The Fila Brasileiro is a large and powerful dog, which is used in its country of origin as a property guard, hunter of prey large and protector of cattle. When slavery was legal in Brazil, it was also used to catch runaway slaves. This dog has a highly developed protective instinct towards his own and their properties, and is also very loyal and helpful to his human owners.
His physical characteristics make him an energetic and robust dog, but that doesn't mean he doesn't need love and affection like all pets. For a Brazilian Fila to be happy, he needs, above all, the love of his family. If you are interested in adopting a dog of this type or you are simply curious about this breed, take a look at this file on our site and solve all your doubts.
Brazilian row origin
Due to the need of the first settlers in Brazil to have a strong and energetic working dog, the Fila Brasileiro emerged. The first historical documents that speak of this breed of dog date back to 1671, but the specific origins of the Fila Brasileiros are unknown. Even so, everyone agrees that they arose thanks to the crossing of 3 different breeds of dogs: the old bulldogs, the English mastiffs and the bloodhounds. Although it is also believed that the Fila Terceirense also participated in this crossbreeding and from there emerged the current Fila Brasileiro.
From the old Bulldogs like the Engelsen Doggen, the Fila Brasileiros inherited their raised ears, the colors of the coat and a higher rump from the withers, as well as a tenacious, stubborn and aggressive temperament. Instead of the Old English Mastiff, these dogs inherited their size and corpulence, with a large and strong head, a short neck and a curved rump. And the Fila Brasileiros inherited from the Bloodhounds or San Humberto dogs their magnificent abilities as tracking dogs, together with their most notable physical characteristics such as hanging upper lips and jowls, pendulous lips or loose skin.
The first official breed standard was written back in 1968 and since then some have been used as show dogs. In 1982, the Fila Brasileiro came to be considered the most popular breed of dog in Brazil. Currently, this dog can be seen as a show dog but, above all, as a pet.
Physical characteristics of the Brazilian row
The figure of the Brazilian row shows at first sight the power of him. The male fila has a height at the withers of 75 to 80 cm and a minimum weight of 50 kg, while the females measure between 65 and 70 cm and weigh a minimum of 40 kg. As you can see, the Fila Brasileiro is a large dog, with a body longer than it is tall (rectangular profile) and a large body mass. The croup is higher than the withers. The tail is wide, set in the middle and should not curl or fall over the dog's back. The head is well proportioned to the body. The muzzle is strong, wide and prominent. The eyes are medium or large, almond-shaped and well separated from each other. Its color ranges from yellow to brown. The ears are hanging, thick, large and V-shaped.
A characteristic of the breed is its thick and loose skin over the entire trunk, forming a very evident dewlap. The hair is short, dense and soft. May be any solid color, with the exception of:
- white
- mousegrey
- with small or large spots
- blue
- black and tan
Mottled or brindle coats are also accepted and very common, but always with a uniform background color. White spots on the feet, chest and tip of the tail are also accepted.
One of the fila's most distinctive features is its gait. Unlike most other dogs, the Fila walks by moving both legs on the same side at the same time. Thus, his gait is very particular and is known as amble or "camel gait".
Brazilian row character
The Fila Brasileiro is a dog with a complex temperament. He is faithful, friendly, patient and kind to his people, but suspicious, surly and even aggressive with strangers. For this reason, good socialization is very important in this breed.
Even when properly socialized as a puppy and trained, the Fila tends to be reserved and wary of strangers. It is the duty of the owner to take the necessary measures when he takes his dog for a walk or when he receives visitors. In contrast, this dog is pure tenderness and patience with his own. He gets along wonderfully with the children in his family and is an excellent companion for the adults.
Although he is not an extremely active dog, he needs long walks and exercise sessions. His main behavior problem is aggressiveness towards strangers. However, this is a characteristic of the breed.
Brazilian row care
Hair care is simple. Having short and dense hair, a weekly brushing is enough to keep it in good condition. It is not necessary to bathe this dog very often, but only when he is really dirty and needs it.
Brazilian Filas are not adapted to life in flats or to life in densely populated cities due to their size and character, so they live better in houses with large gardens in quiet neighborhoods or in rural properties.
These dogs need to do moderate exercise to spend all the energy they have and the cost of their maintenance is high, since they eat a lot. A good dose of mental exercise with some intelligence games at home will help the Brazilian fila a lot to be more attentive and happy.
Brazilian Row Education
It is necessary to educate the Fila Brasileiro from an early age to help him channel the characteristic desire of this breed to work. According to many experts, the Fila is a dog that is very willing to please its owner, intelligent and easy to train. He is a guard dog and a herding dog by nature, so he does not need to be specially trained to protect his human family or property, as he is very territorial.
However, it is always best to use dog training techniques to properly educate this large dog breed such as positive reinforcement or clicker training, starting with basic dog commands and building up difficulty of the commands as the Brazilian file learns them.
Brazilian row he alth
The Fila is generally a he althy dog, but due to its size, it has a certain tendency to suffer from hip dysplasia and gastric torsion like most large dog breeds.
Even so, it is advisable to take him to a good veterinarian and give him all the pertinent vaccinations according to the vaccination schedule so that he stays he althy and strong. Likewise, it is necessary to protect him from some external skin parasites such as fleas and ticks, so it is advisable to examine him frequently to check if he has any and take the appropriate measures.
