Appearance
The Cane delle Alpi Apuane is a medium sized herding dog from Italian Apuan Alps, with rustic appearance and powerful and athletic body and with alert and curious expression in their oval shaped brown eyes.
The average height of the Pastore Apuano is between 50-65 cm, which is 19-25 inch and weight is usually between 17-35 kg, which is 37-77 lbs. Females are naturally slightly smaller than males.
The coat of this breed is straight and in medium length. It is a dense doublecoat, which is protecting the breed from harsh climate and weather and enables them to work outside for all day long without problems. The coat is longer around the neck, tail and back legs.
And what about the color? According to the breed standard, the Cane delle Alpi Apuane comes in black, black and tan, fawn, gray and merle. Merle dogs can also have one or both eyes in blue color.

Temperament
The Cane delle Alpi Apuane shares similar temperament and personality with many other herding dogs. This means that it is very very lively and active, intelligent, alert, attentive and docile dog breed.
Indeed, this is very active breed that is always ready for any kind of an action. If they are not used for herding, than they need proper daily exercise, including long walks, jogs, but also mental stimulation like regular training or vigorous playtime. This breed is also excellent for various dog sports, like agility, rally, obedience or disc. Without proper exercise, they might develop some problematic behaviour, like destruction.
These dogs love to work and learning new things. They are able to learn almost any trick you want to. It is also a dog breed with docile and well balanced character, which just loves every member of its family. It can live with kids, other dogs or even other pets in the family, especially if socialized together from the puppyhood. On the other hand, they might be alert and little bit distrustful towards strangers, but they should never be agressive without a reason.
Overall this is a passionate worker, but also loving family companion, especially suitable for active families.

History
The Pastore Apuano has a long history in the Apuan Alps, mainly in Italian regions of Liguria and upper Tuscany, where it was developed to work with local herds of sheep, goat and cattle.
This is a herding dog with long, but not very well documented history and ancestry. It is believed, that they are descendants of various ancient shepherd dogs of the Alps. But we will never know the exact ancestry or date of origin of these dogs.
Today, the Cane delle Alpi Apuane is a very rare breed and you can mainly find them in the mountainous area of Eastern Liguria and Upper Tuscany, with a prevalent density in the areas of Lunigiana and Lucchesia, where shepherding is still quite popular. The main reason for the decline in popularity of these dogs is general reduction of herding and also import of foreign herding breeds, such as Border Collie, into Italia. But the Apuan Shepherd is not on the verge of extinction anymore, even though, it is remaining very rare.
The breed is officially recognized by the official Italian kennel club.

Health and grooming
There is not much documentation about the health of this breed, but it should be rather healthy dog breed with average lifespan around 14 years. They should not suffer much from any serious hereditary health issues, but they can suffer from the typical doggy issues, such as joint problems like hip dysplasia, eye problems like lens luxation, different allergies and infections, but none of this should be very common in this breed.
And what about the grooming? The double coat does shed some deal of fur, which can be minimized by regular brushing. Regular brushing is the only thing needed to keep the coat in best possible condition, no other grooming is required. Of course, you should also regularly check the ears, eyes, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.

Video transcript:
Not so long ago i made a comparsion video between Caucasian and Central Asian Ovcharka. Following this video i have received several questions what is the difference between the Caucasian Ovcharka and Caucasian Shepherd.

And it will be very short video, because there is no difference at all between the Caucasian Ovcharka and Caucasian Shepherd. It is referring to exactly same breed and the only reason for the difference in the name is the language.

The Caucasian Shepherd was developed in former Soviet Union in 1920s from different livestock guardians of Caucasus mountains. And in Soviet Union, or todays Russia, they called this dog as Кавка́зская овча́рка, or Caucasian Ovcharka. In russian language, the word Ovcharka means the same thing as shepherd dog in english language. It is describing all the dogs that are working with livestock. And even the German Shepherd for example, is known as Nemetskaya ovcharka in Russia.

So yes, there is no difference at all between the Caucasian Shepherd and Ovcharka. There is also no difference in Central Asian Ovcharka and Central Asian Shepherd. The name Caucasian Ovcharka is mostly used in Russia and in the states of former Soviet Union, while the name Caucasian Shepherd is mostly used in western and especially english speaking countries. And sometimes, especially in North America, this breed is also known as Caucasian Mountain dog.

The Caucasian Ovcharka is an extremely strong dog breed with longer coat, native to Caucasus mountains, where it is traditionally used for protecting the livestock, but also the property. It was later used by soviet miliatry, for example for patroling borders. It is extremely independent, territorial, loyal and alert dog and it is an active protector, which means it will use its power and force to defeat any intruder without hesitation. The breed is very decisive.

