If you haven’t yet it’s worth reading the standard. It’s actually worth reading the breed standard often and thinking about each section.
I would like to give you a bit of insight into the timeline of changes and why many of us are happy and some aren’t.
Presa Canario has its roots as an official breed in the 70s when it started to be bred as Presa Canario. First drafts of breed standard occurred then and in the early 80s as a project. Both project of the breed as the breed standard. First breed Clubs formed in the early 80s.
In year 1989 and not without some riffles as breeders had disagreements with each other final version of the breed standard was accepted by all. This breed standard is the first official standard for Presa Canario and what we call the original or 1989 breed standard. Presa Canario became officially recognized by RSCE (Spanish Kennel Club under FCI) and the breed began its road towards international recognition.
End of the 90s provisional recognition by FCI started to be possible and it was agreed by the official body to change the name to Dogo Canario and make adjustments to breed standard.
In 2001 FCI recognized provisionally a new breed Dogo Canario.
Major differences:
1989 breed standard named breed Presa Canario. Included black color. I allowed up to 20% of white markings. Had different size limitations.
2001 brought a change to the name from Presa to Dogo Canario. Excluded black. Reduced white markings. Took maximum weight off.
There were other small changes but those brought the biggest outrage and people declared Dogo Canario is now not the same as Presa Canario if it’ll be bred this way. And it’s going to be a new separate breed.
The fight to honor the original breed standard started.
A few Americans with the help of Manuel Curto managed to have Presa Canario recognized by UKC. In 2002 UKC recognized Presa Canario with its original name and standard closely resembling the original breed standard.
Pushback was still hard to demand changes from FCI. And first Government of Canary Islands stepped in and declared Presa Canario as the national treasure and symbol of the island of Gran Canaria.
Continuing the last post. After the Government of the Canary Islands declared no Club owns Presa Canario but it’s just their own dog and symbol they demanded breed name be revoked and changed back to Presa Canario. And original breed standard is respected again as it’s against the breed to change it.
First changes were requested in Spain from RSCE and official breed Clubs had to follow. RSCE is a member country of FCI and is responsible for its national breeds and proposes changes to FCI.
FCI was informed of the situation and for the sake of unification breed name was changed back from Dogo Canario to Presa Canario. Dogo Canario stopped existing.
Breed standard took a longer bureaucratic route. And now it just followed suit. As of 2023 breed standard and name follow what was before.
This breed standard hasn’t changed to a new one. This breed standard isn’t new. This breed standard canceled changes made over the years to breed standard and name and calls to respect the original Presa Canario. To keep Presa Canario a Presa Canario.
Breed dogs to fit standard instead of asking to change breed standard to fit your dogs
