Presa Canario

ː

Perro de Presa Canario
Ch. E Katia. Owned by Sanders Kennels.
Other names	Canary Dog Presa Canario
Origin	Canary Islands
Kennel club standards Fédération Cynologique Internationale [? standard]
Notes	FCI recognition is still pending.
Dog (domestic dog)

The Perro de Presa Canario, also known as the Presa Canario, Dogo Canario, and Canary Dog is a Molosser breed from the Canary Islands. This large breed of dogs were originally bred to hold and guard.

History

The breed is originally from the Canary Islands in the 1700s, notably Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Its exact ancestry is unknown, but enthusiasts believe that an already established farm dog from the Canary Islands by the name of Majorero (Perro de Bardino Majorero) was crossed with the Mastiff of England and Old-Style Bulldogs that were brought from Europe to the Islands by visitors and colonists, creating the foundation for the modern Presa Canario.

It is also believed that a number of Spanish and breeds may have contributed to the development of the Presa Canario such as the Perro de Ganado Majorero, Presa Español, and Alano Español.

Presa type dogs are mentioned in historical documents of the 16th and 17th centuries, as guard dogs and catch dogs. Perro de Presa Canario is generally considered as being created during the 18th century with the above-mentioned crosses for the purpose of dog fighting, tradition which the English settlers transplanted along with their English breeds of Mastiff and Bulldog. Canary Islanders consider these fights "honor fights" and not the sole purpose of the animal. They were most definitely used as guard dogs, and with declining use, farm dogs. These presa type dogs were also referred to as the "perro de la tierra" or "dog of the land."

Like many fighting dogs, the breed became nearly extinct after dog fighting was outlawed in the 1940s, but the breed was revived in the 1970s with the help of several crosses by various breeders. This period is generally known as the reconstrucion of the breed and as a result, occasional atypical specimens are not uncommon, although increasingly less so.

Perro de Presa Canario means the Canarian Dog of Prey. It is sometimes referred to as a "Presa."

Appearance

Presa Canarios have thick skin and short fur that comes in all shades of fawn and brindle. White is allowed up to 20 percent and is most commonly found on the chest and feet, and occasionally on a blaze on the muzzle. The breed standard requires black pigmentation and dogs should have a black mask that does not extend above the eyes. No shades of blue are allowed in competition.

Proper head (considered a "square on a square") and good "expression" are part of the breed standard, and are manifest in the best breed specimens. The lips are thick and hang in an inverted V; the flews may be slightly loose.

File:Presa head.jpg

The breed is also characterized by a sloping topline(with the rear being slightly higher than the shoulders). Another characteristic of the breed is the shape of the paws (cat foot) and the catlike movement of the animal. The body is mesomorphic, that is, slightly longer than the dog is tall, contributing to the feline movement. The breed is also known, incidentally, for the ability to adapt to various climates.

File:Ivan de Can Muc.jpg

Size

Females average between 22-25 inches at the withers and weigh between 90-120 pounds.

Males average between 23-26 inches at the withers and weigh between 115-140 pounds.

Generally speaking, exceeding the weights listed above could lead to a number of health problems. Too much weight is also known to compromise the dog's athleticism and working ability.

Life Span

The average life span for the Presa Canario is 8-12 years.

Coat

One of the unique characteristics of the breed is the diversity of markings. Fawn comes in silver fawn, gold fawn, and red fawn. Brindle comes in colorings of black (and may appear solid), brown, and all shades in between. "Verdino" or greenish-tinted brindle is among the most traditional coat colors; reverse brindle or "atigrado claro" is among the most exotic.

File:Silver fawn coat.jpg File:Fawn Coat.jpg File:Red fawn Coat.jpg File:Reverse brindle2.jpg File:Reverse brindle1.jpg File:Red brindle.jpg File:Black brindle2.jpg File:Black BRINDLE.jpg File:Verdino brindle.jpg

The ideal coat is medium length and "rustic," that is, slightly coarse to the touch. The breed is known for its very minimal shedding.

See below for a brief discussion on coat genetics.

