Ca-de-bou: description of the dog breed, character and content

Ca de bou is famous for its unusual appearance and is appreciated among dog breeders. For all its brutal and formidable appearance, such a dog can be friendly and loyal. The material in this article will acquaint the reader with the history of the origin of the "bull dog", the features of its character, the description of the standard and the conditions of detention.

The country of origin of the Maoir Mastiff is considered to be Spain. The breed was born at the beginning of the XIII century, during the conquest of the Almohad Moors by the Aragonese king Jaime I the Conqueror. It was at that time that the ancestors of the ca-de-bo, the Molossian dogs, were brought to one of the conquered islands by the Aragonese. History does not exclude the possibility that the number of possible ancestors may include Spanish, Pyrenean mastiffs and bulldogs, Bordeaux mastiffs.

The uncontrollability of mating led to the emergence of a breed with characteristic guard-fighting features.... These animals began to be called ka-de-bestiars, which translated from the Catalan language meant "a dog driving cattle." In addition, the security qualities were manifested in the protection of houses and port warehouses. The brutality of the appearance was to the liking of the aristocrats, which is why dogs began to be used for hunting wild animals and big game.

However, the breed continued to change its characteristics, and therefore the dogs differed from each other in size and appearance. In the 18th century, the Balearic Islands became part of the British colony, who generously shared their leisure ideas with the locals. Unfortunately, at this time, a person creates real tyrants from the ancestors of the ca-de-bou. The spectacle they were preparing for the public was terrible.

In the arena, an angry bull was opposed to a man and a dog, from which it was required to save the owner at the cost of his own life. The cruel public did not care about this, the dogs died in the first minutes of the brutal games. It was at this time that people began to think about baiting animals for their bloody performances. Ca-de-bestiars were crossed with Old English Bulldogs, which have an uncontrollable character.

As a result, the dogs began to resemble modern Major Molossians, but they were bred for gladiatorial battles, opposing first to bulls, and then to other dogs. The selection of puppies was tough, a man did not help dogs with problem childbirth, weak puppies were not nursed, healthy ones were not protected from diseases. The breeders shifted the upbringing of puppies to bitches, and therefore there was no need to talk about endurance and some kind of upbringing. Dogs grew up aggressive, they did not know any kind of socialization.

Cowardly individuals were destroyed, as well as dogs that were seriously injured in battles. This selection made it possible to achieve a good gene pool. However, he also caused the destruction of the livestock of purebred dogs. By the beginning of the 20th century, their number did not exceed several dozen. The remaining dogs, in addition to fighting games, were used as guards in livestock farms.

The breeders liked excellent health and a formidable appearance, and therefore the desire to increase the livestock became natural. This time, they made sure that only Old English Bulldogs and brindle-colored ca-de-bestiars participated in mating. Now attention was paid to the exterior, medium-sized dogs were considered the standard, which was a rarity. The name of the ca-de-bou dog was given in 1923, the dog of this breed first took part in the exhibition in 1929. Registration with the recognition of the standard took place in 1964.

The Spanish Major Mastiff looks like a mastiff and a bulldog. The representative of the breed has a massive skeleton, a large physique, and also a somewhat elongated body. A characteristic feature of the breed is pronounced sexual dimorphism: the head of males is larger and more voluminous.

The standard for this breed is quite strict and allows for a certain growth in males and bitches. For example, in males, it varies in the range of 55-58 cm, in females - from 52 to 55 cm. The head of dogs is large, its shape tends to be square. The occiput is sloping, the forehead is broad and flattened, the dividing furrow is deep, well traced. The weight of dogs, depending on gender, can vary from 25 to 35 kg.

It is the physique, general mass and developed muscles that give the dog a formidable look. The nasal bones of the ca-de-bou are shortened, the jaws are massive, have pronounced chewing muscles located under the folds. The nose is black, the nostrils are widely spaced, the eyes are brownish, they are distinguished by a deep set. The coat of the ca-de-bou is short and harsh, while the standard allows for several types of color: deer (beige or red), black and brindle.

Someone calls the "bull dog" the Malorian Bulldog, however, the breed belongs to the mastiffs, being one of their varieties. Their ribcage is rather deep, cylindrical, with a low tail. It is wide at the base and tapers smoothly towards the end.

The paws are strong, the toes are tightly knit, the pads of the toes are dark in color. The skin is thick, a slight dewlap is visible on the neck. The animal moves at a trot, alternately rearranging the pairs of paws located diagonally. With regard to color, the standard allows some deviations in the form of inclusions of white, provided that their total area does not exceed one third of the body area. The slightest deviations from the standard are considered such defects:

• a noticeable difference between the height at the withers and the rump (the height at the withers should not be higher);
• incorrect position of the ears (they should neither stand nor hang);
• straight or scissor bite;
• tail shape like a bulldog;
• the void between the upper and lower teeth exceeding 1 cm;
• lack of some teeth.

