The Sao Miguel Cao de Fila bears the specific characteristic of being a mean sized dog, which sets itself appart from other Filas , on average much bigger.

It is rustic and aggressive animal , able of remaining outdoors during the entire year, guarding the herds and the tools used in agriculture.It is very intelligent and quick to learn, executing various tasks and following his masters commands.When they were discovered, around 1427, the Azorean islands were covered by a lish vegetation that was hard to penetrate, but there were no mamals. The sailors of Prince Henry threw cattle in the maritime fringe of the islands.

By 1439 with their initial settlement, there were already abundant herds of domestic cattle in Sao Miguel. Raised free, the cattle grew wild. There was , therefore, a need for cattle dogs or fila dogs to gather and drive the herds.That dog , became, in a way an indispensible element to cattle breeding, besides being an excellent guard of his masters possessions and family.

As a dog driving milk cows it usually bites low so asnot to wound the mammary glands of the cows, biting higher on lost cattle.

The height of the male varies from 50 to 60 cm, while that of the female ranges from 48 to 58 cm.Their respective weight goes from 25 to 35 Kgs in th case of the male and 20 to 30 Kgs in that of the female. 

They are square headed animals, with very strong maxilaries, expressive dark brown eyes, well developed musculature of the trunk and limbs.

They walk with the typical characteristic of waddling slightly. 

The hair is short, lank, thick and rugged, slightly fringed in the anal region and buttocks.

Their colour encompasses the reddish-yellow, streaked , and the gray , also in both the dark and light tonalities; it may also have white patches in the frontal region, chin, breast, hands and feet.

The tail should be amputated by the 2nd or 3rd vertebra. The ears are normally cut round.

When pretending to acquire a specimen of the Sao Miguel de Fila , do so with the awareness that you have chosen an animal which alongside its aggressiveness is by excellence a watch dog. Accordingly, the Sao Miguel Cao de Fila should live next to it's owner, whom it will obey blindly and keep whatever may be entrusted to its guard. Such dedication will surely bring to the owner of a SaoMiguel Ca de Fila, prolonged moments of pleasure......

...