The Leon shepherd, also known as the Leonese carea or Aqueda dog, is an ideal dog for herding livestock, especially sheep. It is typical of Castilla y León and has never adapted to home life, since it is a dog that needs to exercise and be outside, being almost impossible to provide these needs in the city. With regard to its he alth, it does not present characteristic hereditary diseases and, with the pertinent care and he alth check-ups like any dog, it can have a long and full life.
Keep reading this breed on our site to find out all the characteristics of the Leonese carea, its history, personality, care, education, he alth and your chances of adoption.
Origin of the Leonese Shepherd
The Leonese shepherd is a dog that has been created and used as a shepherd dog, especially sheep, for being an agile and intelligent, energetic, medium-sized dog with the ability to adapt to accompany cattle in transhumance. Since the Middle Ages, it was sought in the northernmost regions of the Spanish autonomous community of Castilla y León until it reached the entire country and was known as a shepherd dog leonés or carea leonés.
Unlike what happened in the world wars, the Spanish Civil War did not affect the Spanish dog breeds, moreover, the Leonese shepherd dog had an increase due to its ability to participate in other activities that differ from grazing. Despite this, it is not a well-known or popular breed, largely because it is not used to living in a home or being excessively affectionate. It was not until 2018 that its official standard was recognized by the Royal Spanish Canine Society.
Characteristics of the Leonese carea
The physical appearance of the Leonese shepherd does not differ much from that of any other shepherd dog. It is a medium-sized, with a height of 48-55 cm for males and 45-52 for females, well proportioned with long and strong limbs. The face keeps it alert, with a long snout, deep eyes and large ears that stand erect or fall on both sides of the head.
The most outstanding characteristic of the Leonese shepherd is found in its coat, which has double-layered hair with harlequin colors, with a combination of black with diluted gray and white spots, which can be accompanied by tan spots on the extremities, the face and the upper area of the eyebrows.
Character of the Leonese shepherd
The Leonese shepherd is a very energetic, territorial, brave and intelligent dog, with special loy alty and courage for the work in which he is always attentive around him like a good sheepdog. He is a dog used to country life, not very affectionate and he needs his space to release his great energy, so he does not have much attachment to people nor has he got used to home life. The affection, loy alty and attachment they show towards the one they consider their guide, always obeying his orders
The Leonese carea is a dog that is shy around strangersand can even border on being aggressive if it has not been properly socialized. Despite whether it is very cold or hot, he is always attentive to learn and adapt to the territory he is in.
Carea Leonese carea
This dog requires open spaces and lots of games and exercises to release his tireless energy. Due to this, a city home is not the best for this dog to develop its full potential, but if there is no other option, long walks in the countryside and games that motivate this breed are essential. Another option is to carry out training or contests so that he wastes his energy. They also need mind games to keep their minds active if they are not tending a herd. Therefore, do not hesitate to consult the following article: "Intelligence games for dogs at home".
Continuing with the care of the Leonese shepherd, this breed requires a good diet, he althy and complete, which maintains its muscles, energy and good he alth. To do this, you must follow the caloric and nutritional recommendations set by the veterinarian. Also, you can consult this article: "What do dogs eat?".
Routine check-ups at the vet are the same as any other breed of dog, being more frequent for deworming, vaccination or various consultations. The rest of the care is simple, being a country dog the bath is not as frequent and does not require abundant brushing due to its type of hair to be in good condition.
Education of the Leonese shepherd
The Leonese Shepherd is a dog that is very loyal to its guardian, but with other people or strangers it can be skittish and even aggressive if it has not been good socializationfrom puppyhood in its first weeks of life, both with people of all ages and with other animals. This will help him in the future to be less shy and more sociable with children, strangers or other animals. For this, consult these articles depending on whether you have adopted a Leonese carea puppy or an adult dog:
- How to socialize a puppy?
- How to socialize an adult dog?
Because they are dogs with innate herding ability, they are intelligent and learn quickly, as well as being very obedient to what they consider their main guide, that is why it is necessary that it is always the same educator or trainer and the work is constant. Education should always be done in the form of positive reinforcement, to which they respond very well and serves to encourage their instruction and good behavior.
He alth of the Leonese shepherd
The Leonese Shepherd is a he althy and strong dog, accustomed to outdoor life. No hereditary disease has been determined in the breed and, with proper veterinary care and check-ups, he can live up to 12 or 14 years
However, like all dogs with a good size and rapid growth, it is important to watch for hip dysplasia or the elbow dysplasia, which can be very uncomfortable or painful, as well as cause lameness and subsequent problems. For this reason, the evaluation by the veterinarian and the control of their gait to detect the problem is essential.
Where to adopt a Leonese carea?
Before adopting a dog of the Carea Leonese breed, we must stop to think if we are going to offer it everything it needs. It will not be a good idea if our home is a city apartment with few open spaces nearby and that we hardly step on. This dog needs a lot of exercise, walks and frequent mobility to release his energies, as well as games and mental stimuli. The ideal is to have him in a house with abundant fields and outdoor spaces with cattle that he can guide.
If this is the case and you are looking for a good herding dog, the Leonese shepherd is ideal. What you should do if you want to adopt a Leonese shepherd is to ask at shelters, protectors or associations, especially the Leonese ones, about this breed and its availability.