In addition, these mastiffs are disqualified for other reasons. For example, the iris of their eyes should not be too light or yellowish. Dogs should not be shy or too angry, showing aggression for any reason. Today it is considered a developmental defect.

Anyone who sees the Spanish Mastiff from afar tries not to approach him, fearing his appearance. However, breeders have a different opinion, despite the fighting appearance of their pets. It is impossible to say with one hundred percent certainty that the dog is completely harmless and looks like "God's dandelion". She can be angry and uncontrollable, which is due to two reasons: the lack of any education and socialization, as well as the preparation of the dog for prohibited dog fights. Therefore, the suspicion of passers-by is quite justified.

If the dog is trained and educated from an early age, it does not develop aggression. Such an animal is characterized by psychological stability, restraint and calmness. The dog perfectly understands the busyness of the owner, and therefore tries not to insist on non-stop communication. He needs a master whom he will obey, whom he can become a loyal friend.

Ca-de-bou is great at socializing and fits easily into a small team called a family. He can treat all household members well, respects them and tries to obey. Unlike many freedom-loving brothers, the representatives of this breed have a subtle sense of the atmosphere prevailing in the family, and they perfectly understand how to behave. These formidable brutals can not only rejoice in human happiness, but also empathize with their masters, if occasion requires.

Being phlegmatic, ka-de-bou are not afraid of forced loneliness. They patiently wait for the return of the household, without bringing the neighbors howling or barking... To wait, it is important to provide the dogs with their own comfortable bed, a bowl of fresh food and water, and a favorite toy. However, much of the behavior will depend on the owner and the timeliness of training.

The peak of rebelliousness in ca-de-bou occurs during adolescence and can last until puberty. This is manifested in persistent behavior: for example, a dog may try to win a bed, sofa, dishes and other things from the owner that will seem more interesting to him than his own. The dog can defend his point of view during this period for a long time. In view of this, the owners will have to stock up on patience and perseverance, so that, without psychologically and physically pressure on the pet, explain your place to him.

A properly trained dog can be an excellent guard and protector of the family. As a rule, smart dogs do not attack strangers, as well as ordinary passers-by. But if the guest oversteps the bounds of what is permitted in the owner's house, the dog sometimes allows himself to make an independent decision. At first, he can look at the stranger for a long time, but there are cases when the animal went on to attack.

Major mastiffs show loyalty to children. They have an iron patience, which is why they do not allow themselves to behave badly when they are around children. Even if they are poked painfully, the dogs understand that this is not out of malice. Pets love active games, although they can accidentally hurt children themselves, for example, knock them down while playing with a ball.

As for the neighborhood with their relatives, they are calm about this ca-de-bou. They are tolerant of cats, but small domestic rodents and birds are disliked, and sometimes, succumbing to instincts, they can perceive them as prey.

Ca-de-bou are incredibly active and mobile, and therefore it is difficult for them to be locked in four walls for a long time. They try to throw out their energy on walks, doing outdoor games and training with the owner. Running helps to increase the endurance of dogs and strengthen immunity, in addition, the dog needs both a ball and a frisbee for walks.

Choosing a small puppy based only on visual representations and emotions is rash. Not every person, when looking at him, realizes how much labor and time will have to be invested in a baby to make him a friendly and well-mannered dog. This is a great responsibility, including before society, in which the dog must behave adequately, without harming anyone and not frightening anyone. Not every breeder has the necessary living conditions, many are simply busy, others even take puppies just in pursuit of fashion.

If the buyer remains true to his decision, he should think about buying a baby in a specialized nursery from a trusted breeder. Neither the poultry market nor a dubious seller on the Internet will guarantee that the buyer will buy a purebred puppy without defects. Often, in the pursuit of money, such breeders slip non-purebred dogs, which often turns into the impossibility of attending exhibitions for pets.

Before contacting the kennel, you need to visit a couple of dog shows. This will allow you to get to know this breed better, to understand how an animal looks that fits into the standard established by the regulations. There you can also chat with breeders, flip through catalogs, gaining valuable information, and select priority potential relatives.

The chosen puppy must be healthy, active, playful and curious. Of course, the layman cannot decide for himself whether the puppy is healthy or has any developmental defects. Therefore, it is better to buy a dog together with a specialist who understands this.

When buying, it is important to consider other aspects as well. For example, it is not enough just to look at a puppy, you need more serious visual inspection. For example, a baby who has reached the age of 1-1.5 months must have all milk teeth, it is imperative to look into the mouth when buying.

In addition, a bump on a puppy's head can tell a lot about the future pet. It is she who gives the expert certain information, for example, its size correlates with the dimensions of the animal: the larger it is, the larger the dog. It is important to pay attention to the bite: it must be correct, an undershot bite of more than 1 cm is considered unacceptable. Despite the small age of the pet, an examination of its tail is also important: it should not have any creases.

