Patagonian Sheepdog

The Patagonian Sheepdog is the herding dog of the southern Andes, and genetics traced it back to a British type that has since disappeared at home.

History

British shepherds took collies to Patagonia in the nineteenth century with the sheep, and the dogs stayed and worked. A genetic study published in 2021 found the Patagonian population sits close to the old British herding stock and preserves diversity lost in the modern Border Collie — so the emigrants kept something the home country bred out.

Temperament

The breed is known for being energetic, biddable and closely bonded to its shepherd, watchful with strangers and thoroughly committed to stock.

Care and training

It needs a great deal of exercise and real work. The medium to long coat sheds seasonally and needs regular brushing.

Health

Generally robust from working selection; nothing is widely documented as breed-specific. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.