Ca de Bou, 1907. Photo used with permisson from Juan Arturo Collado.
The Ca de Bou, also known as Perro de Presa Mallorquin and Perro Dogo Mallorquin, comes from Mallorca, a Spanish Island in the
province of The Baleares in the Mediterrainian Sea.
It is believed that the first dogs of this type arrived in the Baleares with King Jacob I on his conquest about the year 1230.
In the 17th century Mincora and other areas came into British possesion, following the treaty of Utrect.
The British, already "fancying" the "sport" of bull-baiting, brought their own fighting and guard dogs, which were crossed
with the local dogs of mastiff type. Fights between dogs and bulls, better known as bull-baiting, were very popular in the
beginning of the 18th century, and the dogs that evolved from the crossing of the native dogs with the British were well suited
for this type of work, hence the name of the breed, Ca de Bou, which translates to English as "Bull Dog".
Ca de Bou working a bull.
Notice that this is not a picture from a illegal bull and dog fight,
but it shows a farmdog that is trying to drive a bull into the enclosure.
Picture from Hector M. Cruz Romero, Puerto Rico.
In the beginning of the 1900's the Ca de Bou was used as a farm and guard dog. However, the interest in the Ca de Bou were in full
retreat. The situation became even worse in the 1920's and 1930's because of the lack of food.
On Mallorca the Ca de Bou was often kept however by either butchers or by leather tanners as the tanners
worked with the hides and the Ca de Bou was then given the dead meat.
In the Spanish Stud Book for the year 1923, the existence of this breed was already established.
Gran Tenerife "El Truc" de Santa Barbara y Borin-Cuba.
Puerto Rican Champion, South American Champion and International Champion of the Americas (F.C.I.).
Owned and handled by Rickie Sanchez.
The first official entry was in the year 1928 and in 1929, when the breed was exhibited for the first time at a dog show in Barcelona.
But the Ca de Bou was quickly vanishing, and when the breed was recognized by the FCI in 1964 there were
no known pure speciments left. However, at a later time a few pure Ca de Bou's of good type were located at Mallorca,
and together with a few Ca de Bou crossdogs the breed was restored.
A drawback of that the breed was restored from only a few foundation dogs is that the lines of the Ca de Bou is very "tight"
and a lot of inbreeding has occurred, and still a high occurrence of inbreeding is done by many breeders. This is very worrying
since we can trace all pedigrees back to the same fundation dogs, just a few generations away.
1997 World Champion Chimo de Gran Tenerife, owned by Dr. Antonio J. Gallardo, Puerto Rico.
Sire: Champion "Tito" de Manuel Calvino Breijo, Champion of Spain 1992. Best in Show Spanish Monograficas 1991 & 1992 - Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
Dam: "Anastasia" de Manuel Calvino Breijo. winner of Spanish Monograficas 1991, 1992, 1993 & 1994 - Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
The Sire and Dam of "Chimo" is two of Spain's greatest legends in "Mallorquin Dogo" history, and also two of the fundation dogs.
Picture by Hector M. Cruz Romero, Puerto Rico.
Today the Ca de Bou is still not a numerous breed, but it is increasing in numbers. There are some dogs in mainland USA, and a fair number of dogs in Puerto Rico.
In western Europe beside Spain there are some, especially in France, Holland, England and Germany. Eastern Europe and Russia has quite many Ca de Bou's and now also several breeders.
In Scandinavia Norway and Denmark has some examples of this beautiful breed, while it seems like Sweden has no Ca de Bou's anymore. There are no known Ca de Bou's in Australia, Asia and Africa.
Spain has of course some Ca de Bou's, both in Mallorca and on the mainland, and the number of dogs grows rapidly, since both the popularity of the breed and the number
of dedicated breeders are increasing.
The strong and beautiful Torrent de Pareis Atila at 3 years of age, bred by Tim Taylor, Sweden.
Sire: As de C'as Brau. Dam: Alga d'es Puig Des Teix.
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