The Colorado Mountain Dog is a livestock guardian dog, bred to have a very friendly personality and excellent guarding skills. They have been bred specifically for small acreage homesteads and eco-tourism operations. With a wide array of desirable traits, it’s no wonder they are growing in popularity.
Editor’s note: This article was updated on July 29, 2024 to include more detailed information the breed characteristics and an update on my personal experience with Colorado Mountain Dogs.
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Colorado Mountain Dog: Origin and History
The Colorado Mountain Dog began in 2008 with a foundation dog named Caspian and woman named Wendy Francisco. Caspian was a Great Pyrenees and Anatolian Shepherd mix, with many desirable attributes.
Caspian was an excellent guardian dog, yet displayed no aggression or fear of outside people. He was tall, striking, and well-suited to life on a small acreage farm.
These traits inspired Francisco to create a new breed of Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD).
Wyatt, a Wild Mountain Homestead Colorado Mountain Dog is a descendant of Caspian.
Colorado Mountain Dog Breed Traits
Livestock Guardian Dogs serve an important role on farms, ranches, and homesteads. When creating the Colorado Mountain Dog breed Francisco specifically wanted a dog that was better suited for small acreage properties and farms that are open to the public.
In addition to strong protective instincts, Colorado Mountain Dogs are designed to be friendly to outside visitors. They’re also bred to roam less and bark only as needed. They are impressively athletic animals, but also have the ability to lay around and relax.
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We continue to strive for a dog who wanders and barks less, and who can either be kept in fields or pens. Over-barking is considered a DQ for a CMD. The overall presence of the dog should be mellow, and not over-active.
Wendy Francisco // Director of the Colorado Mountain Dog Registry
Colorado Mountain Dogs come from mixing popular LGDs in order to achieve specific characteristics.
CMD Appearance
The Colorado Mountain Dog is a large, well-balanced, and beautifully proportioned breed, standing up to 34 inches tall. They feature a medium-sized chest, a strong, straight back, and long, straight legs with solid, well-padded paws. Their thick, plume-like tail is adorned with longer fur. Typically, their coat is white, medium in length, and soft to the touch, with longer fur on the mane, backs of the legs, and tail.
During winter, they develop a dense undercoat, which sheds in the summer to reveal a thinner, cooler coat. The face of the Colorado Mountain Dog has a gentle, friendly appearance with an elegant style. Their long, gently sloping muzzle ends in a scissors bite. The eyes are particularly striking—deep in color, wide-set, very alert, and expressive. This gentle giant is a classically beautiful dog.
What Are Colorado Mountain Dogs Mixed With?
Colorado Mountain Dogs (CMD) come from mixing popular Livestock Guardian Dogs in order to achieve the breed traits listed above. Although primarily a mix of Great Pyrenees and Anatolian Shepherd, the Colorado Mountain Dog is not a designer breed but is functionally bred. Initially, Caspian was a Pyr x Anatolian Shepherd.
Now dogs are selected individually based on temperament and guarding abilities, particularly for smaller farms where excessive barking, aggression towards visitors, and wandering can be problematic. The breed currently includes Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Shepherd, Boz, Maremma, Kuvasz, Akbash, and other livestock guardian breeds. Dogs with small percentages of other breeds in their DNA are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, focusing on their functionality.
The breed is still young and other types of dogs may be added on a case by case basis.
Colorado Mountain Dog Registry
If you do some research, you’ll notice there are two separate Colorado Mountain Dog registries. I found this confusing when first looking to own a CMD, but here’s why they both exist.
As mentioned above, Wendy Francisco first started the breed in 2008. She started the CMDA, but was met with resistance when trying to expand the breed. The CMDA board did not want to expand the genetics of the breed, but instead focused on creating multiple litters from a smaller pool.
Determined to add diversity to the line and follow her dream for the Colorado Mountain Dog breed mix, Francisco left the CMDA and started the Colorado Mountain Dog Registry (CMDR). The database now includes more than 1,200 animals and is steadily growing.
Who Should Own a Colorado Mountain Dog?
CMDs are athletic, working animals.
Between a strong guardian instinct and friendly nature, these dogs are great for family farms, homesteads, and ranches.
They are not suited for city life, as they need space to roam and a job to keep them busy.
Colorado Mountain Dogs are a great addition to small ranches, homesteads, and public farms.
Are Colorado Mountain Dogs Good With Children?
The short answer is yes. Generally speaking, Colorado Mountain Dogs show a gentle demeanor and great patience with children. I trust my two mountain dogs completely with my children and babies. Even during the grabby toddler phase Wyatt and Mable have never shown any aggression toward the kids.
That said, these dogs are gigantic. They can certainly accidentally knock over a child, especially during the excited puppy years. As with all dogs, you need to monitor them when young and make sure children are safe at all times.
Colorado Mountain Dogs are great with kids. Even as a puppy, Wyatt, was patient and kind.
