Perro de presa mallorquin, also known as a Great Dane from Majorca, a fighting dog from Majorca or ca de bou, is a Spanish breed, originating from the Balearic archipelago, which is a region of Spain, specifically the island of Majorca. In Poland, relatively few are on the list of aggressive breeds. Is it right? Let’s get to know this Spanish molos better.

If you’re looking for more advice and information, check out the Great Dane articles as well.

Perro de presa mallorquin origin, appearance, disposition

Dog from Majorca – a historical outline

Perro de presa mallorquin has its origins in antiquity, when shipping in the Mediterranean basin began to develop from east to west. Among the goods exchanged between the inhabitants of different regions of the area, there were also domestic animals, including, of course, dogs. At that time, they were used to guard the goods against robbers and pirates.

The most popular were mastiffs from the Iberian Peninsula, which were used there to fight bulls and dogs and to help hunters. After the conquest of the Balearic Islands by James I the Conqueror in 1230, the dogs were transported there. In the 17th century, the archipelago, including Majorca, was taken over by the British Crown and new inhabitants from the British Isles began to settle on the islands. They brought their own fighting and guard dogs, including English Bulldogs, which began to be uncontrolledly associated with Mastiffs.

In the 18th century, dog fights with bulls became more popular and became a favorite pastime for settlers. English bulldog hybrids with local dogs were used for them, and soon the intentional breeding of such hybrids began for the purposes of fights, because dogs were dying en masse during them. The new crossword was called ca de bou – a bull dog, and the population valued them as much as bullfighters. Therefore, after their death in a fight with bulls, these dogs were bred with honors due to people, and they were also given expensive tombstones.

Fortunately, in the 19th century, these barbaric pastimes were banned by law in Spain. However, this resulted in a lack of demand for ca de bou and the breed began to decline. She was in danger of extinction, although in 1923 the first dog was registered in the Spanish pedigree book, and the breed’s debut at the show took place in Barcelona in 1928. After a year, cao de bou was shown again at this show, and then it was lost. It was not until the 1950s that the breed was reconstructed, which was officially recognized by the FCI in 1965. In Poland, the first individuals were found in 1994 (breeding Osanna).

Perro de presa mallorquin – description of the appearance

The Majorca Dog is a typical Molossian with an elongated body, medium height and massive build. It is characterized by a strong sexual dimorphism, expressed in the appearance of the head. It has a much larger circumference in dogs than in bitches. The skull of a Majorcan Great Dane is large and wide, and its circumference is greater than its height at the withers. When you look at the dog from the front, you cannot see the back. The stop is clearly defined, the superciliary arches form a distinct frontal furrow. Jaws strong, teeth large, white, full dentition. A feature of the breed is undershot bite – a remnant of the English bulldog. It cannot be larger than 1 cm. Teeth with a closed mouth completely invisible. The length of the conical muzzle is 1/3 the length of the skull. Broad nose, black.

Eyes large, oval, slightly slanting, set deep and wide, desirable as dark as possible for a given color. The ears are small, rose petal-shaped, set high, the inside of the ear is visible. The tail is set low, thick at the base, tapering towards the end. Lowered in repose, raised in action to the spine line and slightly curved.

Coat: short and hard hair (such as a Weimaraner). Brindle, fawn and black colors, in this order valued the most. Brindle and fawn colors should be as dark as possible. On the front feet, chest and muzzle, white markings are allowed, which together cannot cover more than 30%. body surface. A black mask is allowed for brindle and fawn colors.

Height at the withers and weight: Males 55 – 58 cm, 35 – 38 kg. Female 52 – 55 cm, 30 – 34 kg.

Disqualifying defects:

• Aggression, timidity
• Overshot bite
• Clear (as has, for example, the aforementioned weimaraner) or yellow irises of the eyes
• Duplicated ears or tail
• More than 30 percent. white markings, white markings in places other than those specified in the pattern (paws, muzzle, chest)
• Patches of a different color.

A medium sized dog should have the following dimensions:

• Weight – 36 kg
• The height of the rump – 58 cm
• Height at the withers – 56 cm
• Chest circumference – 78 cm
• Head circumference – 59.5 cm
• Body length from the back of the head to the tail – 73 cm
• The length of the head from the back of the head to the nose – 22 cm
• The length of the muzzle – 8 cm.

If you are looking for more information, Also check out this article on the Great Great Dane.

Dog from Mallorca – character, upbringing, maintenance, breeding

The disposition and character of the perro de presa mallorquin

The Dog from Majorca is a calm and balanced dog by nature, but at the same time very brave. He has a free attitude towards people, he is faithful and devoted to his family. A perfect watchman, self-confident, he can scare an intruder with piercing eyesight. He treats children and other pets in a caring manner. Quiet, not barking on a daily basis, but barking at strangers in the absence of the hosts. He is always ready to defend his family.

Even though he looks phlegmatic, the Majorca Great Dane needs physical activity and one longer walk a day. The remaining walks may be shorter. Early socialization is very important. Puppies that have good experiences with other animals behave in a calm manner towards foreign dogs in adulthood. If not skilfully led, he can get into a fight if provoked, and then the consequences can be dire for his opponent. Therefore, it is not suitable as the first dog for people who have no experience in laying, especially a dog with such physical strength.

For this reason, it is also important to buy perro de presa mallorquin puppies from proven kennels, registered in the Polish Kennel Club. The Purebred Dog Breeding Regulations stipulate that only individuals who have passed mental tests may be allowed to breed. As this breed is on the list of aggressive breeds, before starting the planned breeding, you should check with the appropriate municipal office about the required permits in order to avoid unpleasant situations.