Temperament

The Presa Canario breed is known for its calm temperament, which is often referred to as the "island temperament." It is considered "gentle and noble" with the family, and distrusting of strangers. The Presa Canario forms a strong bond with its master and human family and can be very protective. The breed is intelligent and is known to possess a "severe gaze." It is also known to do well with children.

Presa Canario is a dominant breed (a characteristic common to all bullbreeds) and requires socilialization as a pup and throughout its life. Basic obedience training is also recommended.

Trainability

Due to its temperament, the Presa Canario is highly trainable under the right circumstances. The Presa Canario is increasing in popularity as a personal protection and protection sports dog. [1] [2] [3] [4]

The best specimens of the breed will show natural protective instincts, good natural drive, and innate confidence. The recommended training method for the breed is military-style dog training [5] [6].

Health

As with any breed, those interested in purchasing a Presa Canario should carefully research breeders and a dog's ancestry to ensure that the breeding lines are healthy. Typically speaking, the higher the degree of consanguinity, the higher the likelihood of genetic defects. Due to the breed's vast gene pool, many of the genetic problems that affect other purebreeds are less evident. However, as the breed becomes more tightly interbred and bloodlines developed the incidence of genetic problems may increase.

As a large breed, the Presa Canario can be susceptible to hip dysplasia. Other possible (but generally uncommon) health problems include canine epilepsy, osteochondrodysplasias, and chryptorchism.

Aggression

Some enthusiasts hold that, if the dog's pedigree cannot be traced back to the Canary Islands, it is not a true Presa Canario but rather a Bandog.

As Presa Canarios are often bred for fighting or as attack dogs, this breed has a reputation of fierce loyalty to its owners and vicious aggression to any other person or animal perceived as a threat. Owners should be vigilant about purchasing from reputable dealers and ensuring the dog receives obedience training.

The breed received considerable press notoriety after Diane Whipple was mauled to death in 2001 by a neighbor's two Presa Canario in the hallway of her San Francisco apartment building. The dogs' caretakers were convicted of manslaughter.

External links

• Clubs, Associations, and Societies
  • Dogo Canario Club of America, Inc.
• Directories and Informational Pages
  • Origin of the Presa Canario - By the DCA
  • Dogs In Depth Page

Regarding the diane whipple case it must be made clear that the dogs involved were not pure bred canaries , they were cross bred with another large mastiff breed which had increased their size and weight far above breed standard , they had also been owned by an alleged drug dealer who had trained them to be highly aggresive and attack on command

Dogo Canario Breeders

[7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

Coat Genetics

Dogs have a great deal of diversity in breeds, in all aspects, including coat color and patterns. Canine coat genetics are still being researched. Most of our present understanding of canine coat genetics is based on the work of Clarence Cook Little, author of "Inheritance of Coat Color in Dogs" (1979), although some researchers dispute certain of his theories. For those with a keen interest in canine coat genetics, an excellent source for the breeder and the layperson's understanding is authored by Dr. Sue Ann Bowling [12]

As far as the Presa Canario is concerned, it is believed Fawn is based on the Agouti series, specifically the ay allele. Agouti hairs are fawn hairs banded and/or interspersed with black. This gene is recessive to the other genotype of the breed, brindle.

It is known that Brindle is a dominant trait but there is some argument as to where it is located. Little postulated that it was on the E series (Ebr) but if so, would compete with the black mask (Em), which is known to not be the case. Dr. Bowling speculates the gene is most likely on a new series, which she calls "K".

The following are true in canine coat genetics:

1. Breeding fawn (ay) x brindle (Kbr) may produce: fawn and brindle offspring.

2. Breeding brindle (Kbr) x brilde (Kbr) may produce: fawn and brindle offspring.

3. Breeding fawn (ay) x fawn (ay) will always produce: fawn offspring.

For breedings of (ay x Kbr) and (Kbr x Kbr), there is no clear way to predict the number of fawn or brindle offspring. Some litters from these breedings will be entirely fawn, entirely brindle, or, most likely, some combination of both.