Canary Dog Blog » Breed Fact

4 Things You Should Know About Canary

Big Dog — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:19:00 +0000

The existence of Presa Canario is believed to have started during the 15th and 16th centuries. And also, it has been suspected that they may have originated form the mastiff-type dogs that were brought by the conquistadores that were Spaniards to the Canary Islands – this is where the name Canario or Canary came from. This breed’s functions in their early existence was to guard a farm, help in wrangling a cattle and drive or kill wild and stray dogs.

There are a lot of other breeds that were most likely involved in the development of the Canary. These are the Iberian Presa – a mastiff kind of dog and different types of bulldogs that is popularly known as Alanos. Then when the British colonist arrived, another kind of mastiffs and bulldogs took a part in the background of the Canary. Bardino Mjorero, is a sheepdog that is recognized for its cleverness, bravery, guardian instincts and a remarkable set of teeth was the ultimate add up to the mix.

Canary is also widely known for taking part in dog-fighting circles which is not surprising for it has all the power necessary of the said sport. But in 1940s this act was prohibited yet it still lasted for the next 10 years surreptitiously. Due to this prohibition and the birth of other breeds that are protective such as German shepherd and Doberman pinscher which took the interest of the island dog owners, Canary’s fame declined thus its number decreased.

After couple of decade, people were again interested in the breed and started to rebuild it. In 1970s, they seek to make a dog breed that is huge, powerful, self-assured, extremely territorial, brave and tranquil – kind of dog that is persistent and that will not quit no matter how dangerous it is. The island then created a breed club during 1982. Canary played a part in American Kennel Club Foundation Stock Service from 1996 up to the present but was only recognized by the United Kennel Club in 2003.

How did the Canary Dog get its name?

Ann — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:40:53 +0000

How does one come up with the names of dog breeds? It seems that it is a rule of thumb that their breed name has the country of origin stated in it as gourmet specialty coffee packs display where it originated from.

It is said that the Canary dog or the Perro de Presa Canario existed way back between 30 and 25 BC when King Juba in Mauritania deployed a expedition to survey the territory. On this journey they noticed huge dogs and brought two back to the King who was pleased by their appearance and attributes. He marked the location as the “Island of Dogs“. Archaeological digs has also revealed dogs buried along with their masters as guides in the afterlife.

Another historical find is that a tribe called the “canarii” inhabited the island and then it was called the “Islands of Canaria” which had been taken from the Latin term “Insularis Canaria” – Island of the Dogs. Tracing back origins can be amazing and thrilling when trying to know more about one’s dog.

Bad Blood Caused by Negative Publicity:

D Dog Fan — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 04:49:11 +0000

A lot of people are afraid of the Canary dog, in much the same way as with Dobermans and Rottweilers. The Media has made sure that people fear this breed. The notoriety of this breed is due to negative publicity after being linked to two fatalities. In 2001, a 32 year-old woman, by the name of Diane Whipple of San Francisco, California, was killed by two dogs that were Presa Canario/Mastiff-crosses. In 2006, Shawna Willey, a 30 year-old Florida woman, was also killed by a dog identified as a Presa Canario. Although it doesn’t do much for the breed’s popularity, there are avid fans, who even after this negative publicity would buy a Canary dog, to breed it for fighting, or simply because they respect the breed itself. Although it still has a lot of work to do, to be recognized and respected, more and more people are becoming avid fans of this beautiful breed.