Breeder Review: Uruguayan Cimarron

The Uruguayan Cimarron is a working breed, which can be used for plenty of purposes, but at the same time, they are amazing family dogs and companions. Knowing the abilities of these dogs, the Uruguayan national hero José Artigas said: "If I end up without soldiers, I will fight with Cimarrons."

The Uruguayan Cimarron was recognized by the KCU (Kennel Club Uruguayo) in 1989 and temporarily recognized by the FCI in 2006 within Group 2 (Pinscher and Schnauzer - Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattle dogs). Finally, the breed was fully recognized by FCI in November 2017.

Is this the right dog for me?

Cimarron is a suitable choice for anyone who longs for the most loyal companion, best protector, and guardian. However, if anybody wants a yard dog and does not want to spend enough time with it, this is not the best choice as it needs sufficient contact with its family. It doesn't matter whether you are living in a house or an apartment if you have enough time and love for your dog.

Cimarron loves taking part in many different activities. It will be a great companion for walking, running, cycling, horse riding, hiking, etc.

Cimarrons like to be in the company of their family. They love children, and being aware of their size and strength, they behave very gently with them so they do not accidentally hurt them.

Although it is a working breed, they like to relax with their owner on the couch doing nothing. Loyalty, endless love, and a strong bond with their master make them extraordinary protective dogs. I can define a good Cimarron as a “dog, which will read your mind, feel the same what you feel, will be eager to please, and even willing to die for you.“

If you once owned a Cimarron, you could hardly imagine your life without this breed. Its character is really special. Some of them are clowns, trying to make their masters smile constantly. Most act as a “shadow” of their owners, ready to fulfill any command. Cimarrons know no obstacles in defending their owner, willing to sacrifice their own life if needed. Although they are single-owner dogs, the owner change is usually not a problem.

Work purposes

The Uruguayan Cimarron is mostly used for herding, guarding, and hunting (wild boar). In their country of origin, they are also used as army and police dogs. In Europe, they are sometimes trained for search and rescue purposes, especially for victims under collapsed buildings. With some dogs, the owners compete in obedience, agility, bikejöring, crisscross, hard dog race, and other types of dog sports.

Thanks to their past, when only the strongest, most intelligent, and healthiest survived, Cimarrons had a well-developed survival instinct. They are great hunters. Thanks to their speed and agility, they can successfully chase birds or hunt deer. With the help of their amazing sense of smell, they can accurately track animals as well as people. They can detect strangers from great distances.

Cimarrons do not bark unnecessarily. Their extraordinary sense of evaluating the situation and strangers makes them excellent protection dogs, ready to attack only if it is really necessary. The same dog knows not to attack a child who runs fast toward the dog and jumps to hug and pet it. Contrary, this same dog will protect its owner without any command if needed.

Breeding Cimarrons

I fell in love with the breed due to their great intelligence, loyalty, and will to always make me happy and satisfied. My first two Cimarrons are sisters from the same litter, Connie and Cora. I started with siblings due to working purposes. I continue keeping siblings at home and mothers or fathers with their puppies as they are being trained together.

The decision to breed Cimarrons came a bit later. The first motivation for breeding was the wonderful character and working ability of my first Cimarrons. I knew that I had found the perfect breed for myself. Then, I let a Vet check them as my dogs' health is my number one priority.

In my opinion, only dogs with excellent health, wonderful character, great working ability, and anatomy according to the FCI standard should be used for breeding. After the health tests of both my first females were excellent, I decided to breed and started to search for a male. Tinu and Misia Maura de Aqueronte arrived next. They came as a breeding couple from famous Uruguayan breeder Dr. Adriana Romero Doldan.

These four dogs created the base of the Cerberus Illusion kennel. We had four litters, and 5 puppies stayed at home. Anakin, Belona, Beowulf, and Beulah are the second generation of working dogs at home. Duncan, the puppy from the latest litter, is already the third generation of working Cimarrons who stayed home.

The breed can be easily trained, but a Cimarron prefers to work with his beloved master. As a breeder, trainer, and owner of 9 Cimarrons from 3 generations and various bloodlines, I had to get to the same conclusions, which is well-known in working dogs. The puppies of working parents work better from generation to generation.

Whether you want to get a Cimarron for show purposes, work, or only as a family pet, please keep in mind that each puppy is unique and with any other dog breed. The breeder should know the character and potential of each puppy and offer the right one for the future owners. The breeder will most likely send a calm puppy to a less active family and a “working” puppy to a family that plans to dedicate their energy and time to work with this dog.

Author and photos by Gabriella Hurtos,
Cerberus Illusion kennel

World Dog Finder team