Presa Canario dog

[Suzi888]

DH has been looking at rescues and come across a Presa Canario dog, not had the best start in life, was bred from and has a few health issues so he’s been in the centre a little while now. Greeder dumped him due to the health issues. The blurb is all good, gentle giant, loves everybody, can live with another dog etc. Looks a bit like a staffie or cane corso to me.

I’ve not heard much about this breed and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one out and about. Does anyone have one? Any health issues? Joint issues? How much exercise?

We’re both used to dogs being strong on the lead etc and we both work from home, large garden and live near a wood.

We’ve not been to see him yet.

These are big, powerful guarding dogs with some herding instinct but that have also been bred quite a bit for fighting etc.

I wouldn't judge the breed on that but I also wouldn't accept the assessment of a 'gentle giant' from anyone other than a rehoming charity that took temperament assesment very seriously and I'd want to know exactly how they came to that assessment. i.e. I'd want to see that a qualified behaviourist has spent enough time with the dog in a variety of scenarios to REALLY see their temperament and be able to speak with authority on it. I'd be especially hot on understanding what post-adoption support is available to me. No real support = no adoption.

I'd also be looking for a trainer with experience training these types of dogs, using only scentific and reward-based methods and would expect to do a few weeks 1-to-1 with them to help settle the dog in but also to support us while we experienced different real world scenarios together to be confident in the dog's temperment.

All of which would be applicable to any dog, regardless of breed, but I would be even more resolute for a dog as powerful as this and for a breed whose history suggests a high risk of poor temperament selection when breeding and poor socialisation in puppyhood.

Would be very cautious .
they are a banned breed in Australia and New Zealand …

Thanks @RockAndOrRoll it’s a small centre and they seem to only have a few dogs and they’re all Presa’s. The rescue owner is the behaviourist or at least considers himself an authority.
DH had a large, powerful breed in the past and it was as soft as shite. Would show a burglar where the good stuff was, useless as a guard dog.

We have a six year old, plus another dog and they’ve said they will assess us as a family and it would take some time /repeated visits to determine if we were the right fit.

I’m more concerned about vet bills, he already has a few issues which is fine but I’d rather avoid broken legs, dodgy joints etc. Will he tear the house up with zoomies or are they calm in the home. Can I take him for a walk without people crossing by to avoid me… 😂

I am not generally “breedist” but they are banned in some countries so I probably wouldn’t get one, especially with a 6 year old child.
If I met you out and about I wouldn’t climb a tree or anything but I wouldn’t have one at home

pretty Much akin to saying “ this sweet pit bull has been abused but I’m sure it wouldn’t be nasty for us “

thry are a big powerful dog bread for guarding and fighting. Even a well bred kindly treated puppy probably should be “ pet “ material. And this has a background that’s known to be bad …,

Have had large breed ddogs myself but would never bring an unknown adult ddog into my home with a primary school dc... We got ours as dpuppies.

I wouldn't with a young child. Yes, yes, deed not breed, but such a powerful dog with an unknown history would be a no for me. The American Kennel Club does not recommend them with young children in the home.

I was going to say cautiously go for it until you mentioned having a small child in the house. These aren’t family dogs. They’re used for guarding, hunting and fighting. If you read the official breed standard of cane corso temperament it describes them as naturally territorial, possessive and distrustful. They’re large and extremely powerful, generally don’t show affection and ‘aren’t fond of petting and cuddles’. I’d only personally consider one of these if I was buying one from a reputable breeder who could prove their dogs had a solid background/good temperament etc, and I knew what the bloodlines were (hunting/guarding etc) so I could judge how it would be in a family situation. I wouldn’t buy one with a child as young as yours, and absolutely no way would I be pulling one out of a shelter that I already knew had a shit background. And due to the size, yes they get joint problems, and yes people will cross the street when they see one!

You’d have to be mental to bring one of these into your home with a child. Their bite is literally more powerful than a lions. One killed a little boy by me not too long ago

Well worth reading this description of the breed. It categorically says that these are NOT gentle giants. I think it is safe to say that this is not a breed that should be kept with children in the house, and the fact that it is in a rescue rings alarm bells. You say it's there because of health issues and are wondering about health issues. I'd say you should be worried about health issues then! And if it doesn't actually have health issues, then the other reason it would be there could be because it's a big, powerful aggressive breed that is difficult to handle. Historically they are bred from guarding stock and were used for dog fighting. It is not a pet.

I'm a dog person and have had dogs most of my life. I've always liked the idea of rescue not go out and buy but I've never been brave enough to do it. In my opinion you just never know what rescue dogs have been through, what may or may not trigger them and if you have children in the house for me it's a no brainer, I'm sure others will differ and that's their choice. A rescue Cane Corso though, it's a bridge too far with a child in the house..Like the Malinois they can be hugely protective of their' special' people .. what happens if your child has friends over and maybe they get into a play fight etc. doesnt bear thinking about.

