Canine curiosities

The bulldog, also known as the English Bulldog, is a breed of dog originating in England. Its ancestor, known as the Old English Bulldog, was used in bull-baiting until the mid-17th century, although this practice was banned in 1835. Today, this breed of dog is one of the symbols of England.

The Cão de Fila de São Miguel is a breed of cattle dog native to Portugal, specifically the Azores. The breed was developed on the island of São Miguel since at least the 16th century. A cattle herding dog (boyero) with a difficult character, its hardiness makes it a good example of a guard dog

The Tosa (土佐), formally Tosa inu (土佐犬), literally ‘Tosa dog’, is a breed of dog originating from the former Tosa province, now Kōchi prefecture, in Japan. Molosser of imposing appearance, it is one of the favourite breeds of large dog lovers all over the world.

The Neapolitan Mastiff (Italian: Mastino Napoletano) is a breed of large-sized molosser dog originating in Italy. This breed is directly descended from the large Assyrian-Babylonian molossers, which were later spread by the Romans throughout Europe. Because of its strong historicity, the Neapolitan Mastiff represents a true ‘living monument’ of modern cynology.

The Dogue de Bordeaux is a breed of dog of French origin; it is part of the great family of the pug. It is a dog of great strength and power, with a firm and determined character which makes it a great watchdog.

The Presa Canario is a large, powerful and hardy Spanish Presa Canario breed of dog, originally from the Canary Islands. 

The Broholmer is a molosser breed of dog, originally from Denmark. He is used as a companion dog, as he is calm, good tempered and friendly. However, it is also a good watchdog.

The shar pei (Chinese 沙皮狗 and pinyin shāpí gǒu, lit. ‘sandy skin’) is a breed of dog that originated in southern China and has been recorded since about 206 BC.