Presa Canario or Canary Mastiff

History, origin & features

The Dogo Canario breed is said to have been obtained by crossing the Majorero, an ancient cattle dog native to the Canary Islands (mainly Tenerife and Gran Canaria), with Molossoid-type dogs brought to the archipelago by the Spanish. The Dogo Canario quickly proved its worth as a cattle herder and driver, helping to significantly increase its numbers on the Canary Islands from the 16th and 17th centuries onwards. The Dogo Canario breed was provisionally recognized by the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale) on June 4, 2001, then definitively on July 4, 2011. The Dogo Canario is a molossoid-type dog, large and rather massive, with well-developed muscles and bones. Hardy and well-proportioned overall, Dogo Canario are also recognizable by their black mask, accentuating the imposing character of this dog. Despite their strong constitution, they have agile, supple movements and a long stride, enabling them to cover a great deal of ground. Coat: short, close to the body, fairly coarse in texture, with virtually no undercoat (except possibly on the neck and back of the thighs).
Color: brindle or fawn in all shades, with white on chest and base of neck. The mask is always black.
Head: massive, compact and brachycephalic. The stop is pronounced, and the nose is broad and black. Powerful, scissor-like jaws.
Ears: Medium-sized, set wide apart, covered with short, fine hair, naturally drooping.
Eyes: Slightly oval, medium-sized, set wide apart, dark to medium brown depending on coat color (never light).
Body: Rectangular. The neck is massive, straight and very muscular, the topline straight and well defined, the croup moderately long and rounded (wider in females), the chest fairly ample and well muscled, and the ribs well arched.
Tail: thick at the base, tapering to the tip.