Some pics from my trip to the Serra da Estrela, Portugal. The local people sell Estrela pups by the roadside to tourists to supplement their income. We also saw working Estrelas just lying by the road. the landscape. pups for sale in Sabugeiro some more dogs for sale. street dogs stud dog at kennels young Estrela and podengo short coated working dog by the roadside.
Lovely pictures. The dogs look healthy though...DD..I don't agree with the way they are sold but at least they don't look like half the dogs that come out of some roadside places. Isn't it a culture in Spain/Portugal/Mexico etc to have dogs wandering the streets - they don't have them in houses like us do they?
Great pics! Amazing the variation within the breed at its place of origin. I can speak for Mexico, dogs roam free and certainly don't live in the house (unless you are a wealthier family) Often they would live on the roof of the house as a guard dog. Don't want to hijack this thread, but can post another with pics.
Some dogs do live in houses but certainly not Estrelas. We went to Torre on the highest point of the mountains and there were two Estrelas bedding down for the night in the snow! It was -10c. DD - yes it was very sad to see the dogs in the pens by the road. Sadly though these are poor people and they do what they have to to supplement their income. The dogs are all very well treated though and surprisingly friendly.
Just because a dog looks healthy doesnt mean it is - and even if they are healthy makes no different to me. Glad their treated well, just a shame dogs are still seen in such lights.
Yes it is a shame. I never said they were healthy though I said they were well treated. The bitches roam free and are mated by straying dogs every season. Not the way we would like to see dogs treated but it is how it is. The people are proud of their dogs, but they don't think of them the same way as us. In fact the Portuguese think we are crazy having them in the house and even brushing them is seen as a strange thing to do. The dogs are seen in much the same way as goats or sheep are. Working animals, not pets.
SLB said they looked healthy Its weird how people all across the world see dogs differently. I couldnt understand not grooming the dogs, having them in ect
Really enjoyed your photos. It is always interesting to see how dogs live in different countries, even when it is very different to how they live with us.
I know! We went to the show and my friend was handling some dogs. They take the mickey out of us for brushing the dogs before they are shown - if they knew we BATH our dogs back home.... Some of the dogs were really smelly! we had to carry wet wipes for our hands if we wanted to eat anything! Yuk!
I travelled to different countries quite a bit with my family when I was younger (before I had dogs) and it was always interesting to see how other cultures and different types of people treated their dogs. More often than not I would find some things upsetting and hard to understand - but then, you have to respect that many countries just don't view their dogs the way we do.
I loved these pictures. It is always fascinating to see dogs in their country of origin. I think it's the best way to get a real feel for what a particular breed should be and the conditions it is expected to live and work in. Thanks for sharing them
Teehee, thats where my eldest daughter was born!! My other three various other places. Hmmm, lovely dogs!
Its intresting to see how dogs are over the world, they are far from the worst kept dogs, but far from the best aswell, must admit though, them little pups were so cute, its always amzing, well to me how such little animals grow up to adult sized.
