Perro de Presa Canario vs Lurcher - Breed Comparison

This large dog, also known as the Canary Mastiff, is a rare Molosser-type dog hailing from the Canary Islands.

It does appear as if, according to records, that these dogs were also consumed at one time. The dog has also been used as a cattle dog as well as being used for dog fighting till the middle of the 1900s. Dog fighting was prohibited in the 1940s but it continued for a number of decades.

As people became interested in other dog breeds, the Presa nearly died out but some breeders revived the breed because of it having some good characteristics – territorial, brave, protective and intelligent. The FCI recognized the dog in 2011.

The Lurcher is a crossbreed dog that doesn’t seem to have too much certainty around it. There are stories that Lurchers may have been bred to produce a sighthound with more intelligence for hunting.

Hunters discovered that breeding certain breeds with sight-hounds produced a dog better suited for hunting and working purpose.

A Lurcher is a sighthound, a classic working crossbreed and some of the dogs used to bring about this breed were Greyhounds, Deerhounds, Whippets, Border Collies, Bedlington Terriers and Irish Wofhounds among others. This means that the Lurcher has many different looks as well. In the UK, Lurchers have their own shows, but no registry recognizes the dog.

The Perro de Presa Canario or Canary Dog is large and muscular. He stands at 58 to 66cm in height and weighs anything from 40 – 70kg. He has a deep bark.

The head is broad and the ears are normally cropped to give him a more aggressive appearance. With ear cropping being banned the ears are close fitting to the head and are floppy. This is one of those dogs where the rear of the dog is slightly higher than the shoulders.

The coat is short and there is no undercoating. It is available in all different shades of fawn and brindle. The breed standard requires the dog having a black mask.

Temperament:

Canine experts tell us that this large working dog has got such fearless guardian characteristics that they wouldn’t recommend this dog for first time dog owners. On the other hand however, there are dog owners who claim that with good socialization, this dog becomes docile and amicable around their human family.

He is a clever dog so training and socialization will be easy and it will be worth it. This is a dog noted for its strength, it’s strong personality and potential for aggression, so training and socialization will be most important.

It is difficult to put a size and weight to the Lurcher, This is because of the many dogs used in his development, so that they vary in size and coat type. Generally though, he is a deep chested dog that stands roughly between 50 – 75cm and weighs 25 – 32kg.

However, because Whippet was a dog used in his development, he could be as small as a Whippet, the size of a Greyhound or Deerhound.

Generally he has a shortish coat. Colours of the coat vary greatly so you can find fawn, cream, white, grey, black, tan, silver or grey and bi-colored. The ears are usually small and can be floppy or held erect or back and the tail is usually long.

Temperament:

The Lurcher’s temperament is much like that of the sighthound – loving and calm. It is a good idea to have the Lurcher trained and socialized to help prevent both timidity or aggression.

He is an independent and intelligent dog and can be easily trained. He is a gentle dog and will get on well with children and pets in the home as he is a fairly relaxed breed with a quiet temperament, loving to spend time with his human family. Another advantage is that he is low maintenance and makes a great pet when shown love and care.

Contrary to what many people think, the Perro de Presa Canario can be a calm, gentle dog when trained and socialized properly.

It is only when you bring an older, unknown dog into your midst that you would have to exercise caution with him as he can then be aggressive.

Dogs become dangerous and aggressive when they are brought up by aggressive, uncaring people. Humans are always to blame for the way a dog turns out. Provide this large dog with a loving, caring home, and he’ll show you what a remarkable pet he can be.

The Lurcher is a working- and hunting dog that won’t do well in the city, as he requires large spaces to run.

He is a dog that will need you to provide him with games and other activities as well as a walk every day to keep him fit and lithe. He will therefore require an owner who loves to be active and who is consistent, firm, fair, patient and kind.

With the right human family, the Lurcher is a loving, devoted dog who will make an excellent family pet.

The Perro de Presa Canario can live to be between 8 and 12 years of age. Being a large breed the dog can be susceptible to hip dysplasia and other problems such as cancer and heart problems. It is highly unlikely that a well cared for dog will get any of these illnesses.

Bloat or Gastric Torsion:

It is far better to give your dog two smaller meals a day as opposed to one bigger meal as then he tends to wolf his food down. This can lead to bloat, where the stomach swells up and worse, it twists. This dangerous situation prevents fluid and air from escaping the stomach. Your dog is restless, he paces and salivates, wanting to vomit. Bloat can affect any dog at any age.

Kidney Disease:

Kidney disease can develop because of some other illness or it can develop on its own. It can even be caused by bad teeth when bacteria enters the bloodstream of the dog.

Every dog has the potential to develop genetic health problems, but the way you feed a dog and look after it will play a huge role in his wellbeing.

Lurchers are looked upon as being a pretty healthy dog breed and they can be with you for between 10 and 15 years.

Some of the main health concerns with this dog would be bloat, ear- and eye infections or heatstroke.

Remember that if you’re getting a new puppy, you can prevent some of the major life-threatening diseases by having your puppy vaccinated.

Heat Stroke:

Dogs pant heavily when they’re hot. When the panting isn’t enough, the dog’s body temperature rises and this can be fatal for your pet.

The signs of heatstroke in dogs include vomiting, diarrhea, dullness and loss of consciousness. Being locked in a hot car, being over-exercised or left in a yard without shade and water can bring on heatstroke.

It is imperative to remove the dog from the hot place immediately and cool him down by spraying cold water gently over him while making sure no water enters the mouth or nose. Get him to the vet if you can because of shock and the fact that other problems could have developed.

Grooming:

This is a short haired dog, and he isn't a heavy shedder so beyond regular twice-a-week brushing he will simply need to have his eyes and ears checked for infections.

He will also need to have his nails clipped and to check his teeth over too. A sore, bad tooth at the back of your pet’s mouth can cause terrible pain but also play havoc with his general health.

Exercise:

Your Perro de Presa Canario is a high-energy dog and he will need daily exercise. He will love a good walk but he will also need something more strenuous and demanding such as ball- and rope tug-of-war games.

Diet:

Try and provide your large pet with a top quality commercially manufactured food – one that is packed with vitamins and minerals instead of colorants preservatives and toxic fillers.

Break the monotony of feeding him only kibble by mixing in some cooked chicken, brown rice, sweet potato, carrots and spinach. Dogs love consistency and simplicity and simple meals like this with some raw meat thrown in occasionally will keep him healthy and happy. Never leave him without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Brush your pet’s coat at least twice a week.

The Lurcher just loves to run and be free, so this is a dog that will want a long walk every day.

Check his eyes and inside his ears for ear infection. Find out how to clean inside the ears and make sure they are kept dry.

Keep his nails clipped, as long nails can hook and cause painful injury to the paw area. Check his teeth too and brush them because dental disease is the root cause of many other diseases.

Make sure your dog has a comfy, dry, warm place to sleep.

Encourage health and longevity by giving your pet high quality food full of vitamins and minerals. If you’re going be giving him commercially manufactured food, make sure its one of the better ones. Try and add in homemade food such as boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables and add this to his kibble as a tasty treat. Some raw meat added in when you can afford it will also be to his advantage.