Can de Chira

Also called Perro pastor altoaragonés

Rare breedShort profile

From Spain, Alto Aragón in the province of Huesca (Pyrenees); today mostly in the Ribagorza and Sobrarbe districts.1 2

At a glance the quick version

Weight, male16 to 20 kg1 2

Weight, female12 to 16 kg1 2

Height, male42 to 47 cm1 2

Height, female38 to 43 cm1 2

Sizemedium

clever, willing worker

loyal to its owner

natural herding instinct

Coat and looks how to spot one

medium-length coat

A compact, square herding dog with a small wedge-shaped head. The coat is semi-long, fuller on the belly, legs, 'trousers' and neck and shorter on the head.1 2

Coloursblack with white or light grey markingsround light patches above the eyes1 2

Personality what they are like

Good-natured, faithful and eager to please, it is bright, obedient and disciplined at work, and shows an interest in livestock from a young age.2

Daily activity how busy a day looks

A true working herder used with both sheep and cattle, so it thrives on daily activity and tasks.1 2

The story where it all began

Shepherds in the Pyrenees have used dogs like this for centuries, and photographs go back to the early 1900s. The breed became very scarce, but a recovery effort grew the known dogs from about six to more than eighty by early 2015.1 2

Fun facts for the dinner table

1
In Aragonese the name roughly means 'a dog for turning the livestock'.2
2
Breed rescuers used social media to track down surviving dogs, raising the count from around 6 to over 80 by 2015.2
3
The earliest known photographs of these herding dogs date from the early twentieth century.1

Recognised by the official bits

Kennel clubs: Not recognised by any major kennel club.1

How many over 80 documented dogs2

The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you

A typical home-care rhythm for a Can de Chira. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.

Brushingevery week
Bathevery 8 weeks
Nail trimSooner if you hear clicking on the floorevery month
Ear checkFloppy ears trap moisture, so check and dry themevery week
Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery 2 days
ExerciseDaily walks and playevery day
Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 8every year

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Pyrenean Sheepdog

Catalan Sheepdog

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Where this comes from

Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at support@furrydiary.app and we will fix it.

Can de Chira - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for origin, size, coat, history
Can de chira - Wikipedia (es) es.wikipedia.orgused for temperament, name, conservation, coat

Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.