Majorca Shepherd Dog
A lean, black Balearic guardian: devoted and calm with family, distrustful of strangers and serious about its territory.
At a glance
- Size
- Large
- Height at the withers
- Males 66–73 cm · Females 62–68 cm
- Weight
- Males 35–40 kg · Females 30–35 kg
- Life expectancy
- 11–13 years
- Exercise
- 60–90 min a day
- Grooming
- Once a week
- Coat
- Smooth, short, medium
- Colours
- Black
- Bred for
- Guarding, Guarding livestock, Herding
- Country of origin
- Spain
- FCI
- Group 1, no. 321 · Sheepdogs & cattle dogs
Breeders on Kuldo
No breeders on Kuldo have this breed yet.
Living with the breed
| Affectionate with family | 4/5 – High |
|---|---|
| Good with children | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Good with other dogs | 2/5 – Low |
| Good with cats | 2/5 – Low |
| Open to strangers | 1/5 – Very low |
| Energy | 4/5 – High |
| Playfulness | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Needs mental stimulation | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Easy to train | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Prey drive | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Watchful and protective | 5/5 – Very high |
| Barking | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Shedding | 2/5 – Low |
| Grooming effort | 1/5 – Very low |
| Drooling | 1/5 – Very low |
| Good for first-time owners | 1/5 – Very low |
| Suits apartment living | 1/5 – Very low |
| Adaptability | 2/5 – Low |
| Copes with being alone | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Copes with heat | 4/5 – High |
| Copes with cold | 3/5 – Moderate |
Kuldo's own guidance from the breed's typical traits. Every dog is an individual, so talk to the breeder.
Is it the right breed for you?
Great if you …
- have experience with guardian breeds
- have a rural home with secure fencing
- live in a warm climate
Think twice if you …
- have frequent guests or a busy household
- are a first-time owner
- want a sociable dog for dog parks
Care
Temperament
Loyal, alert and protective, with a natural distrust of strangers. It is often especially attached to one person. It is confident and can be dominant with other dogs.
Exercise
Needs an hour or more of daily walks and time to roam a secure area. Hiking, tracking and obedience work suit it well.
Grooming
The short coat needs only a weekly brush; the rarer long-coated dogs need a little more. Shedding is light to moderate.
Training
Intelligent but independent; it needs early socialisation and firm, fair, consistent leadership. It is best suited to experienced handlers.
Health
The breed is considered robust, with hip and elbow dysplasia as the main reported concerns. Ask the breeder for the parents' hip and elbow results.
Health tests breeders usually do
- Hips (HD)
- Elbows (ED)
Ask the breeder to show you the parents' results.
About the breed
The Majorca Shepherd Dog, called Ca de Bestiar in Catalan, comes from the island of Mallorca, where it guarded farms and livestock and helped move animals. Its glossy black coat and athletic build suit the Mediterranean heat. It remains uncommon outside the Balearic Islands.
It is a strong-willed guardian that bonds closely with its family and is wary of everyone else. It needs early, ongoing socialisation and an owner who is calm and consistent. Given a secure property and regular activity, it is quiet and loyal at home, but it is not a dog for casual visitors or crowded places.
Did you know?
Its Catalan name, Ca de Bestiar, means roughly 'livestock dog'.