Canary Dog Blog

Is it normal, anyway?!

Yes, it is. Just imagine the situation from the point of view of your Presa Canario. He is part of the family, often treated as “the kid”, and then, suddenly, a new creature arrives and takes all the attention of his beloved family. It is quite similar to what older children feel, when a little brother/sister arrives. One of the differences is just that the dog can’t speak English

Actually, if we are aware of this ‘problem’ in advance, the situation can be handled, but it needs consciousness and to be started in time, long before the baby’s arrival. Let’s see how we can prepare our Canary Dog for the new family member.

If your dog’s daily routine has to be changed with the baby’s arrival (it probably will), you should start changing the rules much earlier, giving him plenty of time to get used to the new set up. This way it isn’t going to be so sudden and shocking. If your Canary Dog hasn’t really been trained before, it’s high time to start. He should learn at least a few commands, like sit, stay, etc. This way, he’ll be easier to handle.

Many families worry about their dog endangering the health of the child, so the best thing to do is to take your pet to the vet, get him checked and get some advice. Get your Canary dog used to the new smells, sounds in advance (blankets, lotions, toys). It’s also a good idea, that just after your baby was born, send home a blanket that the baby had been in, so your dog can experience the child’s smell in advance. It is very important to know that your  Presa Canario will get a lot less attention from the mother, so when taking the baby home for the first time, the mother should greet the dog, so it is better if someone else is carrying the baby.

It is also a good idea not to leave them alone together at the first times, until your Canary dog feels comfortable with the baby, because, for example, it is very possible that the dog won’t tolerate the child’s crying very well in the beginning. You have to teach him that this is a normal sound, and you should motivate him not to bark (with treats, for example).

And the most important rule for last, maybe it seems too obvious, but it’s still worth mentioning: try to give as much attention to your Presa Canario as you can. The point is that he has to feel that you do care about him. If you keep this in mind, most probably there will be no problem. You could also try Preparing Fido, which is an amazing collection of Baby sounds designed especially to get your dog ready for the arrival of the new Baby!

Are you interested in getting yourself a Canary dog as a family pet or companion? If it’s the first time you have heard of this dog, please don’t let the name fool you. The Canary Dog or the Presa Canario is in no way yellow in color, nor are they tiny, chirpy dogs. A Canary dog is a powerful, muscular and strong-willed canine. It has a medium to large build with a short coat that comes in solid brow, brindle or black and even combinations of it. Heads are squarish with a wide muzzle and black nose. There are many other physical traits that are noted in its breed standard. A breed standard is a dog’s quality guidelines which serious Canary Dog breeders follow to the letter in producing dogs true to its lineage and upholding quality. If you have decided to get a Canary Dog, do take the time to speak with reputable breeders. Do not fall for traps such as posters on a wall or fences in the neighborhood for these could be poor breeders who do not respect the breed standard. Read the rest of this entry »