The life resource of dogs is on average 10 to 12 years. However, it can vary both up and down.The difference is determined by living conditions, correct care and maintenance, the presence of diseases, inattention to examinations and disease prevention.

Like any other pet, the ca-de-bou will require a lot of care, attention, affection from its owners, as well as funds to buy their own things, equipment for walking, and food. It is a mistake to believe that due to the short length of the coat, dogs do not need special care. In fact, their external indicators depend on how much regular care the owner provides them. Everything is important: how correctly he feeds the pet, how often he takes him to the veterinarian for preventive examinations, whether he performs timely vaccinations.

Hair care must be timely and regular. This will allow the dog to be accustomed to body hygiene, and therefore in the future he will not show anxiety or impatience when the owner is engaged in his fur coat. The dead hairs should be combed out at least twice a week. So that the procedure does not seem uncomfortable to the animal, it is preferable to purchase a furminator for it, choosing the correct width of the trimmer comb and the correct frequency of the teeth.

This device will not only save your pet from hairs that interfere with the growth of new ones, but will also provide the dog with a good massage. That is why animals love such procedures. You can also comb the coat with a natural bristle brush with frequent teeth. Particular attention should be paid to getting rid of the excess hair from the dog during shedding.

Dogs of this breed are characterized by a characteristic dog smell. However, this fact does not give the owner the right to wash the dog almost every week. This cannot be done, since frequent bathing leads to the washing off of the natural protective layer from the hairs. As a result, the work of the glands increases, which leads to a violation of the fat balance of the dog's skin.

As much as the owner wants to get rid of the dog smell, he can bathe a dog of the Ca-de-bou breed no more than 2 times a month. For bathing, it is preferable to purchase a specialized detergent with a low concentration of acids and alkalis. When choosing a shampoo, you need to make sure that it is specially designed for dogs with a hard coat.

Despite the fact that dogs of this breed are not prone to ear infections, it is still necessary to examine their ears. When earwax appears, it should be disposed of with a cotton swab or disc soaked in a drying agent. Do not use cotton swabs to clean your ears, as they can damage the eardrum if accidentally carelessly moved.

The eyes also need regular check-ups and hygiene. Any foreign particles trapped in them must be removed with a slight tangential motion towards the inner corners. To do this, use a special lotion or brewed tea. If your pet's eyes turn red, watery, or turn sour, an urgent need to contact a veterinarian who has been observing the dog since childhood.

Few dog breeders consider that in addition to ear and eye hygiene hygiene of the mouth is of particular importance. The teeth of the ca-de-bou, like those of humans, without proper cleaning, quickly become covered with a yellowish coating, and in addition, they are prone to the formation of tartar.Preventive cleaning can be carried out in the salon, however, sooner or later the owner will have to master it on his own, making the procedure an integral part of the general hygienic examination.

For this purpose, you can buy rubber toys for your pet. Also, hard treats made from compressed bones can be a good prevention. Plaque should be removed about twice a month; doing it more often can damage your tooth enamel. For cleaning, you can use special attachments for your fingers.

Those who do not dare to stick their fingers into the pet's mouth purchase special brushes. Dogs have their own toothpastes, which is why the hygiene products that people use are completely unsuitable for them.

Whoever said anything about the fact that the claws of the ca-de-bou are sharpened naturally, in reality this is not so. The owner has to cut them on his own so that this does not affect the dog's gait and manner of movement. In addition, long claws can cause deformation of the toes on the front and hind feet. Dog manicure will consist of in the regular shortening of claws by means of a claw cutter.

Walking is definitely necessary for the proper development and strengthening of the pet's immunity. Of course, this should not be done in bad weather; after walking, you need to teach the animal to wipe its paws so that the dirt does not follow it around the house. Plus, dirty paws can cause some kind of infection.

After each walk, the dog should be examined for ticks or fleas. If parasites are found, you need to urgently contact your veterinarian who will help fix the problem. It is also impossible to hesitate with fleas because they reproduce rather quickly.

You need to feed your pet correctly, having initially decided on the type of diet. If dry industrial food is chosen as the basis of nutrition, it is worth looking at premium products for the dog. Natural food should be dietary... Particular attention should be paid to the diet while the puppy is small and prone to rapid weight gain.

If he is fed with natural food, then along with it he needs to be given vitamin supplements. During the growth of teeth, special attention will have to be paid to the dosage, in addition, vitamins will also have to be alternated. This is discussed with a specialist, because the owner himself is unlikely to select the desired option.

