Dogo Canario, << DOH goh kuh NAHR ee oh, >> also called the presa Canario or Canarian dog, is a large breed of dog developed primarily to drive cattle and guard property. It stands from 22 to 26 inches (56 to 66 centimeters) high at the shoulders. Males typically weigh from 110 to 130 pounds (50 to 60 kilograms). Females range from 88 to 110 pounds (40 to 50 kilograms). This breed has a strong, muscular body. It has short hair and a large, squarish head with a wide muzzle. The coat can be various shades of sandy-brown, with or without black stripes. Most animals have a small number of white markings on the chest. All dogos Canario have a black muzzle and black markings around the eyes.
Dogos Canario require firm training by their owners. However, they can make loyal, affectionate pets and excellent guard dogs.
The ancestors of this breed go back to the 1500’s. At that time, Spanish settlers on the Canary Islands, off the northwest coast of Africa, developed these dogs to help farmers and ranchers with their cattle. Breeders recovered the dogo Canario from near extinction beginning in the 1970’s.
The breed received unfavorable publicity after two dogs attacked and killed a woman in San Francisco in 2001. Many people referred to the dogs in the case as presa Canario dogs. However, the animals were actually mixes of presa Canario and other breeds. In 2002, a court convicted one of the dogs’ owners of murder and the other owner of involuntary manslaughter.
See also Dog (Kinds of dogs) .
