Care

Thoroughly brush your Estrela’s coat weekly so that its hairs remain detangled. However, the strands which surround its ears requires particular attention and be careful about the issues of matting. Estrela’s body coat does not require much maintenance, however, comb the hairs near its ears every two to three days. Regularly clip its intact dew claws, as they do not wear on the ground, and also cut other nails frequently, for every two to three weeks.

Exercise

Take your Estrela daily for a long walk, though physically demanding activities are usually not a requirement for them. They love running in large outdoor and are unable to adjust in closed spaces. Do think twice before buying an Estrela, if you live in an apartment or dense urban area.

Grooming

Estrela coats come in two distinct varieties, namely, long and short. The coarse-looking type does not feel as much harsh as it looks and is the most popular one. It is not curly but wavy, and the much denser inside-skin is soft and thick. The shorter one also has the undercoat, and the only difference is that the outer coat is much smaller and less wavy. They need weekly brushing, a routine dental checkup, and bathing once or twice in a year with a  waterless shampoo. Use a steel comb and a natural bristle brush for combing and detangling its hairs, and look out for hot skin-spots, which could happen due to wet or damp weather conditions and knotted manes. Brush daily during heavy shredding,  as they are seasonal shredders.

Health Problems

Three major health issues are most reported in this breed; namely,   dilated cardiomyopathy, hip dysplasia, and elbow dysplasia – and the last two are usually inherited. Stiffness, pain, and gait abnormality due to under-developed joints can be seen in growing pups ( as young as four months old ) in case of elbow dysplasia. While treatment options include pain medication, weight management, supplements, and even surgery in critical instances – most of the affected dogs never remain fully active throughout their lifetime. One should never purchase a puppy without certificates which state that it is not suffering from elbow and hip dysplasia.

Dilated cardiomyopathy is a rarely curable disease, and this breed is most prone to this condition. Prolonged and frequent coughs, swelling in the abdomen, severe breathlessness, and occurrence of fatigue after a short and light exercise – these are the symptoms that are visible in young as well as middle-aged adults. Also - the cardiac muscles start becoming weak,  thus restricting the natural flow of blood, and even congesting the lungs and the abdomen with body fluids. Most Estrelas die from dilated cardiomyopathy.

Training

The Estrelas are pretty intelligent and easy to train. At times, they could show signs of independence and strong will, as they are bred to protect the livestock. Always apply positive reinforcement training methods and maintain consistency and rigidity in training. Start its socialization training as early as possible and stick to your rigid leadership role throughout its lifetime.

Feeding

You should feed an Estrela with such diets that are formulated for large breeds. A regular dog food formula might increase its weight as large breeds have slightly lesser calorie requirements than their smaller cousins. However, it can prove beneficial for an active Estrela.