Quote:
Originally posted by Nancy Estes
I've only met a few Filas but this is a problem I've seen too. One of the breeds used to create the Fila, as I understand it, was the Bloodhound. A Bloodhound is NEVER supposed to be aggressive and, in fact, is described as *somewhat shy*. This, combined with a Mastiff-type temperament, can be a recipe for disaster. |
The "prototype" of the Fila is documented to have been in existence since the mid 1600's by the Colonial Government of Portugal established in Brazil. In the 17th Century, Brazil was well known for its gold mines in the mountains. This created mass migration of people to an area known as Minas Gerais. Those colonizers used slaves to work the land and to mine the gold, and aggressive guard dogs to protect their dominions too. European immigrants who arrived to Brazil brought several different breeds of dogs. The two types most favored were the Mastiff type, prized for its tenacity and strength, and the Bloodhound because of its keen nose. Then when cattle ranching developed to meet the growing demand for food, the original English Bulldog was imported. Those Bulldogs were used to bait the cattle and to protect it from the Jaguar and thieves. That's how is believed that Mastiffs and Bulldogs were crossed with Bloodhounds in Brazil, which eventually created a new breed. This breed was called the Fila Brasileiro and was officially recognized by the F.C.I in 1946.
Bear in mind that the Fila was purposely bred to be an aggressive protector of lives and estates. Also, realise that Filas were wrongly used in the past to hunt down slaves that escaped the plantations. Once Filas caught up with the fleeing slave, the dogs were allowed to mercilessly killed him as deterrance to others!
This breed became known for being a "one man dog" type, or a very close-knit family dog. However, in the 1970's, unscrupulous breeders crossed the Fila with the Great Dane and the Neapolitan Mastiff. This, together with the fact that the
Brazilian Kennel Club closed the initial register of the Fila, resulted in near extinction of the breed. In March of 1978 the Fila Brasileiro was rescued by breed fanciers whom formed a club specifically to preserve the desired standards of the breed. The modern Fila is adhered to desired breed standards.
The temperament and character of the Fila is described as follows:
"Courage, determination and outstanding braveness. He is docile to his owners and tolerant with children. His faithfulness became a Brazilian proverb. He is always looking for the company of his master. One of his characteristics is his distrust for strangers. He shows a calm disposition, self-assurance and self-confidence. An unsurpassed guardian of property, he is also bred to hunt big game and herd cattle."
As you all can see, the Fila is probably too much dog for most people. Nevertheless, people want guard dogs, so the Fila is becoming increasingly popular. Consequently, some money-driven breeders are selling Filas to who ever is willing to pay for it... and most people really don't know what they are getting into. In my opinion, the Fila Brasileiro does well only in the hands of the very responsible and experienced dog owner. Other than that, you will be keeping a "time bomb clicking"
I mean, read: high liability.
I also like to comment on MARYDVM's statement and I quote her:
"One problem I have heard of with some Filas, is high suspicion (correct for the breed) combined with weak nerves(absolutely incorrect for the breed.)"... Well, the thing is, how you breed a dog to be so highly suspicious of strangers without a degree of sharpness?!... That is precisely the problem: too much aggression on a sharp dog. It is a genetic trait ;)
By the way, Filas are becoming common sight in Houston... We'll see.