What are the proper colours?
The Dogo Canario comes in only 2 acceptable colors…..fawn and brindle. Fawn may range from a very light blonde, sometimes referred to as grey fawn to a deep rich sand fawn, called golden or red fawn. Brindles come in the same fawn shades with black striping of more or less intensity. From the very heavy brindles, often called black brindles or “reverse brindled” to dogs of almost entirely fawn coats with very minimal striping, sometimes called “tiger brindles”.
The dogs MUST have a black mask, no matter what the coat colour. The mask should reach to just below the eyes, but not extend over them. The eyes should also have black pigmentation around them, but that should be separate from the mask on the muzzle.
Most specimens have white markings. They can appear on the chest, base of the neck, back feet and toes but these should be kept to a minimum. Black was an acceptable colour in the breed in the past. It was never really favoured and few perpetuated this color. While black dogs do still exist, their colour is no longer allowed by the standard. Do not be lured into believing this is a “rare or exotic” colour of the dog. It is only rare because it is not allowed, and few breeders strive to breed for disqualifications.
The breed has NEVER come in the colours commonly referred to as ‘blue” or ‘blue brindle”. This is not the same thing that grey refers to in the standard. Grey is a shade of fawn that is very light blonde, which is silver-like in appearance. Blue refers to the steel grey colour that is common (and acceptable) in such breeds as the Neapolitan Mastiff, Great Dane and American Staffordshire Terrier.
A dog of this colouration is a mixed-blood dog, probably of one of the aforementioned breeds. This colouration also lacks the required black mask and other black pigmentation of the eye rims, nose and mouth lining. People who breed with dogs of this colour may tell you that it is a true colour of the breed, just not “favoured”. This is false!!! It has never existed in the breed.
What are the health concerns?
Due to the low number of dogs in the US and even lower number of dogs tested for hereditary defects, there are not many known ailments specific to this breed. Canine Hip Dysplasia is probably the most widely known health concern to affect this breed, despite past claims that it does not. CHD is a degenerative joint disease known to have a hereditary base. The only way to control this is by screening all breeding dogs and all of their offspring.
The DCCA is strongly advocating all dogs to be certified “phenotypically” normal by the OFA, or other techniques such as PennHip. More people need to get involved in screening their breeding dogs. For further information on Canine Hip Dysplasia and a listing of OFA-certified dogs, please visit the OFA website. Also reported in the breed are panosteitis, knee injuries as well as congenital problems including patellar luxation and patellar revulsions, skin cysts, epilepsy and demodecosis. For further information on these health conditions please visit our page on Health Issues. Click here to read about Some facts and history of Presa Canario.
Is the Dogo Canario a fighting breed?
No. NO, NO!!! The Dogo Canario is not a fighting breed. It is a breed that can fight and can fight well when necessary, but dog fighting was not the purpose behind this breed. There is a brief point in their history, which has been glorified by some, that the dog was involved in this activity, as most molosser dogs were. The Dogo Canario was developed by Canarian farmers to be a farm dog and guardian. He was occasionally used for fights that were for entertainment at local fiestas. But the breeding and selection of these dogs purely for fighting abilities was never done.
Do they make good pets?
This depends on what you consider a good pet for you. The Dogo Canario makes an exceptional pet for the right home. They are obedient and loyal and bond very strongly with their owners. They thrive on the attention of their human families. They are a dominant breed and do require that the owners be as assertive as they are.
This does not mean that you must strong-arm your dog into submission, but rather that you must be able to set firm limitations on your dogs and earn their respect. The Dogo is NOT a good dog for a submissive family that will allow the dog to rule the household. Nor are they a good choice that expects a pack of dogs to live in total harmony in one home. Some of them require supervision around other animals.
Do they make good guardians?
The Dogo Canario makes an exceptional home guardian breed. They are naturally territorial, watchful of strangers, close bonding with their families and confident in themselves. A “watchdog” or “guardian” dog is very different from having “personal protection”. This is a dog that is highly trained in the protection of its owner(s). While most Dogo Canario can successfully become personal protection dogs, they are not all born equally. If this is what you are expecting of your dog, we highly suggest consulting a professional trainer in your area.
