Kennel Devito

Standard
"Official Translation of the Breed Standard of the Club Español del Presa
Canario".
BREED STANDARD
Aspects to be considered by judges
I.- Breed Name and synonym
Name: Presa Canario (in Spanish)
Synonym: Perro Basto and Verdino for brindled specimens.
II.- Origins and extension of the breed II.- Origins and extension of the
breed
Molosoid dog, native to the islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria, in the
Canary Archipelago, where it was originally bred for fighting purposes.
Basically the Presa dog is the result of crossbreeding between the Bardino or
Majorero from the island of Fuerteventura and molosoid dogs that were
introduced to the islands from abroad.
Its fiery temperament is inherited from the Bardino, a pre-hispanic, hard
working and aggressive cattle dog, widely distributed throughout the islands.
The resulting crossbreed has a black mask and a brindled or fawn coat with
white spots.
A few decades ago, a group of breeders began the process of recovering the
breed, drawing on tradition and their experience. Since then, the Canary
Presa dog has been carefully bred and widely promoted.
III.- General Appearance and character III.- General Appearance and
character
1.- Physical Description
Of medium height, eumetric, straight profile. Robust and well proportioned,
mesomorphic, the body being longer than the height at the shoulder, more so
in females. The head is large, square and wide-skulled. Slightly flaccid
overlapping flews. Black mouth lining. Strong teeth, wide apart, generally
fitting. Chestnut coloured eyes of medium size. Ears set high. Round,
powerful, muscular neck with thick fur and loose skin. Slight dewlap. Short,
straight back. Wide tail base. Chest wide and deep. Stomach slightly
updrawn. Forequarters straight, wide-boned and strong cat feet. Powerful,
muscular, hindquarters with moderately angled stifles, with cat feet slightly
longer than front feet. Thick, elastic skin. Short slightly rough hair without
underhair. Coat in brindled specimens should be fawn and black with black
mask.
2.- Character and Temperament
Powerful appearance, severe expression. Especially suited to protecting,
guarding duties and traditionally used for herding cattle and dog-fighting.
Impetuous temperament. Low, deep bark. Obedient, reliable family
protector, unfriendly towards strangers.
IV.- Morphological data IV.- Morphological data
1.- Height at shoulder
Males: 61 to 66 cms, (24 to 26 in).
Females: 57 to 62 cms, (22.5 to 24.5 in).
2.- Head
Brachycephalic type.
Cubic tendency.
Large and solid. Skull to face ratio 6:4.
Furrow not accentuated.
2.1.- Skull. Convex in anteposterior and transversal direction. Zygomatic
arches very pronounced, with greatly developed jaw and cheek muscles.
Marked depression between frontal lobes.
2.2.- Muzzle. Shorter than the length of the skull, normally about 40% of the
total head. Very wide. Straight or slightly convergent wrinkle.
2.3.- Lips or flews. Fairly thick and fleshy. Upper flews not too pendulous,
but forming an inverted V when viewed from the front. Inner lips may be
pinkish but preferably dark.
2.4.- Jaws. Teeth with very strong wide base, generally fitting. Slight
prognatism (slightly undershot) acceptable, given the dog's origins. Bite
typical of Molosoid dogs. The absence of one or two premolars is not a fault,
since the dog's function depends on its canines and incisors which should be
well in line and well placed.
2.5.- Palate. Well marked pinkish grooves.
3.- Eyes
Slightly oval. Well separated. Black eyelids. Colour varies with coat from
medium to very dark brown.
4.- Ears
Hanging when complete. Medium sized, set high and wide apart. Generally
rose. If, in accordance with tradition, they are cut, they stand erect or
semi-erect and are triangular in shape. Full eared dogs compete on equal
terms with others.
5.- Neck
Round, straight, solid and highly muscled. Shortish between 18 and 20 cms.
Loose skin below the throat forms a medium ridge.
6.- Forequarters
Perfectly straight, well boned, set well apart, powerful musculature. Elbows
turned neither in nor out. Compact cat-like feet. Strong nails, either black or
light according to the coat.

7.- Body
Longer than the height at the shoulder by about 20%. Wide chest, deep
brisket level with elbows, with marked pectoral muscles. Thoracic perimeter
at least 30% greater than shoulder height. Well arched ribcage, almost
cylindrical.
7.1.- Dorso-lumbar line (from withers to loin). Straight, ascending slightly to
the loins. Slight saddle effect just after the withers.

7.2.- Loin. Straight, medium length and wide. Normally 1.5 cms. higher than
the withers.
7.3.- Flanks. Unpronounced.
8.- Tail
Set on high, flexible, strong at the root and tapering to the hocks. At rest
there may be lateral deviation. In action, elevated sabre-like with the tip
pointing forward but not curled.
9.- Hindquarters
Hindlegs powerful, straight when viewed from the side or front. Very
muscular second thighs, unpronounced angles. Cat-like feet. No spur
normally. Hocks low and neither sickle nor cow. The presence of a spur is a
fault but does not merit disqualification.
10.- Coat
10.1.- Hair. Short all over, generally denser at withers, throat and top of
loins. No underhair. Compact tail hair. Rough looking, coarse.
10.2.- Colour. All types of brindle, from very warm dark colours to grey or
very light brown or blonde. Full range of fawn to sand-coloured. Occasionally
there are markings around the neck or legs, where white marking is least
desirable. In general, there are more or less long white markings on the
chest. The mask is always dark and may extend around the eyes.
11.- Weight
Average male: 45 - 57 kgs, (100 - 125 lbs).
Average female: 40 - 50 kgs, (88 - 110 lbs).
12.- Defects
12.1.- Slight defects.
Excessive wrinkling of craneo-facial region.
Presence of spur.
12.2.- Serious defects.
Poor nose pigmentation.
Excessive dewlap.
Excessive prognatism.
Specimens with slightly hound-like appearance.
Poor mask.
Sickle legged or cow hocks.
Unbalanced character.
Frail or thinnish appearance.
Craneo-facial disproportion.
Curled tail, of equal thickness all the way, amputated or mutilated.
12.3.- Total disqualification.
Monorchid, cryptorquid or castrated specimens.
More than 20% white markings.
Totally unpigmented nose or mouth lining.
Most important aspects:
1.- Head (typicality).
Massive. Muzzle well filled out. Dark coloured eyes, well separated. Stop
defined, but not too abrupt. Straight nose, not arched. Upper lip not
withdrawn. Sufficient wrinkle. Well aligned bite, but not level. Reject
specimens with level bite.
2.- Body.
Rectangular, longish, medium sized. Reject height that is neither functional or
characteristic. Well sloped shoulders. Very arching ribs. Chest deep and the
wider the better. Very well developed pectorals. Separate elbows, not
turned out. Strong-boned. Loins higher than withers, well developed. Slight
angulation of hindlegs.
All diagrams courtesy of:
Manuel Martin Bethencourt
El Presa Canario, 1998