It can be both chicken and turkey or veal, beef. It is preferable to choose sinewy pieces for food, which better affect the functioning of the digestive system of the ca-de-bou. In addition to meat, he needs offal and fish (both sea and ocean will do). In addition to these foods, the Spanish Mastiff's diet should include fruits and vegetables. Also kefir, cottage cheese, eggs are useful for him.

Neither an adult dog nor a puppy should be given legumes and cabbage, home-preserved foods, river fish, sweets, sweets, flour, milk. Regardless of the time of the meal, the dog should always have its own bowl of fresh water. You cannot force the animal to get water for itself on its own, because in this case it will climb into the bathtub, sink or even the toilet bowl.

It is necessary to engage in socialization and training of the ca-de-bou from the first day the animal appears in the house. Of course, the beginning of socialization is considered the period that he spent before the purchase, being in the nursery. His mother dog is engaged in training from birth, teaching him the primary skills of interacting with the outside world. She does not give orders, does not dictate her terms. The training that a person will carry out should be based on the same principles.

Considering that the puppy is close to his brothers and sisters from birth, the person tries to socialize him, periodically leaving him in the company of relatives. In this case, the brothers may be slightly older than the pet itself. However, the owner must take into account the fact that maturing males, remaining with each other, can start fights.

An important aspect of training is the fact that its foundations are laid in the first year of a dog's life. Under no circumstances should a puppy be allowed to violate the rules established in the house and act as an adult dog is not supposed to. It is possible to correct any disadvantages of upbringing up to a year of the pet. Then it is very difficult, and some representatives of the breed will not allow it at all, trying to quickly take the position of a leader, becoming the "leader of the family pack."

Correcting deficiencies cannot be postponed. It is easier to get rid of them right away, and the sooner the breeder turns to the dog handler, the better. As for the basic commands, a beginner will also cope with them: dogs quickly understand what is required of them, and in the absence of uniformity in training, even more quickly they remember what they have learned.

During training, in no case should dog aggression be encouraged. This approach is a direct route to raising an angry and uncontrollable dog. Regardless of the fact that dogs were previously bred as fighters for fierce performances, crude methods of training in relation to them are unacceptable. As for raising individuals for exhibition events, then in this case one should think about handling (the art of showing a dog at an exhibition). Coursework will be useful in that the owner at the right time of the exhibition will be able to emphasize the merits of his pet, beating the existing shortcomings.

The style of this course may vary. (e.g. English, German, American). Such training to a greater extent increases the animal's chances of winning the show. The specialist will teach the animal to move around correctly and gracefully, as well as patiently endure examinations.

The nickname should reflect the character of the dog, and therefore her choice should be approached with all responsibility. For example, these pets cannot be called Balls, Bobiks, just as you cannot assign them completely inadequate nicknames like Khmyr, Sour, Zhmot, Infection, Bully. A dog can be named by the name of an outstanding animal captured in history.

It doesn't have to be long at all. Ideally, this could be the abbreviated name of the name chosen for the pedigree. The dog will remember the short name quickly, and in the future it will also understand its nickname given for the pedigree.

For example, it is often enough for memorization that the name consists of two syllables. The pet can be called Archie, Alf, Alma, Ralph, Loyd, Black, Berg, Burs, Beta. Decent suitable nicknames can be: Brutus, Vesla, Gaby, Greta, Doug, Zus. You can name the dog Ryan, Lamp, Gross.

If you really want to stand out, it is better to pay attention to the nicknames that modern civilization evokes. For example, a dog can be nicknamed Google, Tweety, Stark. Even the name Schwartz will be understandable not only to the owner and the dog, but also to those around him. At the same time, such a name is short but memorable.

You can also give a pet the nickname Dark, based on its color.As for the nicknames Fluff or Max, they are better suited to cats, and they do not correspond to the image of an animal.

Ka-de-bou is considered a faithful friend and pet, as evidenced by the reviews of the owners of these dogs. In the comments left on the Internet, breeders note that these dogs are family members, they treat all household members equally well, love them and try to be in the spotlight. As for health, opinions differ here: some reviews indicate the excellent health of dogs, others indicate that they are susceptible to joint dysplasia, are allergic to certain foods.

According to the owners, aggressiveness in dogs of this breed is no more than that of other relatives of the canine family. Their molting is average, their intelligence is high, their activity is different. Some individuals try to respond to any manifestation of attention from the host, others are more sedate and react to what is happening more calmly. In general, according to the estimates of the breeders, ka-de-bou are quiet, they do not create any special problems in training, but they do not cost their owners cheaply.

In addition, these dogs are far from always acting up when they are left in splendid isolation. Some of the pets are able to cheer up their owners, others can provide moral support to a sad household in their own way.

On the street, according to the owners, the dogs behave differently. Some representatives of the breed are calm and do not show much interest in others. Others, on the contrary, are inquisitive and strive to study the surrounding space.

You can find out how the general course of training dogs of the Ca-de-bou breed goes by watching the video below.