The Garafiano Shepherd Dog hails from the Canary Islands, and has been recognized in Spain since 2003. Used to herd goats on the steep and rocky terrain on the island of La Palma, the breed was built to be incredibly agile and was crucial to the shepherds of the area. Able to move their flocks through what many would call “impossible areas”, for centuries this breed was used and appreciated for their hard work. They also served as valiant and trustworthy companions while they worked. Unfortunately numbers of purebred Garafianos dropped in the 60’s when indiscriminate breeding took place, and the breed remains quite rare across the world. Thankfully the Spanish Association of the Garafiano Shepherd Dog emerged and has been doing all they can to keep the breed afloat. While there are numerous representatives of the breed in Spain, it is hoped that their numbers will continue to grow and their popularity will spread.
The general appearance of the Garafiano is that of a medium-sized, “wolfy” type of dog with a short neck, small head (in relation to the body), and a croup that is higher than the withers. He should have a large deep chest and be well-muscled. Eyes are set somewhat close together and are honey-colored. Ears are erect or semi-erect, and relatively small. The tail is carried like a sabre or slightly coiled, and is very bushy. He may or may not have double dewclaws on the back feet. The coat is medium-long in length and quite abundant, and appears in various shades of fawn or alobado (wolf-like). Occasionally a dog which is black or black with fawn legs will appear in a litter, but this is rare. Grooming isn’t difficult but it is necessary to keep up with the task, especially because this breed does shed.
Like most dogs bred to work, the Garafiano Shepherd has a lot of endurance and can work or be otherwise active for long periods of time. While he is capable of adapting to many different types of work, he does indeed need work of some sort to be happy – as well as a good deal of physical exercise! He has a lot of energy and definitely needs daily outlets for this energy – which can include such things as dog sports, hikes, long walks and/or jogging sessions. When his physical and mental needs are met, he is a gentle and calm companion in the home and can be an excellent pet. This is a friendly breed that gets along with other dogs as well as children. While he is never aggressive for no reason, he is suspicious of strangers and may be protective if the situation calls for it. By and large, however, this is a very docile breed that functions more as a watchdog (alerting) than an actual guard dog.
Garafiano Shepherd Dogs are confident and intelligent which makes them excellent at dog sports. They don’t tend to be overly assertive or pushy and they take to training quite well, learning quickly and with great ease. As mentioned above, training is a necessity for this breed in order to keep them happy and their brains occupied. Furthermore, training will also help to form a bond between owner and dog – and once this breed develops a bond it is incredibly deep and lasts forever. One thing to keep in mind is that the Garafiano is very sensitive. Training methods should reflect this sensitivity.
The Garafiano is a social breed that wants to be around his owners as much as possible! As such, he isn’t prone to breaking out of fences or wandering away (unless of course he’s trying to get closer to his owner). He’s always up for a game or a cuddle, but doesn’t handle being left alone very well. While this breed can be more vocal than other dogs in general, he can really raise a ruckus if he’s suffering from separation anxiety! This is a trait that can sometimes be mitigated with early training, but even still the Garafiano is not a good choice for someone who works all day. For obvious reasons (energy and loudness factor), he is also not a good candidate for apartment living. Overall this is a wonderful breed for the right person! He isn’t difficult to raise but does require an active person who can dedicate plenty of time to training, exercise and enrichment.
Photo By Canarian