Scotch Collie vs Dogo Sardesco - Breed Comparison

This is an ancient working dog breed which hails from the Italian island of Sardinia. When you do research, you find that no one is sure as to this dogs exact origin, and there are a number of theories as to how the dog developed.

Regardless of how the Dogo Sardesco came about, it is a valued companion of farmers in Sardinia, being appreciated for its protective nature.

The dog is a kind of Molosser or Mastiff dog. In the past the dog has been used as a working and hunting dog, and today he is a popular dog in mainland Italy. He is also known as Sardinian Mastiff, Sardinian Molosser and Dogo Sardo.

The Dogo Sardesco isn’t recognized today by international kennel clubs, and breeders on the island of Sardinia have done nothing to form a breed club for the dog.

The landrace breed, which started in the highlands of Scotland is known as the Scotch Collie. There were at the time two types of collies – the Rough or long haired collie and the smooth or short haired collie. The Scotch Collie is considered to be from a line of very ancient herding dogs. It might have existed in the days of the Roman Empire, these herding dogs might have included the Native Celtic Dogs, Roman Cattle Dogs, Gordon Setter, Viking Herding Spitzes and Irish Setters.

In its native land the Scotch Collie is often called the colley dogs, coaly and cooley. Collie comes from the Scottish words for black coal – or the Coaley Sheep they herded. In addition to herding, the Scotch Collie also acted as a hunter and guard dog for its family. A large group of these collies were exported to America to work on family farms. Soon they were so popular they became family pets. They were first shown in both England and America in in the mid to late 1800’s.

The Scotch Collie Club was formed in 1885 and the breed accepted into the AKC the same year. The Collie Club of America started the following year. The AKC eventually dropped the moniker Scotch in favor or Rough and Smooth Collie. This move also separated the show dogs from the still working/herding Scotch Collies.

Aa time went on and the collie became more prominent in conformation competitions, some breeders mixed in the Greyhound and perhaps the Borzoi to get the collie we see today. The Scotch Collie itself eventually lost its independent recognition in the UKC and the NKC. It was mixed in with the English Shepard, but it was an important element in the development of the Australian Shepard, Shetland Sheepdogs and Border Collies.

The breed had a revival of sorts in the early 2000’s as the Old Time Scotch Collie. Any type of farm collie in America and Canada can be registered in the OTSCA. They are more often referred to as Old Time Farm Shepherds to avoid confusion them with the very popular collies. In 2017 there were 174 of these OTSCA dogs. Collies today have less working instincts, and the heeling instinct seems to be gone.

Today the show version of the Scotch Collie is recognized by both the AKC and UKC in the herding group.

It has been said of the Scotch Collie that they have “the majesty of a lion, the pride of a great thoroughbred stallion, the confidence of a Winston Churchill.”

The dog Sardesco is a medium to large sized dog generally measuring 56 to 68 cm at the withers and weighing roughly 30 to 45 kg.

Because the dog isn’t bred to specific standards, it varies in appearance, but it is a powerful looking dog, being lean and athletic. The dog’s tail is traditionally docked, but with tail docking being frowned upon, the tail is left long and the dog loses its distinctive look.

The head of the dog is large and the ears are also traditionally cropped to be very short. Left naturally, the ears fold down closely to the sides of the head.The eyes are small and amber colored. The coat is short and smooth, but thick, and while it comes in many colors, the more regular color is red, brown, black, grey or brindle.

Temperament:

The Dogo Sardesco becomes a loyal family pet, more so when he has been trained and socialized. Although he is a devoted and affectionate dog, forming particularly strong bonds with his human family, he isn’t recommended for homes where there are young children.

He also doesn’t take too kindly to other pets in the home. This is because they are a strong-willed, dominant breed and might therefore not be a good choice for first-time dog owners.

Because Sardinian breeders have focused on developing an aggressive dog, he has become a dog suspicious of- and aloof with strangers. He is stubborn and self-willed, and to make him more obedient and amicable, he will require training and socialization. He is an alert, intelligent dog and this makes him an excellent watch dog.

