey. There is also a short-haired variety of this breed, but it is nearly extinct.

Size and weight

Height at withers: 47−55 cm and 20−25 kg for male dogs; from 45 to 53 cm and 17–21 kg for females.

Hair and hair color

Long and limp and a little curled. Seen from afar the dog seems to be unicolour and may have lighter shadings at the limbs. When seen close up, it is noticeable that the colour comes from a mixture of hairs of different colour shades: fawn, brown more or less reddish, grey and black. Long, flat, or very slightly wavy, rough with abundant undercoat on the whole posterior third of the body. On the head a beard, moustaches, tuft and eyebrows which do not affect sight can be noticed. Tail well covered with hair as are all four limbs. It is noticeable that during moulting a typical phenomenon may be observed: it occurs in two periods. First of all it affects the coat on the front part, giving the impression of two halves with different coats; then moults the hind part of the dog and everything becomes uniform again.

Temperament

This breed is used for herding and as a pet dog. Because of its intelligence, the Gos D'Atura, like most sheepdogs, is easy to train. This cheerful dog excels at dog-sports, such as agility and doggy-dance. In spite of its appearance, this courageous dog is also used as a watch-dog. An "all-around-dog" and great companion. They guard sheep without needing instruction. Enough (outdoor) activity and distraction makes this dog a quiet and well-balanced home companion. This breed is appropriate for people with firm techniques and who can give the dog enough exercise. Early socialization is important, particularly if the dog will be around children. The dogs defend their family and become attached to it.

Health

Catalan sheepdogs are prone to

hip dysplasia Hip dysplasia is an abnormality of the hip joint where the socket portion does not fully cover the ball portion, resulting in an increased risk for joint dislocation. Hip dysplasia may occur at birth or develop in early life. Regardless, it doe ...

. Their average life span is 12 to 14 years.