The Brabantian, or the Brabant Griffon, is one of the three Belgian Griffon breeds. In the taxonomy of FCI breeds, it is the only situation where individuals of three different breeds can be freely crossed with each other, and the born puppies are included in each of them – depending on the features of their exterior. Brabantczyk is the rarest of griffons. Let’s get to know him better.

If you’re looking for more tips and information, check out the Griffons articles here too.

Griffons – breed overview, appearance, character

A brief description of the griffon breeds

All griffons are small, mobile dogs descended from small wirehaired dogs called smousje. These dogs were kept in farmyards to exterminate rats in stables, coach houses and rooms where supplies were stored. Only in the nineteenth century, planned breeding began in order to improve the exterior of these dogs and obtain their purebred numbers.

Initially, the black smousje was associated with a red cavalier king charles spaniel (ruby), and then with a pug. As a result, three types were obtained, which were subsequently registered as separate breeds. Those are:

• Brussels griffon – with a rough coat with an undercoat (like a wirehaired pointer) not silky or woolly, which is a serious drawback. The outer coat is longer on the head (beard and mustache) and longest above the eyes (eyebrows). Longer hair is strong and tough. A long coat all over the body spoils the figure is undesirable, display griffons are trimmed. Red or rusty color (also similar to Wirehaired Vizsla), a small amount of black on the head is allowed
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  Belgian griffon – the structure of the coat is the same as that of the Brussels coat, but the breed differs in color. In the Belgian griffon it is uniformly black or black and tan, the tanning must be uniform and saturated, intense. It is visible on the feet up to the wrists, on the hind legs to the ankles, on the inside of the legs, on the chest, above the eyes (“candles”), on the cheeks, on the underside of the tail and around the anus. Black top coat may be slightly rust-sifted, however pure black is preferred for both black and black and tan dogs.
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  Brabant Griffon (Brabantian) – the only short-haired breed among griffons, with a flat, shiny coat and a hair length of no more than 2 cm. All griffon colors are allowed, while reds and rusts have a darker mask (such as perro de presa mallorquin). Due to the short hair, the Brabantian’s muzzle appears slightly longer than that of the Brussels and Belgian griffons, but this is an illusion.

In all three breeds, the length of the muzzle does not exceed 1.5 cm, and the strongly recessed bridge of the nose forms one plane with the forehead and chin. Overshot is a feature typical of all griffons, the upper and lower incisors are straight, the lower jaw is wide and prominent, the mouth is always tightly closed, the teeth and tongue are invisible. The wide-set eyes are large and round, but never bulging, brown, the darker the better. Ears small, set high and wide. Uncopped, worn half-folded forward. attention: From 2025, dogs with copied ears and tails cannot be judged at shows under the auspices of the FCI. Griffons weigh from 3.5 to 6 kg, measure 24 – 26 cm at the withers. Dogs are slightly larger than female dogs.

Disqualifying defects for all griffons:

• Aggression, timidity
• Nose other than black
• Tongue visible when mouth closed
• The curve of the lower jaw
• Jaw protruding in front of the mandible
• Any color other than that specified in the pattern
• White patches (a small white spot on the forechest is acceptable but undesirable).

Male animals should have both fully developed testicles descended into the scrotum.

Brabantczyk – characteristics, disposition

Brabantczyk is a typical companion dog. He is very attached to the caregiver, he is neither fearful nor aggressive. He likes children, towards whom he is patient and friendly, affectionate and gentle, despite his considerable temperament. It is a small dog, but very obedient and easy to arrange (such as a collie), so it is suitable as the first dog for people with no experience.

Brabantczyk is a very good choice for living in a block of flats because it is not barking. Gets along well with other pets in the home, including cats and other dogs. He needs the company of a human all the time, but is not intrusive. When traveling, he is polite and calm.

Sometimes a large dog (for example a collie or a perro de presa mallorquin) can arouse anxiety in a Brabantian, so it is important that puppies are well socialized as early as possible, at the breeder’s home. The Brabantian has a very curious disposition, so when walking where you can meet other animals, it is better to keep him on a leash and let him run out in a fenced area.

Brabantczyk – requirements, care

Conditions for a Brabant boy, care, nutrition, health

Unlike Brussels and Belgian griffons, the care of a Brabant fish is simple, because it has a short hair. It is enough to brush systematically every few days and wiping with a chamois leather. However, it is worth checking your ears and cleaning them regularly, as well as taking care of the teeth, because you like to deposit stone on them. If necessary, the Brabantczyk’s claws should be shortened, if he does not rub them himself. In addition, it is necessary to wipe the doggy with a moistened cotton swab over the furrow above the nose. If food debris gets in it, they can deteriorate and cause inflammation.

Nutrition of the Brabantian is important because it is a brachycephalic breed and the appropriate bowl should be selected for him to ensure the comfort of eating. Such bowls are available in good pet, stationary and online stores. However, the food should be specially intended for small breed dogs with fine granules. The Brabant Griffon can also receive home-made food, but then you need to remember about appropriate supplementation with calcium and vitamin preparations. The dog should have access to a bowl of water around the clock.

The Brabant dog is a very healthy, long-lived breed and a properly kept dog can live up to 17 years. He should be systematically vaccinated against all infectious diseases, of course obligatorily against rabies, and a week before the vaccination date, he should be dewormed. Show dogs should be dewormed more often. Also check this article on the Brabant Griffon.