Dogo Canario

FCI:

Dogo Canario - Group II. Pinschers and Schnauzers, Molossoid breeds, Swiss Mountain and Cattle Dogs.

General Appearance:

This is the calm, confident dog watchful expression that is used still on the Canary Islands by traditional way, i.e. to protect livestock from thieves and butchers as to assist in managing feral animals for slaughtering. Character is balanced, independent, and if during its upbringing was nothing neglected, also handy.

To owner and members of owner´s family is loyal, though it usually keeps a certain distance. Its demeanour is confident and it can be very dominant. How much it is kind to its own people, the more suspicious and distrustful tends to persons who are unknown. In contact with them it behaves like well-behaved, non-aggressive, but it keeps distance. Well-socialized dogs from young age, however, it is gentle, patient and very tolerant to completely strangers. As a security guard and defender it is reliable, trustworthy and attentive. It barks little, with a deep voice and it never barks for anything.

Temperament/Behaviour:

Not suitable as a companion dog for beginners, it requires an experienced owner, peaceful and above all consistent. What is important is early and the widest possible systematic socialization and education. It should never stay with an owner who is not enough experience with dogs like this, and people non-consistent, submissive, indecisive, passive, volatile, often changing opinion and not gifted by innate authority. Definitely it must not be dog for people who want to only bully and abuse the others. , in an extreme case it could also be dangerous.

It has an innate tendency to take in the pack, as it considers the family of the owner, as far as possible leadership position (α-position). However, this should never happen. Owner must avoid this, the owner and all members of the family must keep their eye on the apparent details. On the walk  dog  must be on a leash  but never before the owner, as a pack of wild dogs, it is always the first α-individual , in such a would  the dog  could understand as  a signal that the leading individual determining where to go. Therefore, it must always be managed so that the owner walks one step forward, or at least a half-step ahead of dog. In the pack of canines must be relative calm, all serious disputes α-individual from the beginning, it would pack weakened, and therefore break out, the dog can consider, as an expression of the inability of the leading individuals and it can try to restore order. It may motivate it to try overtake the task by itself "in order to save the pack", which is a guarantee of surviving. In nature society would be broken by another nearby pack of dogs. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid in any serious conflict in its presence.

The education must start from the puppy age to the day of delivering to new family. It is necessary to thoroughly deal with it gently, quietly, but thoroughly, which must be observed by all members of the family. It is not possible that someone allowed something that others prohibit. Education and training must focused on primarily obedience, not by any test procedure, but at adult age at all times and in unexpected situations, it must be fully controllable. No coercive and coercive methods or even punishment are necessary, it would only spoil everything. Just uncompromising rigor what was commanded must be - assuming of course that the dog controls the command that it had learned. The owner must never issue an order that the dog knows and for its failure to punish the dog. This would lead the dog to a sense of injustice and a loss of confidence in the owner, which is the basis of the desired good relationship.

Body:

This is a medium-sized to large dog impressive rectangular body frame (body length is bigger than height at withers, especially by females), robust, and perfectly proportional body. Height at withers, male is 60 to 65 cm and female from 56 to 61 cm.

Skull should be slightly arched above, in the longitudinal direction (anterior-posterior) and lateral (transverse). Its length should be almost the same as the width. The frontal bones should be almost flat. The zygomatic arches are strong as well as chewing muscles clamping on them and below them, but the cheeks laterally protruding. The occipital area should be barely noticeable. The frontal slope (stop) is clearly declining, but not precipitous.
The inner sides of the lips are dark. Requires a scissor bite, pincer is also permissible but undesirable for risk of early wear central incisors lobes. But not long undershot jaw is permitted. The dental arches are wide at the canines, teeth firmly embedded in the alveoli. Stools should be large, small incisors, canines long.

Eyes are slightly oval shape, medium to large, stored in eyecups further apart. Eyelids tightly fitting to the eyeballs, the bottom may never be free (drooping, with exposed conjunctiva). Eye of colour is dark to medium brown, depending on coat colour. It should never be light.

Ears have to be neither excessively large nor too small, should be set further apart and above the eye line, covered with short, fine hair. Set on the sides of the head, sometimes folded backward.

Feet should be "cat" (round) shape, with arched toes which are not entirely close together. The pads must be strong, black colour. Nails should be dark, but where it corresponds to the colour of the coat may be white.

The movement is lively, smooth and takes "a lot of land" (spread, large). Step must be of sufficient length. The movement of the tail is hanging down and the head is held little above the top line of the body.

The coat is short, thick, adjacent area, rather rough by the touch. Undercoat almost absent, it may only occur on the neck and back sides of the thighs. On the earlobes, the hair is very short and fine on the shoulder and back of the thighs slightly longer. Permitted are all shades of brindle coat colour, from warm dark brown to pale gray or blond. All shades of fawn and sand colours are allowed. White markings can be from the front of the chest, at the base of the neck and throat and on fingers and hind legs, but they may be too large. Its face is always black mask, which must not extend above the level of the eye.