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History and Theories Surrounding
the Origin of the Presa Canario
Taken from the Dogo Canario Club of
America Web Site.
In his book "Historia General Sobre Las Islas Canarias" (General History of
The Canary Islands) historian Augustin Miralles Torres comments that the
islands took their name from the big dogs that were found of them, it and of
two of those animals taken to the king of Mauritania in the times of the
expedition of Juba. Described are facts that dogs took place in myths and
funeral customs and even were part of the diet of aborigines of the islands.
Demons appeared to them as big fleecy dogs named "Tibicernas" on the island
of Gran Canaria and "Irnene" on the island of La Palma. Mummified bodies of
dogs have been found beside their masters as a guide to the great beyond.
They also consumed the meat of castrated dogs in small percentages, and
evidence of this has been found by archaeologists.
Following the conquest of the Canary Islands, the presence of dogs of a type
typical to holding dogs has been well documented, particularly in the
documents of the Municipal Council of Tenerife. First mention is from a
document dated 1501 declaring "that it is allowed for any farmer of pigs to
own "uno de las gandes" (one of the big)". In the year 1516 there occurred
an order for the extermination of wild dogs or strays because of the harm
that they do to livestock. Appointing a pair of "Perros de Presa" owned by
Don Pedro de Lugo, trained for such a task. Another historical date, January
5, 1526, where the death of the "Perros de Presa" is ordered for the damage
that they do to the livestock, with the exception of dogs in the service of
butchers and the pair owned by Don Pedro de Lugo. In the same year, in
December, occurs an order for the extermination of all "Perros de Presa"
with the exception of the four under the control of the town councilor. From
the documents of the Municipal Council of Betancuria (Fuerteventura) it is
noted that on August 25, 1617, given to the residents is the right to kill,
without fear of punishment, any "Perros de Presa" that were loose and could
produce harm. On February 19, 1618 it is ordered that all "Perros de Presa"
be tied up. October 21, 1624, it is ordered that a dog may not be owned,
except for the care of the home, and it is understood that it is of hunting
or holding type. Later on, in the year 1630, it is ordered that every
resident must declare all "Perros de Presa" to the court. In 1654 it was
ordered that all dogs on the islands be killed for the harm that they
produce to livestock, minus one that could be owned for the care of the home
if it is of holding or cattle dog type. The last reference to the "Perros de
Presa" occurs on March 13, 1737, where the killing of abandoned dogs at the
ports for visitors from other islands is ordered and prohibiting the
ownership of a dog for someone that was not a farmer or a cattleman. It is
deduced from that order that the inhabitants of the islands sometimes moved
accompanied by their dogs, while others were left behind at the ports and
possibly began to breed into a bloodline.
As we have said previously, the presence of a type of Presa dog in the
islands is perfectly documented. It likewise is true that we know nothing of
their phenotype; neither we have the sufficient judgments of amount in order
to discard any of the several theories that tend to define their origin.
Were there dogs of "indigenous magnitudes" in the islands before the
conquest? Did the Presas arrive to Canaries with the conquerors? Is it be
possible that in Canaries before the conquest dogs of great size existed and
they merged with several types of Presas concluding the conquest? What we
know with all clarity is the function which these animals developed.
Functions of guard of country property, of struggle of the cattle, as
assistant of butchers and even of extermination of wild dogs and/ or strays,
trained for such effect. Based on this we could imagine a compact animal,
proportionate, robust, something slighter and more functional, but
definitely a molosoid of prey.
Several are the supposed genetic currents in the configuration of the Prey
Canary. Being that the islands obliged resorts along the routes of the new
world, it receives the blood of the Iberian Presas.
The conquest of the Americas also brought about other changes to the Canary
Islands. The downfall of the single crop of sugar cane came due to Caribbean
competition. At that time the islands embarked on the new scene of
cultivation of grapevines. They produced some strains of excellent quality
and it was being converted into wine by one of England's main importers.
This new market brought many English colonists, mostly traders and merchants
of wine and island fruits, who resided on the islands either temporarily or
permanently, starting from the end of the XV century and continuing
throughout the XVIII century. In England these were the "golden years" of
dog fighting and they of course arrived to the islands with their Bandogges
and Tiedogs (predecessors of the Bulldogs and Mastiffs) for faithful
guardians of their country properties. The Canary Island inhabitants, always
open to new ideas, soon became enthusiastic participants of this new sport :
the fighting of dogs. It should be noted that at this time this was not
practiced on the peninsula.
