LETTER TO CLEMENTE REYES SANTANA
Tenerife, 24 Janury 1986
Mr. D. Clemente Reyes Santana
Galdar - Gran Canaria
Dear friend:
I read your letter of date 29 of november of last year 1985. In it you pose several questions that afterwards I will try to answer. I will start saying you that bout the "Perro de Presa Canario" little is know. That is the truth. Therefore we are forced to move in good part, in the land of the conjectures. There are data, yes, very old historical data that say much to whom approaches them without prejudices. These islands were conquered (or whatever you call it) by peninsular adventurers (initially also French), and colonized. Upon the arrival of these people, the inhabitants of these islands (in Tenerife and Gran Canaria only) had small dog with them, which the invaders called, using the Castilian of the time, zatos or gozques, which the natural ones (Tenerife) called Canchas.
Subsequently archaeology has verified that these data that I talk about, correspond with reality. No instead, we can say the same thing of those large dogs that some have committed and continue to make effort, in demonstrate that the natives already raised. Today any competent historian maintains such absurd theory; is more, the modern historians totally question the thesis that the Canary Islands were named thus by the many and large dogs that were in them (see General History of the Canary Islands by Agustín Millares Torres).
The first presas (and presas are called in old documents after the conquest of the Canary Islands, of course) were brought, it seems, to these islands, by the Spanish.
If you have occasion read slowly and in detail (unless you had done it) the Decrees of Tenerife, and the Agreements of the Cabildo (council-Town) of Tenerife and Fuerteventura, from the beginning until the end, so that you realize the extraordinary contribution (for good or bad) in reference to the animals of the different species, industry, customs, social organization, laws, culture, and so many other things, on the part of the peninsular ones, from which descends in good part ( very crossed) most the canary population.
Certainly, in the legend and myths of the natives of Gran Canaria and La Palma is spoken of a great dog with abundant hair; but these dogs existed sometimes in the reality between the natural ones of these islands? My opinion is that no; that the North African predecessors of those natives raised them in the continent, is already more probable. Thus, then, my point of view is that the old presa canario, the traditional ones, the existing in all the islands arrives at them after the conquest. That soon, with time, and the isolation, and who knows if with one that another cross carried out, deliberately or no, with the other breeds, make it be different from the peninsular one, but that already is horse of another color. And these presas has been reproducing until the Sixties, year up, year down - today we know that the breed was extinguished long before -.
At the moment nobody can say, with a minimum of base and honesty, that has one of those units. I know the different actual lines and I dare to say that not even they exist crossed descending of those presas in a fifty or a twenty-five percent.
I knew Mr. Juan Santana, of beyond Bañaderos (I dont remember now the name of the town), when he had the poultry yard, that today is a building of apartments, and I knew older fans, as Salvadorito (in those years the guardian from the New Commercial Deposits, in the Outer Dock) and to Francisco Santana Santana, and others of that time. And is sure that these men were great fans of the dog´s fights in their youth. By the way, I remember a dog of Doctor. Martinón Junior, of Galdar, trained by Mr. Ojeda, deceased some years ago. I had some relation with Mr. Martinón, and his father, doctor also (late), and with his wife, Catalonian like who writes.
Respect if the Presa canario were the product of crossing between Majorero dog and English Bulldog; I think that this crossing could be carried out already advanced our century. It does not seem me that while existed the old presa, that was of a ferocity and incredible capacity for the grip, worried nobody about the English Bulldog, and much less if we consider the difficulties that this dog has to "block the prey", due to its exaggerated prognatismo (undershot bite), and we do not speak of its difficulties in the breathing.
As far as if "the boquino" (undershot bite) dog is more effective in the prey that is not true. I have already exposed it in different writings that have been published in El Día (Tenerife press). Who knows more about that is the dog´s fighter, not the library fan. All the old dog´s fighters with which I have dealt, detest the boquinos dogs. The level bite is the ideal, or in scissors. And the prey in a head of cattle is just like in a dog. The function of the prey is the same one. The issue is to catch, and that the catched thing cannot be loosen. But you knows that the quality of the prey depends, in addition, of the courage and strength of the dog. The tool is a perfect set of teeth (it is not necessary to clarify that is essential a good head), due if it does not have structure and motor; there is no dog.
I imagine that you will be aware that my relations with Mr. Martín Bethencourt are opposite. I knew this man six and half years ago when he came to my house due an advertising of my dogs of Presa. And I sold him a dog, his first dog, named Mahan. I do not offend nor I lie if I say that this man did not have nor the most remote idea of what it was that of the presa canario dog. Soon he came by mi house, with his family, several times. And I spoke to him about what I knew about these dogs (normal thing in this cases). Soon I gave him puppy niece of Mahan, crossed in a fifty percent of Bulldog. This puppy is Teguise de Irema Curtó, mother of one of his more used dogs named Patagón.
Probably you have heard about him. Soon, according to what seems, he has crossed with Majorero, Bullmastiff, Dogo of Bordeaux, etc. (I cannot demonstrate it).
And what he says, this man, secretary of the C.E.P.P.C., to the fans that contact him?, well, I do not know. I only know what he writes, that by the way, is not very fortunate. And now he is pawned on which the Central Canine Society of Spain recognizes "his dog of Presa" as soon as possible. And this dog is (must be, according to him) only of fawn and brindle coat, when is very well know that the presa of the land, the true canarian, was brindle, fawn, white, black, spotted. All this , was put in knowledge of the Spanish Canine with the aim (and the hope) that they dont be dupe. Of course that I will do all whatever is of my hand so that the Central Canine does not recognize such type of dog. And if the thing turns ugly, it will be necessary to reunite signatures (all those that we can) and to send them, with a writing, to that society so that their managements do not progress.
Hoping to have replied you to the points that you pose me in your letter, greets you this fan of the presas canario and the majoreros dogs from which I have some units that are not bad thing.
Manuel Curtó Gracia
