The Presa Canario is one of the most intense of the guarding molosser breeds. Most of the time the breed is cool, composed and self-assured. If a threat appears, this confident and determined beast will take care of it. As such, he is wary of strangers (not fearful, but suspicious) although obedient to his family, including children. This is a strong-minded and very powerful animal (often over 100 pounds) that should only be owned by owners experienced with formidable breeds. In the right home, he is intensely loyal and bonds quite deeply to his owner/s.
Presas can exhibit many dominant behaviors and will try to rule the household if they feel the owner isn’t doing so. As such, obedience training and early socialization is extremely necessary, as well as some sort of job to engage his mind/body frequently! The size of the owner doesn’t matter as long as they are experienced with instilling firm “house rules” and can keep up with regular training on a consistent basis (ideally starting when the dog is still young and small). Not normally an “obedience breed”, while they can be taught a number of things they aren’t the easiest for a novice. This dog is intelligent but can be extremely headstrong.
Many Presa Canarios do not get along with other dogs – either strange canines or household companions. It is possible for some to co-exist with another but there are a number of factors that come into play – the age at which they join the family, the genetics of the dog, the sex of both dogs, the skill of the owner, etc, etc. The breed is also not known to get along well with smaller pets such as cats. When outside, his territorial nature can take over and he may try to maim or kill strange dogs near the property so a tall, secure fence is an absolute must. While not insanely energetic, the athletic Presa does require regular exercise in addition to all the training and care described above. He can live in an apartment in some situations but increased exercise will be necessary, as well as evaluating whether or not other tenants let their dog run off-leash at the complex. For obvious reasons that would not be a good situation.
The Presa was originally bred to do several things: act as a guard dog, a worker of livestock, as a fighting dog and finally as a companion. Because of this, he can be a versatile dog. No matter what, however, he will always have a deep instinct to protect the home and will take this job very seriously. A well-bred Presa will not act aggressively without reason, although poorly-bred and/or raised Presas have the potential to do serious damage – as has happened in the past and resulted in bad press for the breed. Unfortunately because of these “bad eggs”, the breed is on a number of BSL (breed specific legislation) lists and cannot be bought or owned in many parts of the world.
Presa Canarios are calm in the house. They are not a dog to run wildly around the living room for no reason; they are peaceful and observant of their surroundings, including the people in the home. This is a dog that most certainly will notice if something is “off”. This is also a fairly quiet dog who won’t make a big show of barking if someone comes to the door. He may bark a couple of times – a low and powerful sound, but is not excessively loud. Interestingly, in situations where he actually needs to apprehend an intruder it is likely he will do so quietly, without a sound.
Presas do have a number of genetic health issues in the breed. Susceptibility to demodectic mange, eye conditions, epilepsy, hypothyroidism, hip dysplasia and other growth-related skeletal disorders have all been reported. Make sure to do your research when looking for a breeder! Responsible breeders do their best to weed out problems although nothing is foolproof when it comes to mother nature. It also wouldn’t be a horrible idea to purchase dog health insurance. Average age of Presas is 10-12.