All of this is still lacks one final ingredient that completes the explosive
cocktail of the Presa Canario- the Bardino Majorero, originating on the
island of Fuerteventura, valued and extended throughout the islands,
appreciated for its intelligence (easily trainable), of great physical
resistance, an excellent guardian, dedicated mostly to the management of
goat herds, of little bark, extraordinary set of teeth and an incorruptible
courage, their rustic coat brindled in tones of greenish, they contributed
to the Presa Canario a great part of their expression. This combination of
Presas of the land and Presas of the continent, incorporated with the blood
of the temperamental and rustic Bardino Majorero, began an ethnic grouping
of Presas of intermediate and predominant type, of burning temperament. To
the traditional functions of guarding and struggle with the livestock, was
added a new and exciting mission, to the delight of most breeders: The
Fights.
Verbal history of the old fans testifies to how they took place, how the
challenges arose, and even to who the participants were, etc. According to
these old accounts the owners would come to an agreement as to whether they
would witness the fight in silence or if they would incite the animals. Any
spectator could touch or bother the dogs during the battle. The fight could
be in one of two forms, with or without collars. Although the general idea
was that the animals were placed inside a circle drawn in the ground, faced
front to front and loosened, the collar often began the matches. It was not
an excessively blood spectacle since the Presa grabs and pushes and doesn't
nibble. Rarely were their deaths between contestants because when humbled,
their owners would guide them to draw back from the war. These were not
public organized acts, but rather sporadic as the challenges of their owners
arose. Although when a celebration of a fight was know, practically the
whole neighborhood participated in the show.
In the 1940's the prohibition of dog fighting was ordered although this
practice continued discreetly, but only for about a decade. Beginning at
that time and due to the hardening of the authorities to eradicating the
fighting of the Presa Canario, its numbers decreased and it remained
relegated to very few breeders. Fortunately their stock was maintained,
preventing the total disappearance of the Presa Canario. This situation was
worsened by the introduction of new and strange breeds to the islands. The
German Shepherd (with all of its glory of hero of WWII and it's world wide
recognition), the Doberman Pinscher, the Great Dane, the Neapolitan Mastiff,
etc. One important part of the so few breeders it that it allowed the
temptations for the incorporation of the blood of these "new" breeds into
the Presa Canario, that would create a crossbreeding that would leave the
Presa Canario practically unrecognizable. The birth of any "pure" litter
prevented the disappearance of the Presa Canario for good.
The Recovery of the Presa Canario
This situation changed radically in the beginning of the 1970's. It was a
time that adopted the social attitudes of reunion to traditions of nearly
lost cultures. The attitudes changed from "everything we can get out of it
the better" to "conservation, respect and impregnation of the earth". The
Presa Canario was no exception and with being relegated only to rural areas
and cattlemen, it became the fashion for guardians in the urban areas. This
began a slow but continuous recovery of the breed. The few breeders of those
years began contact between them given the shortage of animals available for
breeding. The necessity arose to control the crossings and attack as a team.
That produced quickly, constituting the Club Espaņol del Presa Canario, in
which most breeders of Tenerife, who were responsible for most of the
remaining population, took refuge. They also incorporated to their project,
fans of the breed from Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and La Palma,
establishing delegations on those islands. The official record signature was
November 12, 1982 and in January 1983, they were recognized by the Real
Sociedad Central as the only official representative for the recovery of the
breed.
Popularization of the breed in the hands of the CEPRC could not have been
more qualifying, but was spectacular through their numerous popular shows
that reintroduced the islanders with the legendary dogs that they had heard
their parents and grandparents tell of. As reward of this management of
breeding, the demand for information reached unthinkable limits. The Club
Espaņol del Presa Canario negotiated and participated outside of competition
of similar breeds on the road to recovery in the year 1985 at the National
Exposition of Tenerife and the years 85 and 86 in the International of Las
Palmas in Gran Canaria. On October 19, 1986 and June 6, 1987 the first and
second specialties for the Presa Canario took place. Reported entries were
of 140 and 80 respectively, because of the presence of Don Valentine
Alvarez, president in that time of the Real Central Society, and the
delegate of the Commission of Spanish Races, Don Carlos Salas.
On November 1, 1987 a pair of Presa Canario ,a brindle male "Facian" from
the island of Tenerife and a female of the same color "Marquise" from the
island of Gran Canaria, in order to be presented at the International
Exposition of Otono in Madrid, as the official presentation of the Presa
Canario to the national authorities and to international circles.
On January 24, 1989, the official standard of the breed was approved. A
historical moment that guaranteed the permanent position of the Presa
Canario as a Spanish dog originating from the Canary Islands.
Translated
Manuel Martin Betherncourt, CEPRC
Judge and Breeder
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