Ca de bo dog

History of origin

If we consider the ancient frescoes of the most powerful civilizations of the Mediterranean, we can see that they all depict dogs of two types: light graceful greyhounds and mighty squat molossians. Moreover, the latter were equally popular among the representatives of the ancient Phoenician culture, among the inhabitants of Crete, among the ancestors of the Armenians (inhabitants of the state of Urartu), and among the Romans. It must be said that the latter generally loved massive animals, because it was from them that such heroes of the canine world as the mastino Neapolitano, the Dogue de Bordeaux and others came from. Even British cats, brought to Foggy Albion by Roman sailors, are known for their massive and stocky build. And, of course, the Ca de Bou dog breed or the Majorcan Mastiff is no exception.

The breed was finally formed in the early Middle Ages, due to the fact that Mallorca is an island, and therefore, it is isolated from other states. Medium-sized powerful Molossians were engaged in cattle distillation, for which they got their name, translated from Catalan meaning “bull dog”. However, in the ancestors of these Mallorcan mastiffs (as they are called otherwise) there were also fighting breeds that were used by the Romans for fighting in circuses from ancient times, so the ca-de-bos could not only accompany the herds where necessary, but also, if necessary, protect their horned and ungulates wards from the attack of predators, as well as to repulse the intruders who have climbed into the master’s yard.

When Mallorca became the patrimony of Great Britain in the 60th century, the new owners brought their own dogs to the island, who gave their blood to the breed, which only benefited the breed. At this time, Major dogs began to be used for bullfighting – a fashionable entertainment in those days, and then the name “bull dog” sparkled with new colors. The bullfight of that time consisted in the fact that the bullfighter approached the angry animal without weapons at all, only accompanied by a dog, whose task was to protect his man at all costs. It is clear that in such conditions the strongest survived (and this applies not only to dogs). Then there were no rigid breed standards yet, they were approved much later – already in the XNUMXs of the twentieth century.

Today, the ca-de-bo is primarily a companion dog, because despite the turbulent past, these are sociable and peaceful dogs, and besides, they do not take up much space in the apartment. In our country, the breed is not as well known as, say, Staffordshire Terriers or Cane Corso, but still has a whole army of loyal fans.

Breed description

Despite its relatively small size for a Molossian, the Ca-de-Bou gives the impression of a large dog due to its powerful physique. He has a large rectangular head with a wide forehead and a calm look of small eyes, his nose is slightly upturned, and the wrinkles above his eyebrows give the impression of many wise thoughts that swarm under the powerful skull of a dog. In general, his muzzle subtly resembles a human face. The ears are small, semi-pendulous, the tips are bent slightly forward and to the sides.

The chest is very wide, due to which the paws look steadily spaced. The body is longer than it is tall. The tail is thick, saber-shaped, usually carried either down or parallel to the back.

The coat is short (in the subtropical climate of Mallorca, dogs did not have to protect themselves from the cold at all), dense, glossy shiny. There are three types of color: red (from red to fawn and fawn, often with a black mask), brindle and black. On the body (chest, fingers) white spots are allowed.

Photos

Character

Unfortunately, Ca de Bou, like most other Molossians (including Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Terriers, Bulldogs, etc.), have fallen victim to the stereotype. “Killer dogs”, “risk breed” – as soon as the people do not call these sweetest creatures. However, those who at least once get acquainted with the ca-de-bo will understand that all this is nothing more than idle speculation, based solely on the opinion that there can be no other dog whose ancestors were real gladiators. And it turns out, it really can.

Ca-de-bo are calm, peaceful and friendly creatures who are ready to lie faithfully at the feet of the owner for hours and are simply happy when they are hugged and squeezed. At the same time, they are far from being as active as the staff, so they do not see a problem in the fact that their beloved owner is forced to go to work. In his absence, the Major Mastiff will gladly take a nap on the bedding (but, of course, it is better on the master’s sofa), and in the evening he will meet his man, joyfully wagging his tail and smiling with all his toothy mouth. And they know how to smile like no one else.

Being a friend to all family members, the natives of the sultry Mallorca still choose their one and only leader, for whom they are ready to go through fire and water, unmistakably identifying the person with the strongest character in the family. Moreover, the choice of a dog can sometimes surprise.

Care and maintenance

Ca-de-bo is an almost problem-free dog in keeping. His short coat does not need to be combed out, just walk through it with a special brush or glove. With age, they turn gray a little, so at first glance it is difficult to distinguish an old dog from a young one. Despite the powerful musculature, the ca-de-bos are quite medium-sized, and most importantly, calm, so they are perfect for keeping in an apartment, of course, provided that they walk a lot with them – after all, you need to waste your heroic strength somewhere.

Dogs do not need washing either, you can only wash their paws after a walk in slushy weather.

It is better to arrange a place for your pet where there are no drafts, but in winter it is not necessary to put on three fur coats on them – it is better to give the dogs the opportunity to run more.

Education and training

Ca-de-bo is a dog with a strong character and will only obey someone he respects. And the Major Mastiff respects a self-confident, calm, like himself, and at the same time a kind person. Not the one who will fulfill all his whims, but the one who can insist on his own without raising his voice, with only one inner confidence. But if you start pampering a dog, he may love you, but respect you – alas, no. So, if you want the process of upbringing and training to be a joy to both of you, first work on yourself. It is worth remembering that a dog is a mirror for its owner, in which he can easily see all his advantages and disadvantages.

Early socialization is vital for the Ca-de-Bou. The owner needs to make every effort to ensure that the puppy learns to see only friends in adults and small people, as well as other animals. When you go for a walk, take some of your puppy’s favorite treat with you and invite the kids walking next to you to treat the dog – so in the mind of the little mastiff, the kids will forever be associated with something good.

Health and disease

Ca de bou are very healthy dogs. They almost do not suffer from ear diseases, rarely catch a cold. But in old age, their joints can begin to fail, because all their lives they have carried a large body weight. To prevent this from happening, do not forget to include in the dog’s diet foods and nutritional supplements that contain substances that strengthen bones and cartilage. By the way, ca-de-bos are quite sensitive to food, so you should not feed the dog with leftovers from your table. It is not uncommon for Mallorcan mastiffs to be allergic to various foods (particularly to chicken skin and chicken in general), so if you notice that the dog is constantly itching or has a rash and skin irritation, be sure to consult a veterinarian who will select the appropriate diet for your friend.

And, of course, you can not neglect the annual vaccination and treatment of dogs from external and internal parasites.

Word to the breeder

Tatyana Ivanova, owner of Alferor nursery from Moscow: “The modern ca-de-bo (Majorcan mastiff) is primarily a companion dog, a friend dog, a family dog. The correct breed ca-de-bo is not dominant in the family, loves children, is not aggressive towards guests and passers-by. Ca-de-bo is a great option for apartment keeping, as it is a medium-sized dog with a short coat that does not require special care, without excessive salivation, so that the muzzle of the ca-de-bo always remains dry, nothing hangs from the wings and lips. Ca-de-bos are easy to train, they are pleasant and interesting to work with. The breed is very human-oriented. In addition, Ca-de-bo is an unusually smiling dog!

Irina Grudoglova, owner of the Moscow kennel “Ideal Dogs GIV”: “Ca-de-bo (major mastiff) is a unique dog. They are powerful, strong, and at the same time compact Molossians with excellent character. Loving your family, children and your friends. They lend themselves well to training, contact. As with any breed, they need to be handled to make life together comfortable.”

Popular questions and answers

About the content of the ca-de-bo we talked with zoo engineer, veterinarian Anastasia Kalinina.