Chimera Kennels

What is your impression of the various mastiff breeds (EM, Neo, Cane Corso, Dogo, French, Fila, etc.)?

What do they bring to the table in terms of protection ability and family companionship? 

How many working lines out there?

Etc....

I have limited experience with Dogos. I have seen a few, but  none were in shape and I have not seen enough of the breed to form a opinion on their typical working ability for manwork/PP work. If you can find a dogo that is in shape, it would be the most likely to have endurance.

The Cane Corso would probably be the most likely to have an average ability working specimen as they tend to have some defense and rank drives (although I personally don't like down rank drive for family dogs, rank driven dogs can do bitework).

IMO though a good EM, which is a rare find, is more capable in terms of durability and power. Very few have any endurance but beleive it or not I have come across a rare few that did have much better stamina than one would expect from the breed. 

All this said, it is going to come down to the dog in question more so than the breed. I say that because you can find good and junk in any of the above breeds. The real problem though is there are practically no "working lines" out there as "lines" from the above breeds are typically not "worked." Instead, you need to look for working individuals from lines that show more potential for the work.

My preference is the Neo, though it's also the mastiff I have the most experience with. I agree with Lee the mastiffs in general are becoming more and more useless every generation, because of a "type" driven selection. Very few are worked enough to know if they can actually do what they were bred for.

As far as the Dogo goes they are more of a bandog than a mastiff really.

also don't forget about the Great Dane, some of them can have a good mix of prey and defense, if you can find one that isn't a coward. The Boerboel should also be included, even though I see them as more bandog than mastiff as well, like the Bullmastiff.

The Mastiff I used is a Canary Island Mastiff or called a Presa Canario! They are one of the most working mastiffs I have seen yet! The Dogo's will deff. give you some endurance, good head an mussel form, and some kool colors with the white being so strong in the lines!  The Dogo would be a good breed to use in place of the AMbull im my eyes! Thats if you can find the right one! 

Hi BAR, what breed of dog is your profile pic? Do you have any links to working presa breeders. I am familiar with red star kennels, rey gladiator and alanos.    Thanks in advance.:)

There is 2 and both Presa Canario! The smaller one is one of my friends litters 8 months 60lbs in that picture and the fawn is 1 year 104lbs in the picture!  

Well there is 

http://www.presa-ironbull.com

http://www.iremacurto.com

http://www.warsneyk9.com   <--- this guy and Rey are friends i think!:)

http://www.presacanario-kingzulu.com ;

Thanks,

    One of the sites was in spanish. Did you buy your dog from any of these kennels? Do you train them for any sport?  Thanks for the sites.

Ya! i had to down load a translation thing to read that one! haha! 

My friend said his dogs are from zulu and another from warsney i dont wana call him out and ask for ped. cause i got my male from him for free(the fawn) cause he wanted to keep a male from his new litter!  I do obedience myself and try to do some bite work but its hard cause i dont have anyone that want to put on the bite arm! lol... or that if they will put it on they have no clue how to work the dog!  so i just do simple bite training on my own dogs! I hate it cause they are my dogs but they now look at it like a game so its all in fun for us! 

Thanks,

  You've been very helpful. I think the zulu dog have very high drives.The presa-iron bull have a lot of white-didn't know that was a prea colour. How would you rate presas in terms of heat tolerance, endurance and speed. Do you plan to breed or you just train. Sorry to bother you with so many questions.    Thanks again.

Iron bull have some great dogs! 

The Presas are like the pits with speed! The endurance is a lil weak cause they have such big bones!  But as a package they are the top in the working mastiffs followed close by the Boerboel. 

I would like to do both! Train and have my own purpose built dogs. but like i said "I dont have anyone that want to put on the bite arm! lol... or that if they will put it on they have no clue how to work the dog!"  Im not gona pump out dogs tho! I put a waiting list together then breed!

I live in Las Vegas,N.V. so the heat is good with the Presas i would say! (its a dry heat 117deg. in the summer)  hahaha!  

and i like questions cause that means we all get to learn!!! 

Thanks,

  I am saving towards getting a female bandog, rottie or GSD by the end of the year, i just realized that i can't follow my initial plan of involving myself in 4 breeds so now i want to choose the breed i think i love the most by gaining experience.

I left boerboels because for a long time i couldn't find a working breeder. In my country nigeria we have a lot of them cos we are close to south africa but i have only seen one or two doing any form of formal work. Seems there are a few working breeders in the USA.

Thats crazy i only seen the Boerboels at working events! lol... Here in the states i see tons of SLOPPY GSD, Rotties, Dobies, i guess its where you live???

Are you looking to get one of Chimeras dogs?  I wish another Levi or Bullette pops up cause those are some BEAUTIFUL DOGS!!!   What is the style of Bandog your looking for? 

 Sorry for the late reply i've been experiencing some electricity problems recently,

I'm thinking of puppies from preacher man and bandit or oakley, like i said earlier i'm not yet decided on the breed. Are you also considering getting a bandog or you only deal with presas.

Hi BAR, saw this site with lots of info on presas....elpresa.com. You might want to check it out.

Yes i am a member of Elpresa. but some of the last posts i have read there have been quite in lack of a better word STUPID & IDIOTIC!!! The #1 Presa breeder and one of the main builders of the breed pretty much said that if ur dog isnt from him it is not a Presa Canario its a Bandog! **Witch is not a bad thing guys**  but when u have 20+ years of back round on your dog and someone says that its a slap in the face!  Elpresa dose have some really dog smart people tho! but a lot of people just talk out of there A#* IMO:)

I agree with you. They have good dogs but they seem to bash other people's dogs. One of them even said that a kennel  [alanos.de] was breeding cross breeds, Do you know that kennel. I was really surprised at that statement because i loved th dogs i saw there and their training methods[very real].

Ya that member that said that was the owner of Irema Curto the founder of the Presa Canario! 

BAR at 04:49PM on Mar 29, 2010

Ya that member that said that was the owner of Irema Curto the founder of the Presa Canario! 

Cane Corsos are very complex dogs mentally, emotionally and physically they require that you form a relationship with them to understand the amount depth they posses. At first glance they appear to want to the head off of any threat or perceived threat and certainly they are capable of accomplishing that, however persistent neighbors, family friends, who make an effort to familiarize themselves with the Corso and get to know them are forever good to go as far as the Corso is concerned. They will become your most fierce protector! The Corso is a sophisticated dog that has been bred and preserved since the 1800's. The reason that they were preserved was not accidental. To know one you must own one!

Hi BAR, do you know about the credibility of the alanos kennel. Their dogs look great, their

training is cool but i'm wondering if the founder says they are breeding crossbreeds i might as

well believe the 'owner' of the breed. Have you heard of red star kennels and cabeza grande?

they have some nice dogs also.

Both of those are great kennels! but about 5k to get one to the states!