CHARACTER

 

Dogo Canario is a dog with uncommon intelligence, wisdom and sensitivity. This very dangerous looking dog is in fact gentle and magnanimous for his family. Dogo Canario blindly identify with his owner. It is typical watchful and protection dog witch is totally faithful to his “herd”.

Dogo Canario is an even-tempered dog characterized by exceptional composure ,capable of  maintaining self-control when exposed to threats. His scowl is piercing, he always observe his besetment, make a rate of situation and take a right action
Dogo Canario is a peaceable dog. It is not belligerent, remains peaceful among peacefully behaving people and dogs, however it reacts very quickly to aggressive behavior of other dogs or men. It is not aggressive towards the smaller and weaker perfectly realizing its physical advantage. As a defender dog it is tenacious, determined and unstoppable in case of explicit provocation but simultaneously obedient to his master with whom he blindly identifies itself. It is incorruptible, extremely intelligent, has perfect memory and willfully yields to training. With natural ease and satisfaction it carries out orders which may be truly satisfying to the instructor. It is predisposed to guarding and defence and its faithful and devoted character make the dog perfectly fit for the life in a family. As a matter of fact gentle and sensitive it is particularly understanding and patient with children. It never assumes the posture of dominance over them, it gives them its sincere love always protecting and defending them. Towards strangers it is distrustful and unfriendly, accepts them only with the consent of the owner and then it might express friendliness.

Dogo Cnario has impressive looking and also extremely resistant to versatile atmospheric and environmental conditions, they can adopt to everything.

The representatives of this beautiful breed are present not only on the International Dogshows but also they are use to be a perfect companion of family and he more and more discover in  hearth.

 

HISTORY

 

Some historians admit the existence on Canary Islands of dogs resembling by description Perro de Presa even in times of the islands settlement by Celt Iberians, long before Rome conquest of Spain.Dogo Canario is a very old and simultaneously young breed. As Perro de Presa Canario it appeared in result of cross-breeding of original breeds "bardino" and "majorero" living in the Canaries - nimble and agile and also fast and determined dogs used for guarding and pasturing of cattle and sheep - with dogs of the molossian type brought to the islands by the conquistadors and Spanish colonists, improved by the mixture of blood of the English dogs: "bull and terrier" which was beneficial to Perro de Pressa in terms of its build and colouring also improving its overall appearance.

In 16th and 17th centuries it became prevalent as evidenced in historical documents. In those times only the utility features of dogs and their functionality were cared of. This is why the build of Presa was not explicitly determined: there were dogs of the bull appearance: compact, massive, of short muzzle and of predominantly white colouring; another type was elongated and light with clear impact of majorero; and the most typical of Presa intermediate type: massive, however not excessively, of verdino coat with white markings on the paws and chest. The proper mixture of Canary and English dogs provided the genetic basis of Perro de Presa - which survived up to our times - a dog of admirable build, an ideal shepherd, guard and defender.

Presa had a strictly defined tasks to perform - it was a guard and defender dog, it assisted at leading the cattle back from the pastures, it was also used when hunting for game and wild dogs which wreaked havoc in the grazing herds. Thus it had to be versatile, brave and extremely intelligent. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries those unquestionably desirable values brought about using Presa for, popular on the islands, dog fights. The reputation of a dog of great bravery, valour, and grip quickly spread outside Spain but was inseparably linked to the image of fight which was the consequence of ignorance as to the origin of the breed. Introduction of the ban on dog fights on the islands in 1936 led to drastic diminishing of the number of Perro de Presa Canario. Few dogs survived mainly in rural environment from where they were retrieved by a group of breeders-enthusiasts.

This was the beginning of the arduous work on the reconstruction of the breed. On November 12th, 1982 the Perro de Presa Canario Club was established and the effect of its work was the presentation of dogs at two exhibitions: the national at Tenerife, and the international in Las Palmas in 1985. The official presentation of the breed took place in November 1987. It mark the beginning of the work on preparation of the standard which was finally presented on January 24th, 1989. At the same time the Spanish Cynological Club launched the procedure for official recognition of the breed by FCI. The present standard of the breed under the name Dogo Canario was preliminarily accepted by FCI on June 3rd, 2001 under the number 346.