The Presa Canario Breed
Our HistoryIn the early 1990's, in our pursuit of excellence, we have found a breed which can serve as the ultimate companion-protection dog. It appeared to be unmatched by any of the dozens of other breeds we have worked closely with. Since 1994 we have been breeding Presas for performance. Personal protection is the main focus of our breeding program. Providing our clients with capable companion/family protection dogs has made Red Star Kennel an undisputed leader in producing working Presas with consistency and uniformity. Our dogs are undefeated on the personal protection field by any other Presa. Our breeding stock is selected and matched up through most rigorous testing, competition, field performance and offspring evaluation. Results speak for themselves - Red Star Presas are developing into a separate strain, they are specifically selected for working traits we, as specialists in the field of personal protection training, find most desirable. Today the breed is in a state where it has overall degenerated into a scatter bred population of dogs valued more for their impressive looks and rarity rather then their health and phenomenal ability to guard and protect, while remaining a laid back house animal. The following video clips from our personal collection demonstrate typical reactions to a threat and the true ability to protect, of Presas selected as PET and SHOW breeding stock. |
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Next are the examples of what WE consider breeding worthy Presas. There is little in common between our performance bred and selected dogs and those that have been bred as Pet or Show dogs.
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Our Breeding PhilosophyTo pair our dogs up, so their offspring has all the temperamental predispositions to become trustworthy family companion guardians, is our goal. Only to stable Presas - with courage, confidence, strong nerves, health, and ability to bond well with humans do we trust to produce a quality family dog that once trained, will capably protect their owners and property. We test our breeding stock for all these qualities very thoroughly: the dogs' ability to go "on" and "off" in protection mode has to be seen in the presence of many environmental distractions (loud noises, smoke, sudden and rapid movements, etc.). Each dog has to be accepting of children, friendly and neutral strangers, has to react without aggression towards neutral dogs and other animals. Only then it can begin to be considered for breeding at Red Star. That is why all Red Star Presas differ from the rest in their ability to adjust easily to different family environments, and to serve as both companions and guardians/protectors. Thorough testing and selection according to results is the key. |
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To learn more about our selection methods and practices, please read these articles:
Our Dogs
Dogs that you see on this page are not "just" Presas; they are Red Star Performance Presas. All and every one of them work in personal protection, and are companion/family dogs. Many perform in agility, weight pulling, competitive obedience and personal protection competitions. We have personally tested dozens upon dozens of dogs in their native Canary Islands, in official kennels as well as in the backcountry. We know exactly what the Presa Canario is supposed to look and behave like - with family and when threatened.
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The best way to understand what our dogs are all about, in terms of ability and control, is to see them work. For information on future working events attended by Red Star Presas, visit our Working Presa forum (link) for updates on trials attended. Our dogs have much more to offer then an ordinary house pet. In responsible hands they become a loving family member, a capable protector, just as the original dogs of the Islands were created to be.
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To see more of our Presas, visit:
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Our AffiliationInternational Association for the Presa Canario (I.A.P.C.) is a dedicated group of mostly personal protection dog owners, trainers, and breeders who work together to preserve and promote the Presa Canario as a functional animal. We believe in being able to count on our dogs as PROVEN stable, trustworthy family guardians and protectors everywhere and at all times. It is one of the major reasons that unites us under IAPC auspices. We all are responsible owners of functional Presas; our dogs are not "just pets". As a club, we are set on perpetuating and maintaining the breed along highly set standards for performance - with working ability, structure and health above all. We enjoy working our dogs and proving their reliability through a variety of testing methods - many of our members attend competitive events around the country with their Presas to make a statement that our dogs CAN and DO work. Thank you for your interest in the club, enjoy the reports and articles offered here, make use of educational events being offered through IAPC, and always remain RESPONSIBLE Presa owners who give their dogs a job to do. Irina Shimko are members of the IAPC Board of Directors. |
Please click on the logo to visit IAPC  |
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News Flash: In May 2003 IAPC Board of Directors voted unanimously to accept WABA GDT/IDT3 title as a substitute for IAPC Temperament Test requirements. To visit WABA Titled Irondogs Page, see link:
Working Events and Temperament Testing
It has become a bi-annual tradition here at Red Star to hold working Presa events, in the form of seminars, workshops, competitions and trials. Check out the links below for photo/video reports from previous years.
We also administer I.A.P.C. (International Association for the Presa Canario) Temperament Tests and CGC (Canine Good Citizen) during our events.
A word on standardized temperament testing:
Temperament tests like CGC, TDI, ATTS, and TAN are basic pet stability tests which we encourage owners of our dogs to go through, to prove that their companion and protector is also a stable, well-socialized member of society. We are adamantly AGAINST using such tests as indicators of breed specific temperament, for they do not reflect the characteristics required in the breed standard: Presas must have temperament "especially suited for guarding and protection duties." To provide the breed with a test specifically suited to its temperament, we design a Temperament Test (link), consisting of 1) a traffic (stability) and 2) protection of owner portions. The "Protection of Owner" part is what separates a breed-specific temperament test from an all-breed pet stability ones.
