American bulldog or presa canario General Chat

i have just lost my staffordshire bull terrier after 14 years and am thinking of replacing her with one of the above, i also have a 4 year old bullmastiff and most importantly 3 daugthers aged 4,6,and 9. i work nights every second week so am looking for a home protector while im at work, but also a family pet. my bullmastiff is a big softy,so i want something a bit more lively but trustable. has anyone got any useful information on the ab or presa that may help and reasure me, i have read a lot about both but would like to hear it from the horse's mouth, thanks.

I have heard that the presas are very good family guard dogs, but never owned one myself...they are very cute, though...

If you are going for either look VERY closely at the breeding it makes a massive difference

Yep I agree go for a good breeding on either, there's loads of crap AB's and Presa's about so be carefull. I own a AB which is a great family dog and a superb guard dog. It depends on what you want the dog for really, just a pet or are you going to work the dog ? Just a pet I'd get a AB over a Presa.

Why not get a nice family dog and a good home alarm system? Dogs are really not the best option for guarding your loved ones IMO - they`re too vulnerable. It`s a lot easier to poison or shoot a dog than to disable a burgular alarm.

When you say "home protector" I'm not really with you - sorry Like C & D said, a house alarm protects your home more effectively than any dog, should somebody ever try to break in. Perhaps a less lively/heavy dog (being as you already have a bullmastiff) might be nice for the children, as the younger ones would probably enjoy having a smaller dog around.

Just had a look at some presa breeders websites as I've never met one. Got a bit worried when the breed were described by them as "Well behaved with owner and family but fierce with strangers * Independent and aggressive with other dogs * an excellent fighting dog"

I'm sorry but I wouldn't fancy one around my children, they may be OK with family but if your child got in the way of them getting to a stranger or another dog..... I have rotts and my OH works away a lot so I like to have them in the house as I feel a lot safer but they are not outwardly aggressive with strangers at all. They will bark at the door or fence if someone is there but I feel safe that they aren't actually aggressive (but intruders don't know that!)

Hopefully there will be someone on here with a presa who can enlighten you more. As I said I have never met one but if a breeder is describing them like that then I wouldn't have one in my family home (my children are 4 and 6).

That's exactly the kind of people who should not be aloud to own dogs like these, and exactly the kind of thing that makes my blood boil. I have never owned a presa, but I have known a few. I have owned AB's (and still do), and I also have rotts. As long as they are ALL handled in the correct fashion, then there should not be a problem. They are not a dog for inexperienced or non assertive people.

I love both breeds....
And will own both one day...plus my boy is half american bulldog, half staffy to so I suppose Im biased!!!!

The American Bulldog is a brave and determined, but not hostile dog. Alert and self-confident, this breed genuinely loves children. It is known for its acts of heroism towards its master. These dogs have fought wild dogs, bulls and even fire. It is said "fighting off one of these dogs is like fighting an animal that possesses an alligator's head and a python's body." Yet when called off by their handler, they immediately obey. No wonder they are said to have "true grit, true devotion and true love." They have strong protective instincts, and need a firm, confident, consistent pack leader. Well-socialize and obedience train them at an early age, to prevent them from becoming reserved with strangers. Without that strong minded pack leader who can tell the dog what is expected of them, they may be aggressive with other dogs. They need to be around people and know their place in their pack to be truly happy.

Like I said before my boy is half american bulldog, he adores kids and is a great house guard to, he will not let anyone in the house he doesnt know unless were there.
His dad is an american bulldog and he to loves kids, and is a great house guard to.
I would say though both my boy and his dad have been brought up with kids and very well socialized which is so important for any dog.
I would agree that wanting a house guard is not a good reason to get any dog, you should do alot of research on the breed you want before thinking about getting the dog.

Hope this helps

thanks for the replys, i have a house alarm, ( how many house alarms do you hear going off everyday that nobody do'es anything about ) its a proven fact a dog is a better deterant than an alarm, and secondly i have a family pet ( bullmastiff ) and i want a second family PET that will also be a family protector if needs be, without being dangerous around my family. PS i am an experienced bullbreed dog owner. I really appreciate everybodys post's but i am looking for info from people with experience with these 2 breeds, thanks very much.

you've lost me here,the bullmastiff i have is the best pet you could possibly get, she is like an overgrown stafford (nanny dog) as they are known because they are so good with children, i am not looking for a shark on a lesh, i am looking for a good family dog that can do the job he was bred for if needs be. i live in a large housing estate in dublin, not the perfect world. thanks anyway cheekychihuahua.

thanks tera, im not going to work the dog, it going to be just a pet.

thanks a lot hades, thats very helpful, and ps i am not getting the dog as a house guard, i am getting it as a pet that will guard if needs be , thanks again.

I am very experienced with the AB, my husband and I are good friends with Alan Scott, and were the first people in the UK to import from him. It was because of the knowledge and experience that I have WHY I was telling you to look very carefully at the breeding. The vast majority of people breeding them do not have a clue, just as there are a lot of people that use them to make themselves 'look hard'. A badly bred AB, can be a bad bad dog to have around a child. This is exactly why there are so many badly bred uncsocialised AB's in rescue. There are names for people like that. These dogs should in NO WAY be human or dog agressive. Ours WILL bark, but to be honest, if you tossed them a juicy piece of steak they would soon calm down.

I wasn't suggesting for one moment that you weren't experienced with bull breeds, but I was just doing a comparison. BUT they do sulk a lot more than a lot of other breeds, and sometimes this can put training back

Are you looking for a 'baby sitter' while you're at work at night?

Is the Presa not banned in Dublin? I know GSDs and SBTs are in some areas....

no the presa and the AB are not on the list in ireland that is the main reason i am looking at them, their is 10 breeds on the list and they have to be muzzled and on a lesh at all times in public and i dont agree with it so i'm staying away from the list. thanks.

thanks chunky for the info, im not very good with words so if i post something that seems to come across as a smart answer im sorry, i in no way intend it, i am studying these 2 breeds for the last couple of years and just want to hear from people that have first hand experience with them before i buy one, and i could'nt agree more with you about the amount of badly bred dogs out there.

no i'm not looking for a baby sitter, i am looking for a dog to do the job he was originally bred for, sounds simple does'nt it ? or are we not supposed to use dogs for anything any more ?

I hope you find the right dog for you and your family dardar.

I think it's too easy for others to judge when all they know is what someone has posted on a forum. We don't know dardar's situation, what kind of place he lives in etc.

I think to give good info about the breed (like Hades did) is most useful in this case rather than trying to say dardar obviously wants a 'shark on a leash' (as he so eloquently put it).

Namaste dardar