1) Origin
The modern day Smithfield is considered as Australian or Tasmanian breed, but its origins are in England. The original English Smithfield dogs were used to drove cattle and sheep to the market and they were especially famous in the Smithfield Market in London. The ancestry of this breed is unknown, but they were most likely a mixing pot of different types of collie dogs. These English Smithfield dogs were solely working dogs, they were bred for their utilization and not so much for their appearance, nor for companionship.
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2) In Australia
So how does these dogs ended up in Australia? They were brought to this country with the first settlers during colonial times. They lived in largest numbers around the Sydney, where they were used for the same purpose as they were in England, to drove cattle to the market. Some theories say, that Smithfields were further crossbred in Australia with some local dogs, with other European breeds and with Dingoes. But as i mentioned earlier, the exact ancestry of this breed is a mystery.

3) Almost extinct
The Smithfield dog was not perfect for the hard work in Australian hot climate. They had trouble to work on warm days, which is why ranchers started using other Australian herding breeds instead of Smithfield. This include dogs like Australian Cattle dog or Stumpy Tail Cattle dog. This brought the Smithfield dog nearly to extinction on mainland Australia, but they survived in larger numbers in Tasmania, an Australian Island in southern Australia, where they are still sometimes used for working with cattle and other livestock.

4) Herding
The Smithfield is quite good herding dog breed. It is a loose eyed dog and they are using mainly their barking and biting to move the livestock. They are described as fast and forceful, when they are working with the stock. Just like other herding breeds, even the Smithfield is very agile, intelligent, alert, they are good problem solvers and they simply just love to work. And just like most of other herding dogs,they are also excellent at various dog sports, like agility or flyball.

5) Companions
Of course, the Smithfield dog is not only a worker, they also make amazing companion dogs. They are much better suited for active people and families, as they need proper exercise to stay healthy and happy. They can happily live with other dogs or other pets, especially if socialized together from the puppyhood and they are good playful partners for kids. Of course, you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised. The Smithfield is a very friendly and patient dog, which are amazing qualities for living with kids. They enjoy being around the family and this is very affectionate and loyal dog breed.

6) Size
The Smithfield is a medium sized dog breed. The average height is between 18-21 inch, which is 45-54 cm and weight between 35-55 lbs, which is 15-25 kg. Females are naturally slightly smaller than males.

7) Tail
The Smithfields appearance is pretty unified. It is a shaggy coated, medium sized dog with floppy ears. The only exception is the tail. There are two varieties of the Smithfield dog, one having a natural bobtail and the second having a longer tail. Both types are acceptable and both types can exist within the same litter.

8) Coat and color
The Smithfield has similar coat as the Bearded Collie. It is a pretty long, coarse and shaggy coat. There are some shorther coated types as well, but vast majority of Smithfields have rather longer coat. They come in variety of colors, most commonly in combinations of black, grey, red and white.

9) Maintenance
The Smithfield dog does shed some deal of fur, but the shedding is not extreme. You should regularly brush their coat to keep it tangle and mat free and to remove all the dirt and loose hair. No other grooming is required. Just like with any other dog breed, you should regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.

10) Health
There are no scientific studies about the health of this rare breed, but this should be usually healthy and hardy dog breed with lifespan around 14 years. Of course, they still might suffer from the typical doggy health issues, such as some joint and bone problems, problems with ears, some allergies or infections.

 On the first sight, the blond Hovawart looks exactly like Golden Retriever and it is easy to confuse one to another. But these two are completely separate purebred dogs with different ancestry and history and with big differences in their personality, but also in their appearance. 
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Lets start with the appearance comparsion. Of course, the main difference in appearance is the color. While the Golden Retriever is, well, always in some shade of a golden color, the Hovawart can be either black, golden or in black and golden color. Both breeds have long doublecoat, but the Golden Retriever has more feathering.

But if the Hovawart is in golden color, than it becomes extremely hard to tell these two breeds apart. The Hovawart is typically the larger, taller and heavier of those two breeds. You can see the size comparsion of both breeds on the screen right now.

The Hovawart also has larger hips, while the Golden Retriever has tendency to slope downward. There are also little differences in the head shape, The Hovawart has more triangular head shape than the rounder shape of Golden Retriever.

And what about their temperament? Well, there are definitely more differences in temperament, than there are in the apeparance.

Both breeds make excellent loyal and loving companions. The Golden Retriever is known to be friendly towards absolutely everyone, to be very playful, trustful, gentle and intelligent.

The Hovawart also loves its family, but they are alert and not so trustful towards strangers. They make superb watchdogs and most of them will not be that welcoming towards strangers as Golden Retrievers. It is a working breed, mostly used for guarding property. And even their name is a combination of German words Hof and Wart, which means yard-watcher, or farm-watcher.

So if you are looking for a companion that will also watch over your house, than the Hovawart is definitely the better option. The Golden Retriever would most likely happily welcome a burglar into your home.

But if you are looking forva typical gentle and active family companion, you will not go wrong with the Golden Retriever. They have the reputaion for being one of the best and one of the most popular companion dogs in the world, especially for families with kids.

