To subscribe, call 904.819.3430 Order Home Delivery Online Order or renew daily and Sunday home delivery of the Record for one year. The mauling death of a San Francisco woman by two powerfully built dogs last month has prompted a disturbing increase in interest in a rare breed called the Canary Island, some breeders say. Both dogs were mastiff-Canary Island mixes. Then they'll quickly ask you how much. The dogs, also known as Presa Canario, were developed in Spain to guard cattle for farming.
Breeders estimate there are no more than a few thousand in the United States.
Males can weigh as much as 140 pounds, while females are in the 110-120 pound range. The dogs are about 27 inches tall at the shoulder, about the same height as a Doberman pinscher. The animals involved in the attack in San Francisco were being cared for by two lawyers, who could face manslaughter charges if prosecutors conclude the couple knew the dogs were dangerous. Properly trained, the breed is safe, experts say. People find that once they meet the dogs, they're just fine.'' In a study released in September, the American Veterinary Medical Association listed Rottweilers as America's deadliest dog breed, killing 33 humans between 1991 and 1998.