Presa Canario - History, Characteristics, and Health

Presa Canario History

The Perro de Presa Canario can be traced back to the fifteenth or sixteenth century. Historians have written many books concerning Perro de Presa Canario’s development - a canary dog of prey. They are likely brought to the canary islands by the Spanish conquistadors, where they lived among the indigenous cattle dogs.

Many theories have been circulating regarding the genetic contribution to the creation of the Perro de Presa Canario. However, it is almost certain that the roots of Presa can be traced back to the cattle breed Iberian Presa. Perro de Ganado Majorero, or the Iberian Presa, was an intuitive guard dog, intelligent, rustic, and an average-sized mastiff breed. The Ganado had a strong intuitive instinct, and they were fearless guardians.

Many other Hispanic dog breeds have contributed to the creation of the Presa Canario. The most prominent breeds were Presa Espanol and Bardino Majorero. Presa Espanol in its bulldog varieties (Alano) and other large varieties are known for their clutching instincts. In contrast, the Bardino Majorero was a pre-hispanic sheepdog that originated from the island of Fuerteventura.

The island dog developed into a completely different breed due to the Spanish breeds’ influence. Bardino Majorero was introduced as a final ingredient to complete the foundation of the Presa Canario. Bardino Majorero was introduced for its incorruptible courage, excellent guarding instinct, physical resistance, and intelligence. With the combination of all these amazing traits, the ability to fight was also added to the mix.

Presa Canario was a dog of many purposes. They were used for catching cattle, guarding farms, working cattle, or eliminating stray or wild dogs. In 1940, the breed began to decline, but in 1970, revived again by reputable breeders. Presa breeders bred Presa to its original size and character.

Back in 1940, dog fighting was prohibited throughout the islands. Even though clandestine fights were known to continue during the next decade. It was that period of time when Presa began to decline, and its number truly flattered. With the introduction of Great Dane, Doberman Pinscher, and German Shepherd, the sovereignty of the island Presa worsened.

The island dog fancier’s interest now focused on these new breeds, causing the Presa breed’s demise. At that time, the Presa was relegated in a few numbers to herdsmen and farmers as their primary guard dog.

Later in 1970, the nearly extinct Presa Canario breed began to be reconstructed by some reputable breeders. Presa breeders bred strong Presa Canario that were vigorous, massive, rustic, and functional. They were extremely calm and confident and were extremely territorial with unlimited courage. They had a strong temperament and acute watchdog instinct.

The full recovery of Perro de Presa Canario began in 1982. When a group of breeders from the island of Tenerife formed an association. Their motive was to propagate the resurgence of the Presa as started in the previous decades.

Presa Canario Vital Stats

Presa Canario is a family dog, best companion, providing unconditional love, energetic and active dog. These dogs are agile, courageous, and powerful, having a muscular and robust body.

Presa Canario Physical Attributes

Presa Canario is a large mastiff-type dog breed having a confident and dominant personality. These dogs have a thick, muscular, and robust body with a broad, square head.

Presa Canario Personality

Presa Canario is an alert and affectionate dog with a calm and gentle personality. They are dominant by nature and tend to be bossy, stubborn, and strong-willed. Dogo Canario is confident, well mannered, and a great family protector. However, they are suspicious of strangers and can be aggressive towards other dogs.

Presa was originally bred as a family companion and guard dog. They lived among the indigenous cattle dogs, catching cattle, guarding farms, and eliminating stray or wild dogs. They have a natural habit of protecting others, so they are overprotective of their owners. They are always alert and ready to protect their owner or property if required.

Generally, Presa is a quiet breed but has a very intimidating bark combining with Alpha nature. This breed needs an owner who is aware of Alpha natured dog breeds and completely understands it. This is the reason Presa is not suitable for novice owners. They are suitable for families who feel comfortable around dogs.

The canaries make outstanding guard dogs as they can confront any intruder. However, they require early socialization and obedience training to behave well with strangers and other pets. They are aggressive towards other dogdog whistle and socialization are essential.

Without a strong leader, Presa tends to dominate and be bossy around other canines or strangers. This breed has a natural working instinct, which makes them perfect watchdogs. Under the right condition, they make the ideal family dog and best companion.

Presa Canario Temperament

Presa Canario is generally an aggressive, confident, and strong-willed dog breed. These dogs have a vigilant and firm stance, and when they are on alert, they have low and deep bark. However, they are calm, gentle, affectionate, and well behaved towards their human family.

Presa is a very confident dog breed, has a balanced temperament, and docile with all family members. They can be suspicious of strangers, but they are very devoted to their masters. They do well in many conformations, dock diving, agility, iron dogs, obedience, and other working traits. They should be provided with lots of exercises, and daily pack walks are a must to keep them entertained and active.

Dogo Canario has a migration instinct. To keep their instinct satisfied, it is important to play with them and provide them sufficient physical activities. They should be trained to walk beside or behind the human. They should not walk in front of the human who is holding the lead, as the pack leader goes first.

