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The traditional, the genuine |
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The traditional, the genuine |
PERRO
DE PRESA CANARIO BIG, SMALL?
It has been much discussion lately, between breeders and fans, about the size (height, width, length and weight) that must have the Perro de Presa Canario. And is clear that there was, and are, opinions for all the tastes, predominating, of course, the idea of the big, but really big dog, with much head, enormous, that is, much chest, and much bone. For these breeders and fans, nationals and foreign, the official standard of the breed has its importance, but in short, if the dog is well proportionate it does not matter that it exceed centimeters and pounds. They don´t say, if the dog is good, lack importance that is below the minimum 2 centimeters (0,787 inches) and weighs (only) 50 kilograms (110 pounds).
Not long ago, a friend said me, “we must see when a Presa Canario dog is small, or big, and why…”
For
me is clear, I replied him, small in excess is the one that is below the minimum
of the standard, and big in excess the one that is over the maximum of the
standard.
Clear
that if we rely on the standard with which the Federation Cynologique
International has recognized (under denomination Dogo Canario) the Perro de
Presa Canario, this one is in 60-65
cm (23,6-25,5 inches), at the shoulders, and 50 kilograms (110,23 pounds) of
weight (minimum) for the males; for the females 56-61 cm.(22-24 inches), and 40
kilograms (88,1 pounds) of weight (minimum).
As
you can see, as well as there is maximum and minimum for the height in both
sexes, is a minimum of weight for both sexes but not a maximum.
Was
a disregard of so important detail?, it is norm of the FCI
to don’t put a top in the
maximum weight? I do not know it, but I know that from the absence of this
maximum, ominous consequences for the breed are being derived (already).
In
the standard approved and accredited in its time by the Royal Central Canine
Society of Spain the height at the
shoulders for the males was 59-64
cm (23,2-25,1 inches), weight 42-50 kilos (92,5-110.2
pounds); the height at the shoulders for the females 55-59 cm.(21,6-23,2 inches),
and 38-45 kilograms (83,7-99,2 pounds) of weight.
Later, in the modified standard product of consensus between the breeders of both Canary provinces, new parameters were established (that the Royal Canine Society of Spain accepted), 61-66 cm. (24-26 inches) of height at the shoulders and 45-57 kilograms (99,2-125,6 pounds) for the males; for the females 57-62 cm. (22,4-24-4 inches) of height at the shoulders and 40-50 kilograms (88,1-110,2 pounds) of weight.
The
standard is, or must be, the guide by means must be oriented
the breeder, and the judge who judges presa canario. Clear that if the
standard does not have, as we have seen, a top in maximum weight, any breeder
can produce –in fact is happening -, because he likes, or because there is a
customer who demand it, dogs of 70 or 80 kilograms (154-176 pounds), we must
ignore such deviation? And on the other hand we must ask ourselves, is
beneficial for the evolution of the breed?
The weight of the Presa Canario
Dog must be in direct
relation with the height at the shoulders and
its length. If a unit measures 65 cm (25,5 inches). At the shoulders (that is
the maximum authorized) and weighs 70 kilograms (154 pounds), we are in front a
disproportion improper of the breed. It
is clear that is the man who makes the canine breeds and, if he want, can turn
them into true deformities, but,
is that what we want for the
Perro de Presa Canario?
The
Presa Canario dog is a working animal, and like so, it must conserve the proportions that
are inherent to him, otherwise, by defect or by excess, we will excessively
limit its capacity for the work.
From
last years to the present we have
seen award in exhibitions of beauty
presas canarios that exceed considerably
the average standard proportions, mainly the related ones to the weight,
for that reason most of the time, they stay
lying wherever
they are. And, in fact, there are breeders that boast to breed dogs
of 70 or 80 kilograms (154-176 pounds), even in the Canary Islands.
I remember that a friend of Gran Canaria, in a visit that made to my kennels about three years ago, said me that he had presas of 80 kilograms (176 pounds); soon after, another friend, this time of Tenerife, said me that he had presas of more of 80 kilograms; and from several countries, people had requested me presas canarios with that weight. To these people I always say the same thing: those dog can be anything except Presas Canarios.