But of course, the temperament is vastly influenced by early socialization and training.

Both breeds are also very active. They love being outdoors in almost any kind of a weather and they will love long walks, jogs, hikes, swims, playtime and fun training sessions. These dogs are no coach potates and they are best suited for active people and families.

The other important difference is a prey drive. Some Golden Retrievers still posses high prey drive and chasing instinct, which is because they were used for a long time by hunters to retrieve the game. Not all Goldens have it, but some, especially if trained for it, will chase and try to hunt other animals.

The Hovawart was never bred and used for hunting and they should never have high prey drive.

So now you know that both breeds were bred and used as working dogs. The Hovawart mainly for guarding, the Golden Retriever for hunting and retrieving. But what is the ancestry. They look so similarly, so they just must have a common ancestor, right?

The modern day Hovawart was developed from local Black Forest farm dogs crossed with Kuvasz, Newfoundland, German Shepherd, Leonberger, Bernese Mountain dog and African hunting dog. On the other hand, the ancestors of Golden Retriever are Tweed Water Spaniel and St. Johns Water dog. Later, a small infusion of Red Setter, Labrador Retriever and Bloodhound was added into the breed by breeders.

The Hovawart is considered to be German breed, while the Golden Retriever a Scottish breed. So indeed, there is no link between them and there are no common ancestors.

Appearance
The Pastor da Mantiqueira has standardized appearance, it is officially recognized breed and you can find their breed standard on the website of SOBRACI. According to the standard, this is well proportioned and well balanced breed with rustic appearance, showing great athleticism and agility.
The size of this breed is up to 53 cm and 25 kg, which is 21 inch and 55 lbs. Females tend to be slightly smaller than males.
The Pastor da Mantiqueira can have either short, medium or long coat, but it is always pretty dense coat and it can be either smooth or curly. The most common color is azulêgo, which is a coat with golden base, overlayed with black and gray hair. But the breed comes in variety of colors, some of them are for example black, white or yellow.
The breed has a deep chest, long and muscular back, muscular loins, moderately long tail and broad hindquaters. When it comes to the face, it has oval shaped eyes in black or brown color and with cheerful and alert expression, triangular and erect ears, moderately short and robust muzzle and strong jaws with perfect scissor bite.
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Temperament
The Pastor da Mantiqueira temperament is formed by its utilization, which is cattle herding. It is a hard working, tireless, agile, hardy, resistant, very intelligent dog with all the needed instincts for handling the cattle. For a long long time, the Mantiqueira Shepherd is indispensable for shepherds of Mantiqueira mountains.
This breed is not primarily bred for companionship, but just like all the dog breeds, they will create very strong bond with its owner and family. They are very loyal, they love good playtime, they show affection and they love recieving affection from its owners.
If the breed is not used for herding, than it must be properly exercised. These dogs are active and endurant and they need daily long walks, jogs, hikes, playtime, training sessions, just anything that will occupy their mind and body. They can also live with other kids, dogs or even with other pets in the family, especially if socialized from the puppyhood. They should not have high prey drive.
Some Mantiqueira Shepherds can also make good guardians and watchdogs, which is mostly thanks to their alert nature.

History
The Pastor da Mantiqueira is a Brazilian breed, which originated in the mountanious Southeast Brazil, in Serra da Mantiqueira, or in English, Mantiqueira mountains. The breed was developed from dogs of European immigrants. These dogs were known as Policialzinho, or little Policmen and even today, the Pastor da Mantiqueira is known under this nickname, the Policialzinho.
But what exact breed are the ancestors of the Mantiqueira Shepherd? Well, we do not know it for sure. Some theories say, that one of the ancestors are Belgian and Dutch Shepherds. But it is more likely that native Spanish and Portuguese breeds played bigger role in the breeds development. This would include dog breeds like Pastor Garafiano, Basque Sheepherd, Can de Palleiro or Estrela Mountain dog.
The breed evolved into the dog we know today by adapting to local mountanious environement and by breeding for utilization. Over the time, the Pastor da Mantiqueira becomes slightly smaller, but much more agile, resilient and adaptable, which was extremely important to become excellent herding dog in the mountains of Mantiqueira.
The breed was mostly used for herding cattle and it was very popular for this purpose in Southeast Brazil. But over the time, the numbers of cattle declined, so as the numbers of dogs used for herding. That is why, today, the Mantiqueira Shepherd is endangered dog specie. It is very rare breed and it is almost impossible to find this breed outside Brazil.

Health and grooming
The grooming and overall maintenance depends on the coat length. All coat types shed some deal of fur and you can minimize it by regular brushing, which will remove the dead and loose hair and it will also redistribute natural oils all over the coat. No other grooming is required. Just like with any other dog breed, you should regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.
There are no scientific studies about the breeds health and according to the owners, this is usually very healthy dog breed with average lifespan around 13 years.