| The Fila Brasileiro is a dog which has served as a | | | | Prospective owners of Filas of today must be made |
| working and guarding dog in the Central American | | | | aware that this is a dog that can not be kept as a pet |
| region since the sixteenth century. This breed is | | | | by those who do not understand his history and his |
| believed to have originated from the Mastiff types of | | | | instinctive ability to maintain a guarding presence in the |
| dogs brought to Central America by the Spanish | | | | household. He will attack without hesitation anything or |
| Conquistadors. These dogs along with the Spanish | | | | anyone which he perceives is a threat to his family. On |
| Bulldog were crossed with the Bloodhound to produce | | | | the other hand, he demonstrates remarkable patience |
| the Fila Brasileiro. | | | | with his own human children and tolerates almost |
| The Fila served first and foremost as a fierce guarding | | | | anything from them, being absolutely trustworthy as |
| dog which was used for driving and protecting the | | | | their protector. |
| large herds of untamed and equally fierce wild cattle. | | | | The Fila is a large dog with a distinctive bloodhound |
| He has always been noted for having a strong | | | | appearance. His face, muzzle and throat are well |
| bonding with one family unit or master and a | | | | equipped with pendulous folds of skin, (dewlaps) often |
| courageous and unswerving loyalty. The dog played | | | | extending up to both sides of the face and down to |
| an important part in the history of Brazil during its | | | | the entire chest. The folds of skin serve as a |
| struggle for independence, being used as a war dog | | | | protection against predator attacks. The color of this |
| by the resistance. Stories are also told of how this dog | | | | breed can range from brindle to fawn to various |
| was used for the tracking of runaway slaves. | | | | shades of tan and brown. He is a member of the F.C.I. |
| He has long been valued as an instinctive guarding | | | | group 2. The average height of this breed is 24-30 |
| breed with excellent tracking abilities. Indeed, The Fila of | | | | inches at the shoulder and the weight is anywhere |
| today has become a favorite of big game hunters as | | | | over 100 pounds. |
| it has a proven ability to not only track but bring to | | | | There are breed clubs within the Central Americas |
| ground such varied animals as the Jaguar and the wild | | | | and the United States which actively promote the |
| boar. It appears that nothing is too big or too fierce for | | | | outstanding virtues of this breed but which also inform |
| this dog to take on. | | | | those buyers of the potential that this breed can be |
| The Fila has a reputation of being supremely loyal to | | | | dangerous. It is not a dog for the average pet owner, |
| one master or family and extremely wary of | | | | those people who make the best owners are people |
| strangers and will not hesitate to attack any human or | | | | with a strong alpha character and a good |
| animal if he is even the least bit suspicious that they will | | | | understanding of canine behavior and training. |
| harm his family. | | | | |