What all breeders and owners of Presa Canario Dog agree on is the impressive character that it has. The standard of the breed states: “Their aspect denotes power. Severe gaze. Especially gifted for the function of guard and defence and traditionally for the conduction of cattle. Impetuous temperament, skilled fighter (a tendency that shows for atavism), low and deep bark. He is gentle and noble in family and distrustful with strangers. In the past, he was used especially as a fighting dog.”
Through this description of the character of the Presa, it could arrive to the conclusion that he is a versatile dog, able to develop several jobs: conduction of livestock, guard, defence, and companion. Now well, the dog of Presa Canario Dog is a dog of guard and defense par excellence. It is enough to see their impressive physical appearance and their severe gaze, deep, almost human, to stop but bravest from trying to penetrate the property of the protected.
However, the Presa Canario Dog is not just an external aspect: it is an incorruptible and very territorial guardian, their work consists of looking after their territory and the people and animals that constitute the family environment. Nothing prefixes to their work: he could be enjoying the happiest moment in the company of his master, delighting in great food, or playing with the rest of the congener that lives together with him, if he considers that somebody or something puts his territory in danger he leaves everything at once to defend that with the most forceful form and effectiveness.
Although they try to bribe it with any trick, either food, threats, good words, and even, in the case of the males, with the presence of a female in heat, they won’t allow anybody to frank his territory, unless they owner orders to him to stop in the guard. Anyone who meets the Presa Canario Dog is aware that their courage doesn’t have limits, being able to any anything as such defending that he considers as his, opposing great resistance despite many beats and threats received.
Upon speaking the standard of “impetuous temperament” we should not understand that it is an aggressive dog; on the contrary, one of the most noted characteristics of the Presa is the security that has in itself, which leads it to not attack unless provoked. You can also read about Unveiling Genetic Challenges: A Closer Look at Common Disorders in Presa Canarios Dog by clicking here.
Habitually is the expression “it has many characters” applied to an aggressive dog; it is a generalized confusion to identify the character with the aggressiveness. In most of the cases, the aggressiveness is not a symptom of character, but of insecurity and the existence of any unbalance psychological in the dog. The character shows in a balanced and sure dog.
Concerning their “ability to fight,” the tendency that exhibits atavism, considers that this has been the product of their use in the past as dogs of fight. At present, and fortunately, these customs have disappeared, and with them the idea that the Presa is a dog quarreler, that could not cross down the street with another of the same species without rushing to attack it. The Presa, as a consequence of their security, doesn’t need to prove their strength looking to fight with their equal; now then, this doesn’t mean that if it is attacked or threatened it is going to leave fleeing; on the contrary, he at that moment will show with whole might that, unfortunately, what made him the dog of Spanish fight par excellence.
The coexistence of the Presa Canario Dog with other dogs isn’t only possible, but rather, also, it is simple. The upbringing of the Presas, together with other dogs since are puppies, facilitates the coexistence between them, and, for example, in the case of the dog shows, it will permit us to present with worth mentioning our specimens are not without the occasioned fights and scandals as could happen in other breeds.
“Serious bark and profound” The Presa is not a dog excessively barking. On the contrary: the same as you think of their ancestor the Perro de Ganado Majorero, only he barks in the case he could not attack, is say, a Presa that is looking after you and you are considered threatened he attacks and doesn’t mediate any bark, only bark if he could not attack, well because he is tied or separated by a wall from the aggressor. When it barks, the Presa also impresses, because their voice is hoarse and profound.
“It is gentle and noble in family” This tells little of the fidelity and passion that the Presa Canario Dog shows with his. The Presa “is known” to very few people, family and close friends, but they know them to have all types of celebrations and demonstrations of affection every time that you lend your attention. Concerning the relationship of the Presa with the children, it is fascinating to see the care with which the dog “supports” the childish games, he never shows aggressiveness with them and it reveals their younger face, enjoying countless occasions in their company.
“Distrustful with the strangers” It’s not that he is just distrusted, but rather it doesn’t remove them from the eye of above. The distrust of the Presa should not be confused with insecurity. The distrust means that inclination of all the movements that take place with the stranger so that the stranger could not plunder him so that he could not plunder you unaware in a hypothetical attack. Also, the Presa is a dog very observant and curious; nothing passes him unnoticed.
The Perro de Presa Canario Dog is calm, he doesn’t enjoy the trouble. This lying or sitting down observing everything in their environment, and while nobody disturbs you is observing everything the once that happens, it peacefully doesn’t escape detail of what happens to their surroundings. Concerning their attitude in front of the owner, I am supposed to say that the Presa is not a dog shepherd, although it could carry out functions driving livestock, and this means that he will not follow its owner where he wants that it goes, the tell, it is not a dog dependent of their master. If I have to define the Presa with a single word, in their relationship with the owner, it would tell that the dog is “hanging” off their master, he constantly observes you without missing detail of your movements, but he doesn’t need a command to make the decisions that he considers necessary to solve an accidental situation.
