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GENERAL APPEARANCE
The Presa Canario is a moderately large, powerfully
constructed dog with a harsh-textured, flat coat. The head
is massive and cuboid. Ears are set just above the line of
the eye and may be cropped, naturally pendent or rose. The
body of the Presa Canario is slightly longer than its height
at the withers, with a broad, deep chest, but females may
be slightly longer and possess somewhat less rib spring than
the males. Skin is thick and elastic. The distance from the
withers to the elbow is roughly equal to the distance from
the elbow to the ground. The tail is very thick at the base,
and tapers to a point. The tail is moderately high and reaches
to the hock. The overall impression is that of an imposing,
solid guard dog.
CHARACTERISTICS
The essential characteristics of the Presa
are those which enable it to drive and hold cattle, and to
guard its home and family. These tasks require a powerful,
agile, courageous dog with a large head and powerful jaws.
The Presa is extremely affectionate, docile and well behaved
with its owner and family, but is wary of strangers and aggressive
with other dogs.
Serious Fault: Unstable temperament
HEAD
The head is massive, cuboid in shape. When
viewed from the side, the skull and muzzle are roughly parallel
to one another, and are joined by a well-defined, but not
abrupt, stop. When the dog is alert, the skin forms several
symmetrical wrinkles in the median furrow.
Fault: Excessive wrinkling.
Serious faults: Skull and muzzle not in
correct proportion, abrupt stop.
SKULL – The skull is
cube-shaped, broad and slightly domed, but without occipital
protuberance. The width of the skull is about 3/5 of the length
from occiput to nose. Zygomatic arch is very pronounced and
there is a deep median furrow that diminishes in depth from
the stop to the occiput. Cheek muscles are well developed
without being pronounced.
MUZZLE – The muzzle
forms a smaller cube that tapers just slightly from stop to
nose. The length of the muzzle is roughly 2/5 of the length
of the head, while the width is about 2/3 as wide as the skull.
The bridge of the muzzle is flat and straight. Lips are moderately
thick and pendulous with black pigment. The top lip should
fall naturally over the lower without excessive flews. Viewed
from the front, the lips form an inverted “V”
where they join.
TEETH – The Perro de
Presa Canario has a complete set of evenly spaced teeth, set
in a wide jaw. A scissors or reverse scissors bite is preferred.
A level or slightly undershot bite is acceptable.
Fault: Missing any tooth other than the
first premolar.
Serious fault: Excessively undershot bite.
Disqualification: Overshot bite.
NOSE – The nose is wide
and black. In profile, the nose fits cleanly into the square
formed by the nasal bone and the front plane of the muzzle.
The nose does not protrude beyond the front plane of the muzzle,
which would give a snipey look to the head.
EYES – Eyes are slightly
oval, set level and wide apart, and range in color from medium
to dark brown, in accordance with coat color. Eyelids are
close-fitting and black.
Serious faults: Light eyes, droopy eyelids,
eyes set close together or obliquely.
Disqualifications: Blue, gray, or yellow
eyes, non-matching eyes.
EARS – Ears are of medium
size, set just above the line of the eye and wide apart, and
covered with short, fine hair. Ears may be natural or cropped.
The natural ears may be pendent or rose. Pendent ears drop
effortlessly to the sides of the head, and rose ears are close
fitting. Cropped ears are erect.
Fault: High set ears.
NECK
The neck is cylindrical, thick, well muscled,
and slightly shorter than the length of the head. Loose folds
of skin at the throat form a slight dewlap.
Serious faults: Excessive dewlap, long
or weak neck.
FOREQUARTERS
Shoulders are muscular and well laid back.
The upper arm is of good length and well-angled so that the
front legs are set well behind the point of the shoulder.
The elbows set slightly out from the body. Front legs are
straight, well muscled, and heavy boned. Pasterns are strong,
short, and nearly vertical.
BODY
A properly proportioned Presa is about 20%
longer (measured from prosternum to point of buttocks) than
tall (measured from the withers to the ground), and length
of the front leg (measured from point of elbow to the ground)
should approximately equal one-half of the dog’s height.
Females may be slightly longer in body. The withers are slightly
elevated. The back and loin are strong but without prominent
musculature. The back line ascends slightly toward the croup
which is just slightly higher than the withers. The croup
is of medium length, wide and slightly sloping. Females normally
have slightly wider croups. The loin is moderately short,
muscular and deep, with moderate tuck-up. The ribs are well
arched. The brisket extends to the elbow. The chest is broad
and deep with well developed pectoral muscles. Ideally, the
circumference of the deepest part of the chest should equal
almost 1½ times the dog’s height at the withers.
Serious faults: Shallow chest, croup and
withers equal height, body too short, swayback, roach back.
Disqualification: Croup lower than withers.
HINDQUARTERS
Hindquarters are powerful and well muscled.
In profile, the croup is sloping. The angulation of the hindquarters
is moderate. When the dog is standing, the rear pasterns are
short, perpendicular to the ground and, viewed from the rear,
parallel to one another.
Serious faults: Overangulation, sickle
hocks, cow hocks.
FEET
Feet are round, compact, cat-like. Rear feet
are slightly longer than the front. Pads are well developed,
tight, black, not splayed. Nails are solid color, white or
black depending on coat color of toes.
Fault: Splayed feet.
TAIL
The tail is a natural extension of the topline,
set moderately high. It is thick and muscular at the base,
tapers to a point. A tail of the correct length extends to
the hock but never below. Tail carriage ranges from a pump
handle tail when the dog is relaxed to a saber tail when the
dog is alert.
Serious faults: Fine tail, curly or blunt
tail.
Disqualification: Docked tail.
COAT
The Presa has a short, flat single coat that
is harsh in texture. It is very short and fine on the ears
and slightly longer on the withers and the back of the rear
hindquarters.
Serious faults: Satiny, fine coat.
COLOR
Any shade of fawn, black, and brindle in any
combination of these colors. The face must have a black or
dark brown mask that does not extend over the eyes, with or
without a white blaze or patch on the head. Minimal white
markings may appear anywhere between the chest and the throat,
or on the toes.
Serious fault: Mask that extends over the
eyes.
Disqualifications: Absence of dark mask,
white markings covering more than 20% of the dog, coat color
or pattern other than described above.
SIZE
Desirable height at withers for a mature male
is 23 - 26 inches. Desirable height at withers for a mature
female is 22 - 25 inches. Minimum weight for a mature male
is 100 pounds and for a mature female is 85 pounds.
GAIT
When trotting, the stride is long, effortless
and well coordinated and the tail is carried above the backline.
DISQUALIFICATIONS
Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid. Viciousness
or extreme shyness. Overshot bite. Blue, gray, or yellow eyes.
Non-matching eyes. Croup lower than withers. Docked tail.
Absence of dark mask. White markings covering more than 20%
of the dog. Coat color or pattern other than described in
“Color” paragraph above. Albinism.
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