Content
- Great Dane: origin
- Great Dane: physical characteristics
- Great Dane: personality
- Great Dane: care
- Great Dane: education
- Great Dane: health
O Great Dane, also known as Dogo Canary or Canary Prey, is the national symbol of the island of Gran Canaria and one of the oldest dog breeds in Spain. This breed of dog stands out for having powerful physical characteristics and a noble and faithful personality.
If you are thinking about adopting a puppy of Dogo Canário or a dog of this breed that is already an adult, continue reading this form of the PeritoAnimal, in which we will inform you about the care that must be taken with this animal, how it should be trained and which ones are the main health problems that it can affect this breed.
Source- Europe
- Spain
- Group II
- Rustic
- muscular
- Extended
- toy
- Small
- Medium
- Great
- Giant
- 15-35
- 35-45
- 45-55
- 55-70
- 70-80
- more than 80
- 1-3
- 3-10
- 10-25
- 25-45
- 45-100
- 8-10
- 10-12
- 12-14
- 15-20
- Low
- Average
- High
- Balanced
- Shy
- very faithful
- Active
- Dominant
- Houses
- hiking
- Shepherd
- Surveillance
- Muzzle
- harness
- Cold
- Warm
- Moderate
- Short
- Hard
Great Dane: origin
As the name suggests, the Great Dane is a molossoid dog from the Canary Islands archipelago, mainly from the islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria. In this autonomous region of Spain, the dog is so loved that a law by the government of the Canaries even named the Dogo Canário as one of the symbols of the island of Gran Canaria.
These dogs are descendants of the ancient "Perros Bardinos Majoreros", which existed in the archipelago since pre-Hispanic times, even before the 14th century. At that time, the large dogs of the islands were used by the indigenous peoples of the region as guardians, protectors and even cattlemen. Centuries later, with the arrival of the Europeans in the islands and with the conquest of them by the Crown of Castile, the Marjoreros began to be used as auxiliary dogs for butchers. It was from this period also, that these animals began to be mixed with other dog breeds that arrived from the continent.
However, the Great Dane was only fully defined in the 18th century, when a strong english immigration to the islands. The English brought to the Canary Islands Bulldog and Bull Terrier type dogs, which were used in the cruel fights between dogs, very popular until the 20th century, when these fights were prohibited.
Unfortunately, the Presa Canário, as well as the crosses of this dog breed with other Majoreros and Bull-type dogs, were also used a lot in these animal combats, mainly due to their size and bone structure. With the ban on dog fighting by the Spanish government and with advances in the area of livestock, the Dogue Canário was almost extinct because it was no longer needed in its original functions. It was only in the mid-twentieth century that its creation was resumed.
Currently, it can be said that the Presa Canario is descended from the Majoreros of the Spanish islands and from several English molossoids. In the last century, this breed of dog has become very popular almost all over the world. However, like other molosso dogs, the Dogo Canário is considered by Spanish law and other countries as one of the potentially dangerous dogs along with the Pit Bull Terrier, the Rottweiler, the Dogue Argentino and the Fila Brasileiro, for example.
Great Dane: physical characteristics
The Great Dane is a large molossoid dog. medium-large. This breed of dog has an imposing appearance and, even if the height of this animal resembles that of a German Shepherd, it is much more robust and muscular than the latter. The measurements of Presa Canário are:
- Males: height between 60 and 66 cm from the withers and weight between 50 and 65 kg.
- Females: height between 56 and 62 cm from the withers and weight between 40 and 55 kg.
The head of this breed of dog is massive and has a thick but loose fur. The nose is black and the nasal-frontal depression (stop) is very pronounced. The animal's snout is shorter than the skull, quite broad but demarcated. The eyes are medium to large, slightly oval and brown. Since the ears are medium and, even not being required by the current and official standard of the breed that they be amputated, many breeders unfortunately still perform conchectomy (cut of the ears) in dogs. In Brazil, however, this practice is already considered illegal by the Federal Council of Veterinary Medicine.
The dog's body is longer than it is tall, giving the dog a rectangular profile. The topline is straight and rises slightly from the withers. This animal's chest is deep and broad, while its flanks and hips are a little thinner. The tail is medium set.
