Fila Brasileiro

Brazilian Mastiff

This magnificent specimen of the canine family is rather rare and unknown. The Fila Brasileiro is quite difficult to find. The breedings are not very numerous and it is necessary to think about it in advance to be able to own such a dog. This dog's heart and affection for his family is as big as his size. Even though he may not be suitable for all owners, he is an excellent, loyal and loving life companion that is well worth discovering.

Height 60 to 75 cm
Weight 57 to 82 kg
Life expectancy 9 to 11 years
Home country Brazil

Quick Overview of the Fila Brasileiro

Temperament

  • Brave and valiant
  • Determined and faithful
  • Very affectionate
  • Rather distant with strangers

Appearance

  • Powerful and impressive build
  • Harmonious look
  • Straight, short, thick and soft coat
  • Big massive head

Health

  • His growth must be closely monitored
  • No particular pathology
  • Generally in excellent health

Temperament of the Fila Brasileiro

The Fila Brasileiro is a courageous, brave, determined, loyal and very affectionate dog. He is docile and obedient, but sometimes tends to be impulsive.

Rather distant with strangers, he instinctively watches over his own with great attention. He is very well balanced and plays to perfection his role of defender of the household.

The Fila Brasileiro's attitude is confident, assured and very serene. He is powerful and hardy, and can perform various tasks, such as hunting and cattle work, without any issue.

Even if he is good at certain sports and livestock work, he remains above all a guard and protection dog.

Breed Appearance

This large hound has a powerful and impressive yet well proportioned constitution.

His harmonious gait with powerful bones shows his great robustness. Despite his mass, the Fila Brasileiro is capable of great agility.

The female's gait is much finer, easily distinguishing her from the male.

Height

Between 63 and 75 cm (24.80 to 29.53 inches) for the male
Between 60 and 70 cm (23.62 to 27.56 inches) for the female

Weight

Between 64 and 82 kg (141.09 to 180.78 pounds) for the male
Between 57 and 73 kg (125.66 to 160.94 pounds) for the female

Color

His dress can be very varied. All plain colors are allowed, except speckled, mouse grey and white. The black mask is possible. Brindle on a uniform colored background is accepted. White markings on the tip of the tail, chest and feet are also accepted.

Hair

His hair is flat. It is short, thick and very soft.

Morphology

His large head is massive but in harmony with the rest of the body. His large almond-shaped eyes are set wide apart and vary according to the color of the coat.

His large ears are drooping and form a v-shape. Broad and thick, they narrow at the tips in a rather rounded shape. His nose is black.

His broad tail tapers to the hock.

According to the FCI breeds nomenclature, this breed belongs to group 2, section 2 and is #225

Price and monthly budget

Price you can expect to pay for a Fila Brasileiro puppy: between and
These prices are indicative and may vary from breeder to breeder
Average monthly budget for a Fila Brasileiro:
The monthly budget includes the average expenses for food and hygiene products (grooming, anti-parasite...)

Fila Brasileiro puppies near me

Tips About this breed

Due to his large size and great guardian skills, the Fila Brasileiro is generally very happy in the garden, which is his ideal living environment.

However, he must never be left alone.

Human contact is indispensable to him. This big hound with a tender heart is a lovely dog who can't stand loneliness.

He loves his family, especially the children that he tends to protect instinctively. Owners who are too often absent should be proscribed for this great sentimental.

This very docile and obedient dog must however receive a good education commensurate with his strong character.

Even if he is very gentle, affectionate and easy to train, he must be given a gentle but firm and constant education in order to teach him to master his great impulsiveness.

Naturally calm and balanced, his education will allow him to remain so as an adult, and target his interventions with strangers.

The Fila Brasileiro is an excellent keeper and a great protector of his own. As he is rather distrustful of strangers and a very powerful dog, it is therefore preferable to ensure full control of the hound by good early education.

Health of the Fila Brasileiro

Like all dogs, his growth must be closely monitored. The puppy must be given food rich in protein to meet the needs of his rapid development.

The puppy should not get too much exercise. It is preferable not to force him to exercise too much in order to avoid harming his development. Spontaneous exercise is sufficient. Once adult, he will be able to move more.

The Fila Brasileiro is not subject to any particular pathology. He is a very robust dog that usually enjoys excellent health.

GROOMING

There's nothing special about his maintenance. Brushing once a week will be enough to ensure a healthy coat and to get rid of superfluous hair.

History of this breed

Although the origins of the Fila Brasileiro are very controversial, and probably very old, he is undeniably part of the molossus category.

Some would say he comes from a crossing between the Bloodhound and the Mastiff, while others say he is descended from the bloodhounds that arrived in Brazil with the Dutch in 1630.

At that time, the Dutch used the dogs to hunt the Indian, Black and Portuguese population. His name would come from the Portuguese "filar" meaning to take or catch.

Some others claim that he is the result of a cross between molossuses and Spanish Greyhounds. Speculations are therefore numerous.

One thing is certain, the Fila Brasileiro was first known in 1946, but the breed was not officially recognized until 1968, some twenty years after its actual creation.

He only arrived in France in 1990. In spite of his great qualities and beautiful aptitudes, specimens of Fila Brasileiro are rather rare, even in Europe.

The Fila Brasileiro is above all a guard dog.

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