Presa Canario Diet and Nutrition

Canarian mastiffs do well on high-quality dog food, whether home-prepared or commercially manufactured. They should be provided with sufficient food appropriate to their age. Divide the food into 2 to 3 meals a day. You can discuss the food with your veterinarian to provide your dog enough nutrition.

Make sure to provide Canarian dogs high protein food but keep an eye on their weight. Some Canarians are prone to getting overweight, so it’s important to watch their calorie consumption and weight level. Check your vet if you have any concerns about your Dogo Canario health, diet, and weight.

Presa Canario Health Issues

As a large breed, various health problems have been observed in Perro de Presa Canario. They are prone to several genetic conditions and other health problems. But that does not mean that all Presa Canario experience diseases.

Most of the Presas are healthy and never have any health issues throughout their life. It just means that your Presa canine is more at risk of getting these health problems than other dogs.

Working with reputable breeders will help you learn about the specific health concerns with the Presa dog breed. Certain health issues in Presas include:

• Dental Disease

  Dental problems are the most chronic problem in dogs, affecting more than 80% of all dog breeds by age two. Presa is more prone to getting dental infections than any other dog breed. It starts with a tartar buildup on teeth and spread to the gums and roots of the teeth. If the infection is not timely treated, the puppy’s heart, lungs, joints, liver, and kidney will be in danger.

• Elbow and Hip Dysplasia

  In both hip and elbow dysplasia, the hip bones or the elbow bones do not fit together correctly. If your dog shows foreleg lameness, you should get to learn about elbow dysplasia. Similarly, if your dog has clunky hip joints, then learn about hip dysplasia in dogs.

• Epilepsy

  Presa Canario experiences three types of seizures: primary or idiopathic epilepsy, secondary, and reactive. Epilepsy is usually an inherited condition and begins between six months to three years of age.

• Obesity

  Obesity is a serious problem and a significant health issue in Presa. It may cause or worsen metabolic and digestive disorders, joint problems, heart disease, and back pain. Keep an eye on your canine diet to prevent obesity.

• Osteochondritis Dissecans

  In OCD, the cartilage in the joints may not be attached to the bones properly. In this situation, surgery is required to fix the problem.

• Patellar Luxation

  It is an abnormality that causes the kneecap to become dislocated. Whether the knee cap rides on the inner or on the outer aspects of the knee. This condition is very painful for dogs, and they will cry out in pain and hold the leg up.

• Cryptorchidism

  It is present at birth in which one or both testicles don’t descend from the abdomen into the scrotum. It can cause problems later in life, including high-risk cancer. You must check this problem when your canine is a puppy. If you observe this problem, get both testicles of your puppy removed before it gets worse.

• Entropion

  It is an eye infection that causes the eyelid to turn inward, resulting in eyelashes rubbing the eyeball causing discomfort. Entropion infection is prevalent in Presa Canario dogs.

• Heart Problem

  Presa Canario is especially prone to severe and life-threatening heart diseases like dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). In DCM, the heart becomes weak, thin, and so big that it can no longer pump blood to the body. Abnormal heart rhythm, tiredness, occasional collapse, faintness, and cough are a few of the signs of DCM.

• Hyperthyroidism

  It is another inherited disease, which occurs when your pup’s thyroid gland produces too much hormone thyroxine. It accelerates the body’s metabolism causing irregular or abnormal heartbeat or unintentional weight loss.

  Much of what you can do to keep your Presa healthy and happy is give them proper care, food, and nutrition. Keep an eye on your puppy’s diet and ensure that he gets plenty of exercise. Keep your dog clean by brushing their coat and teeth regularly and giving bathe occasionally. Visit your veterinarian as soon as possible when you notice signs of any health problem in your dog.

Presa Canario Rescue

Presa Canario can be easily found in rescues and shelters across the United States. You can check with the local rescues to find a special canine friend. However, you can check the following rescue groups for adopting a Canario pup:

• The Bullpen Way Station & Sanctuary - Bullpen Rescue
• AZ Mastiff Rescue - RescueGroups.org
• Petfinder
• Adoptapet.com
• Big Bully Rescue
• Mastiff to Mutts Rescue

If you are thinking of buying a Presa from a breeder, be sure to ask for health information and get documentation. This breed is prone to many health problems, so it is essential to get a health certificate while buying. Carefully investigate your chosen Presa Canario to avoid any inconvenience.

Presa Canario as Emotional Support Animal

When you look for an emotional support animal, the things you want are loyalty, love, care, and companionship. If a canine possesses all these things, you might not think twice and buy them immediately.

Presa Canario is a dog breed that is not just a loyal and good companion but has a balanced temperament. This dog breed is confident, docile, and devoted to the family members. They are highly affectionate and have a gentle and calm personality. They are well known as family dogs and perfect companions.

All these traits make a Presa Canario a perfect choice for being an emotional support animal. They have a history of guarding and protecting their masters, so they are always ready to protect their master. They offer unconditional love and affection and understand the emotions and respond accordingly.

Presa Canario is one of the best options for the emotional support animal. Also, get an emotional support animal letter not to have any problem taking your Presa pet with you. Get your legit ESA letter from RealESALetter.com at reasonable prices.