The Perro de Presa Canario is a Molosser type dog from the Canary Islands. This large breed was originally bred as a multi-purpose farm dog, being used as a cattle drover and guard dog. The name means the "Canarian Dog of Prey" and is sometimes simply called "Presa."

History

The breed is originally from the Canary Islands in the 1700s, notably Gran Canaria. Its exact ancestry is unknown, but enthusiasts believe that the Perro de Bardino Majorero, an established farm dog from the Canary Islands, was crossed with the Mastiff and Old-Style Bulldog brought from Europe to the Islands by visitors and colonists, creating the foundation for the modern Presa Canario. A number of Spanish breeds such as the Perro de Ganado Majorero, Presa Español, and Alano Español may have contributed to the development of the Presa Canario.

Presa type guard and catch dogs are mentioned in historical documents of the 16th and 17th centuries. It is believed that the Perro de Presa Canario was created during the 18th century for the purpose of property and flock guarding as well as the holding and driving of livestock. The breed was also used for dog fighting, a tradition the English settlers transplanted along with their Mastiff and Bulldog breeds. Canary Islanders consider these fights "honor fights" and not the sole purpose of the animal. Presa type dogs were referred to as the "perro de la tierra" or "dog of the land."

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 reconstruction of the breed, with atypical specimens becoming less common.

The Presa should be powerful, balanced, and imposing in appearance. It is heavily built, but able to move with great athleticism.

The head is broad, massive, square, and powerful. Proper head and good expression are part of the breed standard, and are manifest in the best breed specimens. The ears are normally cropped both to create a more formidable expression, and to prevent damage while working with cattle. In countries where ear cropping is banned the ears should be pendant or "rose" shaped. The lips are thick and hang in an inverted V; the flews may be slightly loose.

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 can adapt to various climates.

Size

Females average between 22-24 inches at the withers and weigh between 88-120 pounds.

Males average between 23.5-25.5 inches at the withers and weigh between 110-130 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.

Coat and color

The ideal coat is medium length and "rustic," that is, slightly coarse to the touch. The breed is known for its very minimal shedding. Presa Canarios have thick skin and short fur that comes in all shades of fawn, brindle and black (the acceptance of the black coat is a point of contention among fanciers as it is allowed by the AKC-FSS, UKC and UPCC standards, but not by the FCI or FIC standards, with the FCI standard #346 being the only recognized standard in Spain and the Canary Islands). 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. This breed has never consisted of any shades of blue or grey. See below for a brief discussion on coat genetics.

Temperament

In some situations, the Presa can be aggressive toward animals, other dogs, and even humans in rare cases. Once the dog has been properly socialized and trained, this becomes the exception rather than the rule. Many Presas share their homes with birds, cats, dogs, horses, reptiles and other animals.

Trainability

Due to its temperament, the Presa Canario can be a challenge to train. They require a firm owner who is willing and able to meet the challenges a young, dominant puppy may pose. The breed is not traditionally suited for protection sports but it is gaining in popularity due to a small group of enthusiasts who have selected dogs based heavily on function.

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 epilepsy, osteochondrodysplasias, demodectic mange and cryptorchidism. A health issue unique to Spain is canine visceral leishmaniasis. Leishmaniasis is a blood parasite that has a long incubation period (of several years) and most often leads to death.

Lifespan

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

Breed status

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. It should be noted that there is a great degree of diversity in Presa Canarios and Dogo Canarios throughout the world. While this diversity has good implications for health, it has some interesting ramifications for the breed status. The Presa Canario is one of four breeds that does not have a DNA profile.

For years, obtaining proper paperwork from Spain was extremely difficult. It is even claimed (but never substantiated), for example, that a former president of the Spanish club simply didn't give out papers. Some breeders simply do not have papers on their dogs which are bonafide Presa Canarios. The problem in obtaining papers has definitely contributed to the diversity of the breed in many ways. Due to this difficulty, American owners and breeders created and sought other ways to register their dogs, such as AKC-FSS, UKC, UPPCC, and FIC.

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 [1]

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: (remembering alleles come in sets of 2)

1. Breeding fawn (ayay) x brindle (KbrKbr or Kbray) may produce: fawn and brindle offspring.

2. Breeding brindle (KbrKbr or Kbray) x brindle (KbrKbr or Kbray) may produce: fawn and brindle offspring.

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

For breedings of fawn x brindle or brindle x brindle 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.