Taking Care of a CMD
Taking care of a Colorado Mountain Dog is pretty straightforward, especially in the winter. A good, thorough brushing once a week, clipping their nails as needed, and brushing their teeth several times a week will keep them in great shape. When summer rolls around, you’ll need to brush them daily to help shed their winter undercoat. Since most of these dogs are white, an occasional bath can help keep their coat looking fresh. Just be sure to use a specially designed dog shampoo, as human shampoos can strip the natural oils from their coat. These dog shampoos are mild and gentle, protecting the essential oils that keep your dog’s skin healthy.
Don’t forget to check their ears regularly for any signs of infection, and in the summer, keep an eye out for parasites and ticks. Other than that, just relax and enjoy your majestic companion!
How Much Does a Colorado Mountain Dog Cost?
Expect to pay anywhere from $900 to $2,000 for a registered Colorado Mountain Dog. While this may seem like a lot of money, keep in mind that these dogs are purpose-built working animals. And when you add up the cost of immunizations, food, and care for such large puppies, you realize that these breeders aren’t making a huge profit. Most of them simply have a passion for Colorado Mountain Dogs.
It’s worth investing for a healthy dog with favorable personality traits. Remember that in addition to becoming a friend, your Colorado Mountain Dog will serve an important job on the homestead. Prior to getting a guardian dog for our remote Colorado homestead, we regularly saw coyotes and foxes and we lost an entire flock of chickens to a bear attack.
Now that we have two well-trained Colorado Mountain Dogs, this hasn’t been a problem. We can happily roam about knowing our livestock and small children are protected.
Colorado Mountain Dog Puppies
Colorado Mountain Dog puppies are incredibly cute and cuddly. Little 10-week-old Wyatt was no exception.
Colorado Mountain Dog puppies are incredibly cute. In my biased CMD-raising opinion, they’re cuter than smaller breeds. Even when first born they tend to be larger and more adorable. They grow quickly and by ten weeks old, they’re more than 20 pounds and substantial enough to live outside.
Colorado Mountain Dog Breeders
There are a growing number of Colorado Mountain Dog breeders. When searching for a dog, be sure to choose someone reputable and committed to advancing the breed.
The best dog for your homestead will depend on the specifics of your land and convenient location. And don’t forget that as with any puppy, you’re still going to need to put some time and effort into training your puppy. You may be able to find a quality Colorado Mountain Dog breeder nearby from talking to friends, posting in your community facebook group, or checking with the local feedstore.
If you aren’t having any luck locally, the CMDA runs a website that lists CO Mtn Dog classifieds. The CMDR list of approved breeders could also be helpful.
FAQ
What breed is a Colorado Mountain Dog?
The Colorado Mountain Dog is not a specific breed cross. Rather than being a strict breed or cross of breeds, these dogs are selected by function rather than breed. Each addition to the registered breed stock is being individually screened and accepted for guarding abilities, breed health, and temperament.
Is a Colorado mountain dog the same as a Great Pyrenees?
The Colorado Mountain Dog is not the same as a Great Pyrenees. But they are in the bloodline. So what breeds make up a Colorado Mountain Dog? The three chief breeds of the founding dogs were Great Pyrenees, Anatolian, and Hungarian Kuvasz.
What color are Colorado mountain dogs?
The color of a Colorado Mountain Dog can range from pure white like a Great Pyrenees or tan with black markings like an Anatolian Shepard. This is because the breed is not designed just by looks, but for overall temperament and abilities.
What is the personality of a Colorado Mountain Dog?
The Colorado Mountain Dog has a wonderfully stable temperament, meaning they’re always outgoing and confident. They only show aggression when they need to protect their family or livestock. Goats and sheep feel at ease around them because these dogs blend right into the herd and form strong bonds with the animals they guard. They’re calm and quiet, patrolling the property’s perimeter to keep watch. Don’t be fooled by their mellow demeanor—they’re always on alert and have a strong protective instinct.
They’re affectionate and incredibly patient with young children, bonding well with family members. They love to join in on family games or just lie beside you for some company. As loyal guardians and devoted companions, Colorado Mountain Dogs are bred to be family friends and are welcoming to visitors who come to your doorstep.
Are Colorado mountain dogs good at protecting chickens?
Yes, Colorado Mountain Dogs are one of the best dogs for guarding chickens. They are smart, alert, and, with proper training, very careful around chickens.
Are Colorado Mountain Dogs considered a livestock guardian dog?
Yes, Colorado Mountain Dogs are a type of livestock guardian dog. They have been bred to provide protection for livestock and roam a farm, ranch, or homestead. They are unique because in addition to these LGD skills, they are also designed to be incredibly friendly.
Colorado Mountain Dog Pros & Cons
Pros
- Genetically inclined to protect livestock and farm
- Friendly to outside visitors
- Bark less than other guardian dog breeds
- Great with children
Cons
- Large animals can be expensive to feed
- Though they bark less than other LGDs, there is still barking involved in order to protect livestock
- Need room to run, not well-suited to city life
Conclusion
All in all, Colorado Mountain Dogs are an excellent animal and strong addition to a homestead. They serve an important role guarding animals from predators. Most importantly, they roam less than other LGDs making them well-suited to small acreage farms. They also have been selectively bred to remain friendly to outside visitors and only become aggressive if a true threat arises.
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