Common nicknames Rabo Torto Coat Short and smooth | Height 55 cm (22 in) | |
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Other names Fila da Terceira, Cão de Fila da Terceira Breed status Not recognized as a standardized breed by any major kennel club. Color Fawn or yellow; with a mask Similar Dogo Cubano, Cão Fila de São Miguel, Barbado da Terceira, Guatemalan Dogo, Gran Mastín de Borínquen | ||
The Terceira Mastiff (Portuguese: [cão de fila da Terceira]) is a landrace Portuguese dog breed, also known as the Rabo Torto (rabo=tail, torto=curled/twisted). Neither the Fédération Cynologique Internationale nor the local Clube Português de Canicultura has officially recognized it. It is a remarkable ancestor to both the Cão Fila de São Miguel and the Fila Brasileiro . This breed is fully different from the Barbado da Terceira
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History
The Terceira Mastiff comes from the isle of Terceira, located in the Azores. It descends from local dogs, old Spanish and English mastiffs and bulldogs, the Dogue de Bordeaux and the Bloodhound. According to a legend, it once was very popular among the pirates of the region and soon became a popular fighting dog as well. In the 1880s, veterinarian Dr. Jose Leite Pacheco wrote the first breed standard and intended to make the nickname rabo torto as the official name of the breed instead of the cão de fila da Terceira. Unfortunately, the Terceira Mastiff was already extremely endangered that time, which was one of the reasons why - despite of the Portuguese standard - it was never accepted by the FCI.
In the 1960s, there was an attempt to revive the breed with the aid of the Portuguese government. However, there was disagreement between government officials and breeders, which led to the project's failure. After this, the future of the Terceira Mastiff depended solely on local farmers and breed fanciers. In the 1970s, it was already declared extinct, although there were still some individuals left in the Azores. With these few individuals, the recreation of the breed finally begun.
Appearance
The Terceira Mastiff is a medium-sized molosser that represents the Fila or Dogo type and resembles the Cão Fila de São Miguel. One of its most remarkable features is an innately short, corkscrew like tail. Its nose can be either black, pink, or even brown. The colour of the short, smooth coat can be either fawn or yellow, always with a light mask. Red, brindle, and black individuals are usually considered to be unpure. The height is approximately 55 cm (22 in).