The Presa Canario is a working dog. In fact, all breeds, originally, have been bred and selected to fulfill functions of hunting, herding, guarding, etc., and of company, obviously, all dogs have been since their domestication. The domesticated wolves already fulfilled the function of accompanying the humans with whom they lived. For those who do not know, from those domesticated wolves all the canine breeds that we know today descend.

To be understood, when I speak of health in the Presa Canario I mean mental and physical. We cannot consider the shy, insecure, unbalanced, aggressive dog to be healthy. And when I speak of functionality, I mean that he hunts, guards, defends his territory, takes care of livestock. All depending on the role for which the breed was selected. Of course, in our days most of the dogs live in urban centers, in apartments, lying on their sofa watching television, receiving visitors, and little or no opportunity to demonstrate the functions for which they were raised. Due to their way of life, most of these dogs are excellent public relations, which is not bad at all, because there are some who, due to their mental pathologies, are a real social danger.

The breeder, if he is truly professional and ethical, takes into account the selection of the specimens that he is going to use for breeding. This is essential, basic. It is not easy, true. The breeder, as well as the stallion with which she is going to mate, must display the maximum of qualities. Specimens with morphological defects, with absence of premolars, with hip or elbow dysplasia should not be used for reproduction – for some time we have also x-rayed the elbows, in addition to the hips, of those canine individuals that we are going to use for breeding . And watch out for psychic qualities, as already said. And even with all that selection we will produce some dogs that do not conform to the standard we have been talking about.

Then it all depends on which hands those puppies go to.