Fortunately, in the last years are not few the fans of the Presa Canario Dog that they like to work with their dogs, that benefit, without doubt, the image of the breed, by one side, and its selection, by another one -, and they know, by own experience, that the Presa Canario of 60 kilograms (132 pounds) gets tired long before that the one of 50 kilograms (110 pounds).
Also
it is necessary to say that the immense majority of the fans to the Presa
Canario Dog, are
not in favor of the work and the training and what they hope of their dog
is that this one be good with the
family and that keeps and defends its territory naturally.
The
guardian dog not necessarily must
be slight (50 kilograms-110 pounds), can also serve with 60 kilograms, 132
pounds, (not more, because otherwise it will be another thing and not a Presa
Canario, as it has already been said), and to be really effective it must have a
strong guard instinct, that mean, must be
territorial and distrusted with the strangers.
Clear that so that a Presa Canario behaves as such dog of guard (territorial and distrusted with the strangers) must be raise outside the reach of the caresses of the strangers. This does not mean that you cannot walk him and that he will not respect the people that pass near him in the street, field, etc.; One say, simply, that it must not have physical contact with strangers.
Few
weeks ago I traveled to mainland, -I
live in Tenerife, Canary Islands- with five presas canarios
and two females of Majorero Dog, -canine breed this one very little known outside the Canary Islands, on
which I have written in several occasions- with the purpose of obtaining its
Breed Confirmation (apt for breed). It is known that previous
the Breed Confirmation, the
Spanish canine breeds must compete in exhibition. Therefore I competed with my
dogs, in its different categories (that they have to do with its respective ages).
In Open Class Male (adult dogs) the judge left
winner to a dog mine of 52
kilograms of weight (115 pounds). In second place, a unit of 63 centimeters
(24,8 inches) at the shoulders and 64 kilograms (141 pounds) of weight. When
seeing the result, the owner of this male got very upset, and scolded and
insulted, in very bad way, to the judge.
This
behavior usually occurs with some frequency between exhibitors that brag of breeders (and connoisseurs of the standard), and they
spite saying that the judge does not have nor idea of the breed.
I, to this exhibitor, willingly would say him, that a
Presa Canario Dog of 63
centimeter (24,8 inches) height, does not have to weigh more than 54 kilograms
(119 pounds) maximum. The aforesaid presa
exceeded 10 kilograms (22 pounds); and immediately afterwards I would asked him,
by the certificate of Free of hip Dysplasia
of his dog, because I had the feeling
that his hips (those of the dog) are not, to say it someway, very healthy.
This dog already has been awarded by specialist judges, that is, of the Spanish
Club of the Presa Canario Dog, with two CAC, and I will not be surprised if soon
it win the championship of Spain. Already somebody is saying, in Internet, that
is the best
stud of Europe. And I say, in what are based to say that such dog is best
stud of Europe?
So
that a Presa Canario Dog can be considered a good stud must belong to a family
of recognized quality in several generations back, height and weight standard,
correct morphology, phenotype, complete mouth, bite in scissors, free of
dysplasia of hip and elbows, good character, guard instinct, temperament,
psychic balance, fertility (and able
to transmit to his offspring all these qualities).
With
excessive frequency CHAMPION (of Monographic, of Spain, of Europe, of what this
be) is confused with optimal reproductive quality, and that is a big mistake.
Most of the dogs (in our case the Presa Canario), males and females, lacks value
like reproducers.
To
put offspring of the CH this and
the CH that in the adds that are
inserted in special magazines, Internet, etc., by means of which informs into
the sale of puppies, certainly induces
to not few people to
buy, and then to brag about his dog that
is son of champions. But that has
to do with the quality? No, it is clear that it does not have to do.
The
selection, the true selection of the Presa Canario Dog
nothing has to do with these practices of cynophilia.
For the exposed reasons, I always say that that is the easy cynophilia (that without doubt sells very well), that excessively harms the evolution (positive) of the canine breeds in general.
Manuel Curtó Gracia
-Irema Curtó Kennels-
