Mary Allen
The Ca de Bou is practically unknown. Unfortunately, many dog lovers have not had the opportunity to meet cute four-legged friends from the Balearic Islands. Because the Ca de Bou turns out to be an excellent family dog and at the same time an attentive guard dog with a strong character. He supports his people with loyalty and love. If you decide to bring an imposing Spaniard into the house, you should already have dog experience.
Ca de Bou – a Battle-Hardened Spaniard
The ancestors of the Ca de Bou were the so-called Molossians: this type of dog, already known in antiquity, was used for hunting well-fortified game; he was also used as a herding dog for working with cattle and as a participant in animal fights. Such dogs probably came to the Canaries, Balearic, and Azores in the 13th century by Spanish navigators. Ca de Bou means “bulldog” in Catalan. Their origin from the Molossian archetype is still clearly visible to four-legged friends.
During the British occupation of the Balearic island of Menorca (1708–1802), dog fighting was a popular pastime. To this end, local “bull biters” were crossed with imported English fighting dogs. Because of their strength, the resulting dogs, which fit today’s Ca de Bou, were a particularly “successful” new breed.
However, the number of strong dogs declined sharply after animal fighting was banned in Spain in 1883. However, dog lovers from the mainland managed to “reconstruct” the almost extinct breed by backcrossing with the Ca de Bestiary, the Bulldog, and the Staffordshire Terrier. The first breed standard was recorded in writing in 1928: the goal was to standardize the appearance of dogs. The following year, the Ca de Bou was introduced as a new Spanish breed at the Barcelona show.
The Ca de Bou has been recognized as an umbrella organization by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) since 1963 and is used in Spain, in particular as a guard dog in the countryside.
Ca de Bou Personality
Given his past as a four-legged “martial artist”, it can be assumed that Ca de Bou is a ferocious four-legged friend with a low threshold for irritation. Far from it, the Ca de Bou is considered to be a sweet, happy dog who, thanks to his friendliness, can make a great family dog. The animal has a strong guarding instinct and is devoted to its human. Thus, the
Ca de Bou: Upbringing & Attitude
First of all: Ca de Bou is not registered in the list of dogs. You don’t need to meet any special requirements to be able to keep it. However, if you decide to get a Ca de Bou, you should already have some experience as a dog breeder. You must channel the breed’s strong guarding instinct in the right direction through careful training. If you decide to get a young dog, attending a puppy group and dog school will help you socialize with your peers.
A four-legged friend needs consistent training with clear announcements because he knows how to use small weaknesses for himself. However, firmness is inappropriate here: at the heart of the coexistence of man and dog are strong, serene trusting relationships that can be shaken by inconsistency or excessive severity. The Ca de Bou has a very pronounced “will to pleasure”, i.e. desire to please you.
Ca de Bou has a strong desire to move: plan a lot of exercises accordingly. Ideal if the dog has access to a secure garden or property all day long. Alternatively, dog sports, searching, and tracking are good ways your dog can get rid of energy. Boredom should not arise in Ca de Bou either. Because of his quick wit, he needs constant stimulation and proves to be obedient, for example, when it comes to learning small tricks. Also, keep in mind that this is a very strong dog. You must have enough physical strength not to get carried away as soon as the animal pulls on the leash.
Caring for the Ca de Bou
is suitable as a guard and protection dog with a direct bond with his bipedal “pack”. He can be affectionate and seek physical contact.
In addition, the Ca de Bou is a decidedly intelligent dog who often turns out to be surprisingly playful. It is highly adaptable and adapts quickly to new situations and environments as long as it is allowed to be around you. Close contact with you is very important to the Ca de Bous, so you should never leave it alone for long.
The Ca de Bou is not easily disturbed – even his Kindred are difficult to provoke. He gets along well with children, and individual socialization plays an important role with pets such as cats. Ca de Bou is suspicious of strangers and proves to be an attentive observer who doesn’t miss anything. Although he does not show “precautionary” aggression, he can lean towards territorial behavior.
Ca de Bou: Upbringing & Attitude
First of all: Ca de Bou is not registered in the list of dogs. You don’t need to meet any special requirements to be able to keep it. However, if you decide to get a Ca de Bou, you should already have some experience as a dog breeder. You must channel the breed’s strong guarding instinct in the right direction through careful training. If you decide to get a young dog, attending a puppy group and dog school will help you socialize with your peers.
A four-legged friend needs consistent training with clear announcements because he knows how to use small weaknesses for himself. However, firmness is inappropriate here: at the heart of the coexistence of man and dog are strong, serene trusting relationships that can be shaken by inconsistency or excessive severity. The Ca de Bou has a very pronounced “will to pleasure”, i.e. desire to please you.
Ca de Bou has a strong desire to move: plan a lot of exercises accordingly. Ideal if the dog has access to a secure garden or property all day long. Alternatively, dog sports, searching, and tracking are good ways your dog can get rid of energy. Boredom should not arise in Ca de Bou either. Because of his quick wit, he needs constant stimulation and proves to be obedient, for example, when it comes to learning small tricks. Also, keep in mind that this is a very strong dog. You must have enough physical strength not to get carried away as soon as the animal pulls on the leash.
Caring for the Ca de Bou
Caring for the Ca de Bou does not bother you at all. Its short, thick coat has a little undercoat and only needs to be brushed once or twice a week to remove loose hair. A brush with a rubber tip works well for this purpose. However, it is necessary to regularly inspect the skin folds on the muzzle and ears of your four-legged friend in order to identify possible inflammation at an early stage.
The Ca de Bou does not require a special diet. As with any breed of dog, you must place great value on a good quality bowl, which means as much meat as possible and recipes without grains or sugar, as well as occasional dog treats. However, it is recommended to carefully calculate the amount of food, as Ca de Bou tends to overeat and gain excess weight.
The average life expectancy of a Ca de Bou is ten to twelve years.
Features of the Ca de Bou
The typical predispositions of the Ca de Bou to diseases in the context of breeding dog breeding are not known, in general, it is a breed of dogs with very good health. However, like many large dogs, there is some risk of developing the hip disease.
If you want to take a Ca de Bou as a four-legged partner, it may be worth contacting the Spanish animal protection organizations. The breed is very popular there and it often happens that homeless fur noses are looking for a new loving home.