Perro de Presa Canario

The Perro de Presa Canario is a working breed just as large and robust as its name. For simplicity's sake, they are often referred to as Presa Canarios, but have also earned themselves the nickname "the Canary dog of prey". Aptly named for its place of birth, the Presa Canario can trace its ancestry back to the Canary Islands of Spain during the 15th Century where it was initially put to use as a livestock guardian and farm dog. Their large, somewhat intimidating stature and muscular build matched with their territorial nature and wariness toward strangers also made them expert guard dogs. It's believed they contain a mix of various mastiff and sheepdog breeds including the Iberian Presa, Presa Espanol, and Bardino Majorero, all of which are large, hardy, and highly intelligent working dogs. Traditionally, their ears were cropped to prevent damage while working cattle, and while this trend is still fairly common today many breeders are opting to leave the ears uncropped.