We are fully aware that what we are about to tell you may sound like a cheap and overused slogan and thus be somewhat unappealing, but we still feel obligated to say it simply because it’s true and we just can’t help being fond of such statements. So, here it is: Perro De Presa Canario can indeed be a dog for everyone. This is what thousands of its owners will tell you and what you are bound to find out if you decide to provide home to this worthy man’s companion. But before defending our case, we must treat you with tiny bits of the breed’s history which, in turn, will be important for understanding how Presas became such incredibly versatile dogs that they are today.
As its name clearly implies, Perro De Presa Canario or “Canarian catch dog” originates from Canary Islands where its breeding started in the early 18th century. The initial purpose of this dog was to serve as a cattle herder and to guard against wild animals. Perhaps a little less known fact is that even from the very beginning, when Presas were present solely on the Canary Islands, residents of different islands focused on developing different traits in this dog. For example, in Tenerife an emphasis was put on the dog’s appearance and in Gran Canaria on its capabilities and performance. Hence there is a wide variety within this breed today with regard to size, looks and temperament. To wrap this up, let’s just add that Presa Canario was officialy recognized as a breed in 1989. Enough of history.
All the owners of Presas who have taken time with their pets will surely tell you that there is no better family dog. A natural sense of belonging is firmly ingrained in them and they easily establish strong bonds with all the people in their immediate surroundings. Few breeds are better than Presa Canario at reading and reflecting their owner’s emotions – whether you’re happy or sad, they want to be a part of it. As a natural consequence of Presas’ love for family comes their strong instinct to protect it, and their looks, size and intimidating bark are most of the time more than enough to avert potential intruders.
Presa puppies are great to have around and your kids will hardly find a more playful and adorable companions. Bear in mind that you must not overfeed them until they have reached at least one year of age as such practice can cause them bone and joint problems later in life. Also, make sure you tell the breeder what your expectations are and what the purpose of the dog will be – on the second thought, you will be asked these and a lot of other questions anyway – so that a selection that best suits your needs can be made.
Presa Canario can be kept in an apartment if you promise to take it on long daily walks, but as a high-energy dog that needs a lot of breathing space it will be happiest in a house with a decent-size yard. Because it is short-haired, it does not require much maintenance aside from a weekly brushing or combing and an occasional bath. Of course, with this kind of dog, great attention needs to be paid to proper training, but once it has been completed, we assure you that you will want no other breed – simply because a well-trained Presa is both family-friendly, lovable and submissive on one side, and extremely protective and wary of strangers on the other.
We suggest you watch this interesting video about The Man’s Best Friend:
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