It is our strong belief that a Presa may be considered suitable for breeding only after it has passed this test. Pet stability tests that are designed to accommodate any breed from a Yorkie to a Lab are NOT sufficient in our breed, because they do not test the dog's courage and willingness to protect its owner. All breeding dogs within our program must pass this test as a minimum requirement for temperament.
The following awards prove Red Star Kennel's commitment to quality and excellence:
Red Star 2002 Winning Team
Red Star 2003 Winning Team
Photo taken after winning ALL 1st Places in ALL age categories in Chicago Iron Dog competition!!!
Congratulations to 3 RANKING Red Star Presa Canario Teams
achieving their Titles during the 2003 Hudson, WI Iron Dog Trial!
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Congratulations to Red Star Presa Team for their amazing performance
during 2003 Hudson, WI Iron Dog trial!
13 Presas Canario from Red Star Kennel received Iron Dog 3 Titles and their GDT (Guarding Dog Test) Certificates.
Jeff Sehon & Red Star Ookla, Viola Volkova & Red Star Ivy, Irina Shimko & Red Star Thor, Johnny Nicholson & Red Star Tanah, John Giovenko & Red Star Millennium Primo, Cathy Thomas & Oakleaf's Red Star Tianna, Josiah Newman & Red Star Brutus, Clint Calmer & Red Star Buckley, Irina Vytakina & Red Star Vega, Irina Shimko & Batur of Red Star, Irina Shimko & Duna of Red Star, Troy Shiblinsky & Red Star Patton, Irina Shimko & Cona of Red Star
Judge Jim Arvigo, President of ABNA (American Bulldog National Alliance)
"We constantly prove our breeding dogs and their progeny on the competition field."To familiarize yourself with our approach to Personal Protection training and competition with Presas, read:
Health and General Issues
Whether you buy a dog to use as a pet, as a protector, or as a show dog, temperament is key to your and its happiness. Due to ignorant breeding practices and lack of adequate testing, most of today's Presas lack nerve and confidence, often to the point where they can't be a stable, trustworthy family pet. Temperament is a function of genetics, and life with a weak-nerved dog that is large and powerful is an unsafe feat, to say the least.
Health is just as important to us, and that is where body size and hips free of Hip Dysplasia come into consideration. In the case with Presas, bigger is NOT better, and NEVER at the expense of speed, agility and endurance. Average size of our females is between 90 and 110 lbs, males 105 and 120 lbs. That is, in our opinion, the ultimate size for performance. Our 120 lbs. Presa pulls 3,000 lbs., clears a 7-foot vertical wall, and runs 50 yards in under 6 seconds. Presa must be functional, first and foremost.
As of July 2003, there are 50 Presas that have hips free of Hip Dysplasia as certified by OFA. We have bred/own 24 of them. The database is open to public view. Any dog we breed must pass OFA certification at 2 years of age. For updates on OFA status, please, see our Awards page.
To search OFA Database, find "Dogo Canario" in the list of breeds, and enter % sign in place of a name to see all dogs thet passed:
In order to aid your understanding of the Presa breed and the Red Star program, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with informative articles on this website, visit our Working Presa Forum, and watch the available videotape before contacting Red Star Kennel through phone or e-mail for more info.
This tape will answer many of your questions such as how the dogs are around young kids, to more professional issues such as level of prey and defense drive, working suitability, hardness, etc.
To Those Interested In Our Dogs
Red Star and IAPC are working in the direction of ending up with a separate strain composed of our proven, tested, performance bred, ranked Presas that will remain undefeated on personal protection trial and competition fields. We are well on our way. Additions in a form of the Las Palmas backcountry dogs are already proving their tremendous worth by producing phenomenal puppies. We want these dogs to remain true to what Canarians valued them for: Courage, Strength, and Loyalty in their duties. Duties that are still listed in every standard - GUARD AND PROTECT.
Before deciding you want to inquire about our dogs, please read the following:- If ALL you want is to have an impressive looking dog for an exotic pet to show off with, then our dogs are NOT for you.
- If you are NOT interested in a Presa as a family companion that must guard and protect, then our dogs are NOT for you.
- If your idea of living with a Presa is to stick it into a backyard or a crate to live as it pleases, with no socialization and training, then our dogs are NOT for you.
- If you are NOT fully prepared to commit lots of time, money, discipline and energy into correct socialization, training and responsible maintenance of a Presa, our dogs are NOT for you.
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If you are looking for an exceptional canine companion, confident, stable, trustworthy, a dog that will always be by your side to protect you, your family and your property, we will be more then happy to offer you guidance, support, and training from your dog's puppyhood into maturity, we will even help you take it to the competition level, if that is a venue you decide to pursue.
please check our DOGS AVAILABLE page!
