Functions

The Estrela Mountain Dog  was initially created and selected for the guard of livestock, however he  shows other aptitudes

» Farm/Ranch Guardian Dog

Without any doubts this is one of the best jobs for this bree. He willl will take at his responsibility the farm and all the livings creature existing in this same place, protecting it  with its life. He guards the farm as guards the livestock,  patrolling frequent the limits, lying down where he can observe well, or in its vulnerable points. If it is a isolated farm ( only visited one time per week) , it will support very well the isolation, especially if he  have a company (like another dog - working in group)

If it is a working farm  besides guarding the farm, will help its owner in the daily tasks and will also take at his jobs the protection of its owner and its family, being also a family dog. In these cases it continues to protect the farm, patrolling it frequent, but in general he  lain down in a place  where can observe well its family. When it detects something out  of t normal he  place him  in threatening position, giving some strong barks warning the intruders. The Estrela never back down, if the intruders don't go away we will attack

» Guarding City Houses

If you buy a Estrela to guard a city house , he will do it with the same devotion that guards  his flock or farm, but in this case it will be also a family dog

» Family Dog

The Estrela Mountain Dog is an excellent family dog , being at the same time a great companion for the family and also guarding the house (and humans).  He loves children acting like the "older brother" - playing with them, but at the same time protecting them from any danger. Be warned that young dogs may play rough and hurt the children

Don't forget that a Estrela need extra socialization and please never leave a young child alone with a dog

» Pulling Karts

The Estrela Mountain Dog have  always been used to pull small cars,   to carrier  small merchandises ,such  as milk, cheese, for the market. Nowadays the Estrela Mountain Dog still makes this type of work and any dog will be able to make it without any extra training

» Police Dogs

The Portuguese Police and the Portuguese Marines use some of these dogs in its jobs where  they had also shown great capacity of learning (even so the dog of Cao de Fila de São Miguel is much better). Nowadays is mostly used on guarding isolated military areas.

   There are persons who defend the idea that these dogs may be used for tracking and finding  lost people in the mountain, after all they seen to love in using their nose and possess a great smelling capacity

» Hunting Dogs

Since some years that the Estrela Mountain Dogs have been  used as dog of big hunting. Reason? Because the Estrela Mountain Dog shows great courage to face the hunting , great smelling capacity, great power in the jaws plus great agility and resistance. Especially it is used in the hunting of the wild boar, the wolf and the deer