Why are people talking about Cane Corsos when the OP is asking about presa canarios?

We have a presa and I would not advise anyone to get one based on what ours is like. He doesn't like anyone but our immediate family, goes mental if someone comes to the door etc and pulls like a train despite all attempts at training, harnesses etc. Slobbers everywhere. We love him dearly but honestly will be glad when we don't have him any more. No health issues so far but since found out at least one of the litter has fits, one had to be rehomed due to aggression, and the father was put down due to attacking someone.

Even if there's only a tiny chance that this (or any) particular dog will be a bad'un that might attack your six year old for some reason that you don't understand, and you'll have no chance of stopping it even if you and your husband are both present, it is beyond me why you'd take that chance.

I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole even without the six year old, to be honest.

We have giants. It’s obviously a risk having a dog so large but temperament wise there’s a world of difference from a presa/cane and something like a newfoundland or Bernese.

Regardless, Theres 0 way I would rescue any giant or guarding breed if I had small children.

It's a no from me. Our last dog was a giant breed. He was lovely in an adult family but even though he was good with people I wouldn't never have allowed him around children. Just not worth the risk

Absolutely not,they are a banned breed in a lot of countries.

Presas are large, territorial dogs bred to guard. We're pretty sure, from the description, that it was a presa that went for DD when she was out walking a year or two back. Had one of our dogs not got in the way, and taken a bite or two on her behalf, I dread to think what could have happened.

Like Malinois, well raised in the right hands, they will be one thing.

But a rescue one with health issues (and this possibly reactivity due to pain) in a house with a six yr old and probably visiting DC? Hard no.

@backinthebox He’s got issues with his ears because the greeder cut them off. Requires monitoring and that may costly and he may go deaf- but we would be ok with this.

@CosmopolitanPlease Thank you for answering my question. (I said he reminded me of a cane corso- so that may be my fault. I’ve seen cane coral’s out but never a Presa to my knowledge, they look different with their ears attached though.)
I shouldn’t really have said ‘concerned about vet bills’. It’s more what those joint conditions mean for the animal- very life limiting even with operations and pain relief.

Can I ask, what’s yours like with other dogs? What’s he like at the vets?
We have a lab already and this boy needs another dog to show him the ropes.

Both DH and I were brought up with larger dogs. As a child I had a JRT who I nearly lost an eye to, had to be very careful around him. My mil has a bichon who is also temperamental and bites. I couldn’t trust a small dog in my home and I could never love one. I haven’t rescued before, but due to working from home feel we could offer a rescue a good home with lots of attention and training. We’re still in talks with the rescuer and he’s already said this boy needs a special home as he’s powerful. I know I’ll fall in love with him so I don’t want to see him unless I know I can take him on. I realise he may not be the right dog for us. Feel sorry for the dog, he looks slightly menacing due to his savaged ears but videos appear to show he’s sweet, clumsy and boisterous. DD is confident around dogs, but agree perhaps this is too much dog for us.

Not a chance with a child in the house.

@EdithStourton He isn’t in pain- high pain threshold presumably. The rescue were unaware of his ear issues until they realised they had to shout at him a bit, then they found the ears were infected. He’s been treated now, needs ongoing treatment though which I’m used to giving. I know it’s probably going to be a no. Where do these dogs go? Who has them? Poor boy won’t be much use for guarding if he’s deaf.

He's had his ears cropped and the rescue didn't realise there were any issues until they realised he couldn't head?

Any decent rescue wouldn't let a family with a small child adopt a dog that size.

This sounds like a really bad idea.

They are absolutely gorgeous!!

Would I get one? Probably not, but if I did it would be from a reputable breeder, with a long history & only adukts in the home.

Would I rescue one NO
Would I rescue one in I'll health God NO (more due to lashing out than expense)

Would I rescue one with an older child/teenager in the house? Fuck no.

Would I rescue one with a 6 yo in the house? HELL THE FUCK NO

Would I feel bad/guilty yes, but not half as fucking bad as I'd feel if he hurt/killed the child!

Google them, click on images, keep scrolling.....

ansolutely gorgeous dogs, but fuck me, look how powerful they are!!

Good lord - I think you'd be utterly mad.

I'm all for "deed not breed" but surely you can see that bringing an abused and neglected giant guardian breed into the same house as a six year old is a really, really bad idea?!

The rescue shouldn't even consider you and I think it's horrendous that they have.

Cropping is illegal and they’ve been savaged with god knows whatever he used to do it.

He has some hearing now. He wasn’t and isn’t totally deaf, it was an infection that became worse.
I’ve a lab and been through very similar. No symptoms at all initially. Even the vet didn’t know! £500 later and two hours observation and exam and voila - ear infection. They’ve said it’s not a hard no, but will require assessments. I’d rather not become too attached.