Verdino Dogs of the Canaries
It is widely thought that the name of the Canary Islands is derived from the Latin name for ‘dog’, which is canis. Early records tell of large dogs inhabiting the islands and it has been suggested that the early inhabitants actually ate them.
The Spanish conquistadors found the native Guanche people kept dogs to guard the flocks. The Spanish invaders feared these dogs and passed a law that allowed each shepherd to keep only one dog.
They became to be known as verdinos as they had a greenish tint to their coats, the dogs were smooth coated with wide jaws.
Today, the modern dogs are known as ‘Perro de Presa Canario’, sometime shortened to ‘Presa Canario’ or simply ‘Presa’, which translates to ‘Canarian catch Dog’. The breed is also sometimes referred to as Dogo Canario.
With the rise of nationalism in the Canaries there is a movement to keep the Verdino strain pure and have it registered as a recognised breed.