The Sardinian Mastiff is an active dog too and won’t do well in a home where the people aren’t interested in exercise. He is the kind of dog that will need to be taken with you on walks, and he will love to spend time running alongside you when you go running or cycling.

He won’t adapt too well to life in the city, particularly when there is just a tiny garden.

This Scotch Collie is an athletic, intelligent, well-balanced and alert dog. This collie has no exaggerated features like the long nose/muzzle of the current collies. This Scotch Collie is sound in mind and body, a hard working dog. He is hearty and versatile. They are longer than they are tall. Their heads are moderate and the stoop is well defined. They have a wide, flat skull. Their lips are tight and they are fitted well.

Their ears are also moderate in size and pointed or partially erect. They should not have long or droopy ears. They have eyes that might be oblique, almond, and round. The eyes are usually brown and merles may have blue eyes. The breed has a deep chest, broad shoulders and a long tail. There are also some bobtails that occur naturally.

The Dogo Sardesco has always performed his role as a working dog well, and this is a reliable watch dog as well as the dog takes his job of guarding his human family seriously.

With his aggressive temperament, he has appeared on the list of banned breeds, and this is why he isn’t an ideal choice for homes where there are small children, as some small children haven’t been taught how to treat a dog with respect.

However, when properly trained and socialized he becomes an excellent companion dog. He has an intimidating look about him, but when he is with his human family, another side comes out and he is affectionate, loving and protective.

1.Children friendliness - they are great with children.

2.Special talents agility and speed.

3.Adaptability - Scotch Collies are versatile and adaptable. There is no need to crate them as they are not destructive. If you have a large run or kennel, they can live anywhere. However they are happiest on farms and open lands.

4.Learning ability - They are very intelligent and open to learning.

The Dogo Sardesco is a relatively healthy breed who is unlikely to suffer with ailments common to dogs, but nonetheless there are some diseases or conditions that you might want to be aware of with your dog.

Skeletal and visual problems can occur in this breed. Both hip- and elbow dysplasia are common orthopedic disorders in dogs and they can cause a lot of pain and discomfort and even cause lifelong disability.

Genes and environmental factors play a part in your dog developing this disease.If he has been diagnosed as having hip or elbow dysplasia, get your dog to the vet as there are treatments which can at least make your pet a lot more comfortable.

Remember that feeding your puppy Dogo Sardesco too much food which is particularly high in calories can mean him growing too fast, and this can contribute to this hip dysplasia problem.

The old line breed was hearty with few health issues. The ones they did have included:

• Musculoskeletal problems - can cause weakness or even some lameness.

• Skin problems - can have skin diseases like mange that may or may not be acute, may have allergies or sensitivities.

• Bloat – can cause death if not treated quickly.

Dog owners who don’t like the idea of spending too much money on grooming will appreciate that the Dogo Sardesco is a very low maintenance breed, and that a good brushing twice a week will keep the dog’s coat shiny and healthy.

As with all other dogs, he will need to have his teeth brushed to remove plaque build up. Not only does plaque lead to dental disease, but bad teeth can lead to other health issues too.

Nail clipping will also be necessary if your pet doesn’t wear the nails down naturally from getting to run on a hard surface from time to time.

1Feeding the puppy - The Scotch Collie is not a medium dog nor is it a large dog. It is somewhere in-between. Because of this there is some discretion in not only how much you feed your puppy, but also what you feed. Normally we would feed according to breed size but here you need a high quality formula that is made for working breeds. The puppy will need enough calories to meet their high energy needs. Feed at least 3-4 times a day.

2.Feeding the adult - you need a high quality formula that is made for working breeds. The adult will need enough calories to meet their high energy needs. Feed at least 2 times a day.

3.Points for Good Health - stamina and athleticism.

4. Games and Exercises

There is a high need for exercise starting with walks or jog but that is not going to be enough. The Scotch Collie is not a Border Collie or a Corgi in terms of energy, but they are not couch potaoes. They need more than access to a yard. They need a job or they need defined exercise and play. The daily walk or jog will do it but intense play is better.