Breeds / Large
Presa Canario puppies
Calm, confident and strongly territorial, a powerful Canary Islands guarding breed that is steady with its own household and reserved and watchful with everyone else.
The facts
- Size class Large
- Country of origin Spain
- Adult weight 38.1 to 49.9 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 84 to 110 lb
- Adult height 56 to 66 cm
- Energy level Low
- Grooming Low
- Coat type Short smooth
- Typical lifespan 9 to 11 years
- Good with children Not recommended
- Good with other dogs Not recommended
Where these come from:
About the Presa Canario
The Presa Canario was developed in the Canary Islands to hold and move cattle and to guard property, and it still carries that work in its build and its instincts. It is a heavy, broad headed dog of 38.1 to 49.9 kg standing 56 to 66 cm, with a short coat and a lifespan of 9 to 11 years. Around its own household it is calm and confident, often quiet indoors, but it is naturally suspicious of strangers and territorial without being taught to be.
Energy needs are moderate: steady daily walks and something to occupy the mind. Grooming is a weekly brush. Everything else about this breed is management. It rates poorly for tolerance of children and of other animals, so supervision, careful introductions and lifelong socialisation are essential, and secure fencing is not optional. It suits experienced owners who train consistently from day one, and it is restricted or banned under law in some countries, which is worth checking before you commit.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Presa Canario puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A large breed puppy at eight weeks looks deceptively normal sized and will roughly double every few weeks for a while. Keep exercise short and low impact, the growth plates are wide open. Energy is on the lower side for the breed, but every eight week old puppy still runs in bursts and then crashes. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Hip and elbow dysplasia, which breeding stock should be x-rayed for
- Bloat and gastric torsion, a surgical emergency in deep chested dogs
- Eye disorders including entropion and ectropion, found by an ophthalmologist evaluation
From Presa Canario breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/presa-canario/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Your Presa Canario puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Large for a Presa Canario.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 38.1 to 49.9 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Other large breeds
Previous: Prague Ratter · Next: Pudelpointer
Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.