THE EXPRESSION IN THE PRESA CANARIO DOG

In 1999, the day after the celebration of the X Monographic Exhibition of the Presa Canario Dog, came to visit my Kennels two breeders of  presa canario -now they breed dogo canario- from Madrid.  One of them goes to all (or almost all) the canine exhibitions that are celebrated in the Country (thus he has managed to make recently a champion of Spain, champion of what?);  the other is a veterinarian.  During two hours we spoke of the PPC, if it is a breed or it is not still a breed, about the origin, the crosses carried out throughout the last quarter of century,  the undershot bite, the level bite, the scissors bite, the lack of premolars, the hip´s  dysplasia, about the  uselessness of most of presas canarios that grows up that way, and this way, of the standard of the breed that  recommends the less white possible, that accepts slight undershot bite, that not accepts  level bite..., and what says the standard of  hip and elbow dysplasia, and the uselessness of most of the presas  canarios  that grow up that way, and this way, and of the cheat of prizes, and the purchase of puppies without papers, or with papers, in which is engaged the president of the CEPRC?,  and what says the standard of the lack of a  breeding plan that orients and forces the breeders  to reject all ill dog, defective, useless?  Nothing, the standard says nothing.

To speak about these things to the directors, or partners of the CEPRC-DCP (Spanish Club of the Perro de Presa Canario-Dogo Canario de  Presa) put  them very nervous, as if gave them  an inopportune air  in the neurons, and is noted  in their eyes, and in an almost imperceptible tic that suddenly affects them the most sensible part  of the face, the mouth, by which they lie more than an English cavalries dealer.

The two Madrilenian  breeders  went away very  thankful by my reception, the veterinarian did not imagine me thus, they had spoken him so badly of whom..., in short, and that my  dogs..., well.

Few days later the veterinarian called me, by telephone, yes, and we spoke (again) of perros de Presa Canarios, and in one of those he talked about the expression of one Champion of breed, that that Ch had a very typical expression, said.  What, that  the Ch X has an expression what?, and in  relation to what?  Apparently, the veterinarian was speaking long and deep (before knowing me personally) with the ideologist of the CEPRC, Manolito Martín Bethencourt, and for that reason the veterinarian at issue said that  Ch X had a very typical expression.  It is necessary to  see the power of dissuasion that has some people, with those people who do not have nor the most remote idea of how  is or  must be a good Presa Canario Dog, or to be  more exact, how they are the good  presa canarios dogs.  Because breed has to do with group, with a certain number (not indeed reduced) of units that by their morphologic, phenotype and functional characteristics, that are transmitted  generation to generation in constant and homogenous way, correspond with a certain racial pattern.  There is no breed when there is no homogeneity.  There is no breed when there is no genetic constant.

THE EXPRESSION

What or which  expression is the typical one in a Presa Canario  Dog?  Expression is equal to common denominator.  The Dobermann has an expression, and the Rottweiler, and the German Shepherd, and the Siberian Husky, and the Poodle, the English Cocker, or the  Irish Setter, etc. etc. etc.  All the units pertaining to each one of the mentioned breeds have a COMMON EXPRESSION, and that is called typical. The units with phenotype  characteristics outside that common denominator, that we call, with reason, standard, or prototype, is considered non typical.

Ch X had, or has, if it still lives, a very typical expression, typical in relation to which unit?  The similarity of  Ch X with respect to his ancestor N, and his progenitor W, and  his  brothers of litter, were minimum, and we do not say with respect to other  presas canarios bred by the CEPRC (directors or members), and what to say of  his many children?.

 Certainly a Presa canario dog, like individual, has an expression, that we can like, or no, but from there to say that it is very typical is an abyss.  To be typical the expression of a dog, of any  breed, must be very similar to the one of the same types of the same breed, otherwise is not typical, and if it is not typical, no matter how much  we like it, will not be a good expression.

The 3 of June of 1990 I published an article in the newspaper El Día (Tenerife) in which  I said (among many other things), "If there is no typicality there  is no breed, and if there is no expression there is no typicality.  The expression (we must  realize) is centered specially in the head of the animal".

 But there is more. The expression is not limited to the head of the dog.  In the same article I said, "Is typicality when the balance between the different parts occurs", of the body of the dog, is understood.  "flat ribs, the lean necks, the deficient heads, etc., etc., never can give typicality  to the presa dog that interest  us".

 We say typical when the dog, as a whole, is very similar to most of the units of its same breed, it was already said.  If that similarity does not occur there is no typicality, and therefore there is no breed.

  I want to say, with all the exposed thing, that to speak of expression in the presa  X is a stupidity like another anyone. To speak of expression respect to the Perro de Presa Canario at the moment seems to me premature, taking in consideration the diversity of types, due to the multitude of crossings that have been carried out throughout almost thirty years with a great number of dogs of diverse  breed.  With time, by means of the breed and selection, it will be outlined what we denominated breed. 

And  is a stupidity -let me  use this word again- to try to arrive at the racial expression leaving aside the functional qualities of the canine units pertaining, -in theory-, to a racial grouping.  In fact this error is being committed from the same beginning  of the foundation of the CEPRC.  The result is already known.