Comment to 'Who is really to blame? '
  • I do not blame breed club or the show ring. I believe breed enthusiasts should take more of the blame. I have heard many people say that they want to improve the breed. That statement is on their website. I have been guilty of saying that as well.

    I'm no longer guilty of making that statement. To imply you want to improve the breed that says you find some fault in the breed. It implies that the breed needs changes.

    There a well known breeder in Canada that breed Presa Canario. He doesn't Show his dogs. But he is influenced the direction of the breed. He breeds for size. He is on the excessive size. He advertises that a Presa is supposed to this size. His dogs are superior. Then the average consumer start believing the Presa is supposed to be this excessive size dog. You have other breeders that began to say the same thing. Then they start breeding towards that goal. People begin looking for the huge dogs. They have completely left the functions of the Presa. I should say they ignorantly choose looks over function.

    Saying this huge dog is a better working dog is ridiculous. I'd say get a English Mastiff or Bull Mastiff. Not a Presa. The Presa does have size enough to do the job it was created to do. It was a catch dog. If it is being bred to be a much larger dog it can't do the work that they were originally bred to do. His main stud was so big it couldn't jump into the back of his pickup bed.

    They are bred as personal protection dogs are guardians. Yes the huge dog looks good in your yard. But when it is tested it hits the sleeve hard. But in personal protection seconds count. It could mean life or death. Seconds can determine that a child is safe or a child is kidnapped.

    I was at a dog show. One day was for the show. The next day was for the temperament. This young dog was excessive. A Spanish judge told the owner that. The dog hadn't reach full maturity and will get bigger. We are doing the working events. Testing dogs for protection. This dog I believe hit the sleeve the hardest that day. But it took so long to get there. I could have taken a nap before it got there. The owner would have been injured or killed. The kid would have been taken.

    The breed club didn't change the breed. These breeders or enthusiasts drove the change and implementation of the change. The desire to improve the breed.

    There will always be evolution. Dogs are changing over time. But we should in my opinion try to maintain the standards of a breed. Unfortunately people aren't familiar with the standards or want to improve "change" the breed.