THE FUTURE OF THE PERRO DE PRESA CANARIO

 In more than an occasion I said and I have written that the future of the canine breeds depends on the interest that by them demonstrates the human. When the interest by a canine breed is lost this one disappears in just a short time.

 Many are the canine breeds that have disappeared in the past all over the world by the disinterestedness of the man.

The disinterestedness generates the abandonment. It is clear that everything has a beginning and an end.

 The Perro de Presa Canario of last centuries it left of exist due the abandonment of insulars. At the beginning of the decade of the 70 ´s of the last century the liking to the presa dogs resurges and begins the gestation of the Perro de Presa Canario that we know today.

As is known, in the month of June 2001 the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (the FCI) recognizes the Dogo Canario. With time we will see if this new breed, or breed project, consolidates like so.

Particularly I dare to say that it does not have future, due the simple reason that the Perro de Presa Canario follows its way with true vitality. And the dog that had interested, and interests now, the one that has made impact anywhere in the world, it has been, and it follows being, the Perro de Presa Canario, not the (new) Dogo Canario.

There was someone who thought that with the recognition of the Dogo Canario by the FCI the Perro de Presa Canario was going to disappear. Big  mistake. The denomination Perro de Presa in the Canary Islands is very rooted, is traditional, part of the population, of their culture developed throughout several centuries. However the term DOGO in the Canary Islands does not mean anything due for them is a stranger vocable. The word DOGO in the Canary Islands is not related to any native canine breed. Is more, for the immense majority of the fans of the Perro de Presa Canario the one of DOGO is a species of attack to the canary traditions, to the canary cultural patrimony, a kind of imposition devoid of sense.

 The Presa is the canary breed just like the Fila is the dog by antonomasia of Brazil. Apparently Fila in Portuguese means just like Presa in Spanish – attention to this data that is very important -. The Spanish Club of the Perro de Presa Canario accepted the suggestion of the FCI to change the name to our moloser in order that this was not associated to the dog’s fighting. The CEPPC accepted, and thus it became Spanish Club of the Dogo Canario (before notary). But the proceeding was a complete mistake. With the name change, they changed the standard, and therefore the breed.

Many years ago, we were not few the fans that were denouncing, by active and passive, the breeding practices that was carrying out the directors, and partners, of the club of the breed. The club of the breed was not breeding Presa Canario but another dog: coats sand, fawn, and brindle.  It means this that they did not respect the official standard, in which was including the black coat,  the white in the extremities, around the neck, in the lower abdomen, the chest; that mean the acollarados, bragados, calzados, corbatos.  The coats that they were selecting were the characteristics of the Bullmastiff. And they crossed with Bullmastiff, the shortest way, according to them, to take the breed ahead. And they did not consider the functionality, the physical and psychic health, the guard instinct, etc.

The result of that plan of breeding is very well known, is at sight of everybody that wants to see it.

The directors and partners of the CEPPC, now of the Dogo Canario, did not represent the Perro de Presa Canario; this reality was very clear when they presented the pertinent documentation, and definitive, before the FCI for the recognition of their breed, the Dogo Canario.

 Initially, the confusion was big, were not few those that remained perplex before this outrage. After a short time, great part of the liking of our breed has realized that the Perro de Presa Canario was one thing, the traditional breed, with the traditional denomination, and the Dogo Canario a new project of breed protected by the official club that said that were representing the Perro de Presa Canario.

 In short, a mess with an extraordinary load of personal interests of the components of the CEPPC, today of the Dogo Canario.

As a result of what I just finish exposing, the interest by the Dogo Canario in the world has been little.

Seeing this, the directors and partners of the Club of the Dogo Canario (beside some rare exception) are retired of the breed.

 Somebody would object that that is due the BSL (breed specific legislation). And I say them that yes, that the BSL has affected to the breed and sale of many canine breeds, but the breeders of those breeds continue breeding, and will overcome the crisis, not thus, seems me, the breeders of Dogo Canario, that have come down.

 However the Perro de Presa Canario continues interesting, in spite of the confusion that was created with the recognition of the Dogo Canario on the part of the FCI, and it follows be breeding and selling very well worldwide- despite it has not been recognized by the FCI.  

 Lamentably there are fans that are not interesting in the Perro de Presa Canario nor in the Dogo Canario but in the money that can win with the sale of their pups. To them is the same if they are called presas or dogos. And to their clients they say  that both dogs are the same, without considering the difference between both dog, without considering the standard on which the breeder at the time of selecting the reproducers (whose origin is not the same one, far from that, nor its phenotype, nor the diversity of coats, as it has been wrote above). And something very important (that without a doubt benefits to the Perro de Presa Canario facing the future), that I think must be considered. In the month of January 2003 the UKC (United Kennel Club) of USA recognized the Perro de Presa Canario.

 Published in Canidapresa Magazine nº 6, December 2004