
Dogs
Aidi
Other names: Cão do Atlas, Chien de l´Atlas, Atlas Shepherd Dog, Atlas Mountain Dog, Chien de Montagne de l´Atlas
- Origin
- Morocco
- Size
- Large
- Height · Male
- 52–62 cm
- Height · Female
- 52–62 cm
- Weight · Male
- 22–27 kg
- Weight · Female
- 22–25 kg
- FCI
- FCI group 2 · 2 · n.º 247
Traits
At home
Guarding
Temperament
Very faithful, affectionate and docile with its owner and family members, the Atlas Dog displays inherent guarding and remarkable protective behaviour. Always alert, it instinctively measures the gravity and proximity of any danger and fearlessly provides an appropriate and efficient response.
History
The Atlas dog has existed since time immemorial in the mountains and on the plateaux of North Africa. At present it can be found in large numbers in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, the country which holds the breed standard.
The Atlas Mountain Dog is closely linked to the semi-nomadic pastoral populations of the mountaneous regions and has the clear role of defending its masters? tent and belongings as well as protecting the flocks from wild beasts which might attack them.
There are no sheepdogs in the Atlas region. The Moroccan dog which lives in our mountains has never guarded flocks in the European sense of the world (herding flocks).