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Fila Brasileiro: the most honest dog breed review you'll ever find. Information about Fila Brasileiro personality and behavior. main page breed review faq health training adopting/buying links My book, Your Purebred Puppy: A Buyer's Guide (published by Henry Holt & Co.), includes a full-page profile of the Fila Brasileiro, including these excerpts: ""Faithful as a Fila dog" is an old Brazilian proverb. The Fila Brasileiro has a temperament unlike that of any other breed. Docile with his own family, he has an extreme distrust of and aversion to strangers and absolutely detests being touched by outsiders. One might take his bulk for laziness or clumsiness - and one would be terribly mistaken. Like all Old World mastiffs, the Fila Brasileiro is calm and quiet, until aroused. He can shift into his fierce protector's role in an instant, moving with tremendous speed and athletic agility. Fila puppies should be friendly and trusting, and with proper socialization become more discriminating as they mature. Their eventual degree of aggressiveness depends on genetics (parents and grandparents) and environment (socialization and training). Though this breed was not used for dogfighting (indeed, they often worked in packs), dog aggression can be a problem. The Fila Brasileiro may live peacefully with other pets in his own family, but won't back down from a challenge. This strong-willed breed is inclined to trust his own judgment, but will defer to confident leadership that includes consistent rules and cheerful praise. With his hindquarters raised slightly above his forequarters, the Fila Brasileiro moves like a great feline, with a long, low, stalking stride. He tends to amble or pace and there is a rolling motion to his gait." History The national dog of Brazil, the Fila was developed by Portuguese settlers to protect their plantations, track runaway slaves, work their cattle, and hunt jaguars and wild boar. His ancestors included the English Mastiff, the Bloodhound, and general bulldog types. Size 24-30 inches and 90-140 lbs

Fila Brasileiro What's good about 'em What's bad about 'em If you want a dog who... Is massive and powerful Has a short easy-care coat Is calm and quiet indoors (as an adult) Needs only moderate exercise Makes an imposing watchdog, being serious and self-assured with strangers, yet generally mild-mannered unless aroused A Fila Brasileiro may be right for you. If you don't want to deal with... A huge dog who takes up a lot of space in your house and car A heavy dog who wants to sit on your feet, lie on your lap, and lean his weight against your leg Rowdiness and exuberant jumping when young Destructiveness when bored or left alone too much Extreme distrust of strangers to the point where he detests being touched by anyone outside his family Providing tons of socialization to avoid indiscriminate aggression Aggression toward other animals Strong-willed mind of his own, requiring a confident owner who can take charge Shedding Snorting, snuffling, wheezing, grunting, loud snoring Slobbering and drooling Gassiness (flatulence) Serious health problems and a short lifespan Legal liabilities (public perception, future breed bans, insurance problems, increased chance of lawsuits) A Fila Brasileiro may not be right for you. If I were considering a Fila Brasileiro... My major concerns would be: Providing the proper balance of exercise. Young Fila Brasileiros need enough exercise to keep them lean and healthy, but not so much that their soft growing bones, joints, and ligaments become over-stressed and damaged. Adult Fila Brasileiros need more exercise to keep them in shape, but not in hot or humid weather for fear of overheating. The proper amount of exercise can be difficult to regulate in giant breeds. Since you have to minimize their exercise, young Fila Brasileiros can be very rambunctious. They will romp with uncoordinated gawkiness all over your house. You need to substitute extra quantities of companionship and supervision. Otherwise, left alone, young Fila Brasileiros become bored and destructive -- and their powerful jaws can literally destroy your living room. Providing enough socialization. Of all breeds, Fila Brasileiros have the most extreme aversion to strangers. They need extensive exposure to friendly people so they learn to recognize the normal behaviors of "good guys." Then they can recognize the difference when someone acts abnormally. Without extensive socialization, they may be suspicious of everyone, and in such a powerful and determined dog, this can be dangerous. Some Filas go in the opposite direction -- without enough socialization, they become fearful of strangers, which can lead to defensive biting. If you have children, I do not recommend a Fila Brasileiro. Young Fila Brasileiros (up to about two years old) can be bulls in a china shop. When they romp and jump, they do so with great vigor, and things can go flying, including people. In addition, Fila Brasileiros may try to protect their own children from other children, which could lead to tragedy if kids are simply roughhousing and your Fila Brasileiro decides to stop it. With such a massive dog, I wouldn't take the risk. Animal aggression. Some Fila Brasileiros will not tolerate another dog of the same sex. Some have strong instincts to chase and seize cats and other fleeing creatures. If anything goes wrong in the breeding, socializing, training, handling, or management of this breed, it is capable of seriously injuring or killing other animals. The strong temperament. Fila Brasileiros are not Golden Retrievers. They have an independent mind of their own and are not pushovers to raise and train. Some Filas are willful, obstinate, and dominant (they want to be the boss) and will make you prove that you can make them do things. You must show them, through absolute consistency, that you mean what you say. To teach your Fila to listen to you, "Respect Training" is mandatory. My Fila Brasileiro Training Page discusses the program you need. Shedding. For such a shorthaired dog, the Fila Brasileiro sheds more than you might think. The short, coarse hairs come off on your hands, and stick tenaciously to your carpeting, upholstery, and clothing. Fila Brasileiro sounds. Many Fila Brasileiros snort, grunt, and snore loudly. Slobbering. Most people are not prepared for how much Filas slobber and drool, especially after eating or drinking. When they shake their heads, you will literally be toweling saliva and slime off your clothes, furniture, and walls. Gassiness (flatulence) that can send you running for cover. Fortunately, Fila Brasileiros who are fed a natural diet of real meat and other fresh foods have much less trouble with gassiness. See my Fila Brasileiro Health Page for more information. Serious health problems. The lifespan of a Fila is short and an alarming number are crippled by bone and joint diseases and/or succumb to cancer in middle age. To keep this breed healthy, I strongly recommend following all of the advice on my Fila Brasileiro Health Page. Legal liabilities. Fila Brasileiros may be targeted for "banning" in certain areas, or refusal of homeowner insurance policies. Your friends and neighbors may be uncomfortable around this breed. In this day and age, the legal liabilities of owning any breed that looks intimidating and has a history as a guard dog should be seriously considered. People are quicker to sue if such a dog does anything even remotely questionable. Frankly, most Fila Brasileiros are "too much dog" for the average household. This is a serious working dog with tremendous strength. Very few people really have the knowledge, facilities, or skills necessary to manage this breed. Not all Fila Brasileiros are alike! There are energetic Fila Brasileiros, and placid Filas. Hard-headed Fila Brasileiros, and sweet-natured Filas. If you acquire a Fila Brasileiro puppy, you can't know for sure what he or she will grow up to be like. Because a good number of purebred puppies do NOT grow up to conform to the "norm." If you're considering an adult Fila Brasileiro... There are plenty of adult Fila Brasileiros who have already proven themselves NOT to have negative characteristics. If you find such an adult, don't let "typical breed negatives" worry you. When you acquire a puppy, you're acquiring potential -- what he one day will be. So "typical breed characteristics" are very important. But when you acquire an adult, you're acquiring what he already IS. If you would like to link to this review, here is the HTML code: <a href="http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/filabrasileiro.html">Fila Brasileiro: What's Good About 'Em, What's Bad About 'Em</a> Copyright © 2000-2008 by Michele Welton. All rights reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced without the permission of the author.