The coat of the Prea Canary is short, smooth and rough. According to the standard for this dog breed, approved by the International Cynological Federation (FCI), the fur of this dog must be a mixture of piebald with black. These dogs may also have some white markings on their chest, throat, front legs and hind toes, but these marks should be minimal. Standards recognized by other organizations also accept the Great Dane solid black color.
Great Dane: personality
The Great Dane is a dog quiet, with a calm temperament, but who is very sure of himself and always is attentive to the environment in which it is. Due to its "guardian dog" past, this breed of dog is more likely to have shy and more reserved behaviors in relation to strangers, but noble and serene with the family that adopted him.
Presa Canário is, without a doubt, one of the dogs but loyal that exists. In addition, this type of dog is very obedient, which allows you to work very well in obedience, training and other activities that also include mental stimulation, always based on positive reinforcement.
Great Dane: care
The Dogue Canário is a dog with simple care: just brush the animal's coat weekly to eliminate dirt and debris of dead hair. For that, it's good to use a short, soft bristle brush, since, for having a short and thin coat, metallic bristle brushes can irritate or even hurt the dog's dermis. Regarding baths, they must be given to each 6 or 8 weeks, even though it is more recommended to wait for the dog's fur to be really dirty so as not to eliminate the natural protective layer of the animal's skin.
Presa Canário also needs minimally 2 to 3 long rides daily (between 30 and 40 minutes) to exercise your muscles and stay active. In addition, it is essential to dedicate a portion of these walks to physical exercise, which will help release the stress and tension that your dog can accumulate.
Great Dane: education
The Great Dane not the most suitable breed of dog for novice breeders or those with little experience with molossoid and large dogs. Presa Canário needs to have a responsible person with more experience that can provide a correct education and socialization for him. A dog with these characteristics must be properly trained to avoid aggressive or unwanted behavior. However, it is important to emphasize that, in addition to having more experience, breeders should always be very affectionate with their dogs, which is also true of any other breed of dog.
THE socialization of this dog is probably one of the most important factors to consider when training a Great Dane, as this will be essential for the dog to be able to relate to other people, dogs and animals. For this, it is important to present to Presa Canário, from 3 months of age, all kinds of people and animals. Thus, when he reaches adulthood, he will not react defensively or reactively with others.
Always keep in mind that if you avoid socialization of this dog to preserve the "guardian instinct" of the animal, you may have serious problems in the future when you want to invite other people to visit your home, for example. Also, if this animal's instinct is highly cultivated, you may have to tax your own dog with dangerous.
Another fundamental aspect of the education of the Dogue Canário is basic obedience, essential for their safety as a breeder and for that of others. A good idea to improve overall response and communication with your dog is to visit a professional canine trainer, who will be able to teach you how to deal with your Presa Canário and indicate some exercises that can and should be practiced regularly so that the orders of obedience are properly learned and memorized.
When the Great Dane is properly socialized and trained he is a excellent companion, ever faithful and protective. Even so, as this breed of dog tends to be more reserved around strangers, you should always be present when your dog is meeting new people and animals.
In addition, due to the size and strength of the Prea Canary, it is necessary to be careful when it is close to kids, mostly small. The training of this breed of dog is not difficult, but it is good to take into account the independent and reserved temperament of the animal and work the positive training, which works great whenever the coach is firm and consistent.
Great Dane: health
The care we have shown you above will help keep your Great Dane healthy, however, as in other large breeds of dog, the Presa Canário is more susceptible to suffering from the following diseases:
- Hip dysplasia;
- Elbow dysplasia;
- Epilepsy;
- Gastric torsion.
In addition, it is also important to strictly follow your dog's vaccination and internal and external deworming schedule and take your Great Dane to the veterinarian every 6-12 months to ensure good health and detect the onset of any disease in time. Keep in mind that degenerative conditions such as dysplasia of the elbow and hip can be less serious if diagnosed quickly. With good health, excellent care and breeders who respect and treat you with love and affection, the Dogue Canário can have a life expectancy of 9 to 11 years old.