Description: The Fila Brasileiro is a typical molosser dog that is powerful and has strong bones. They are rectangular in shape and compact in structure. They are in good balance and are well proportioned. The head is big and heavy. The ears are pendent and thick these hang in a V shape and are in line with the eyes. The eyes are almond in shape and can be medium to large in size. The colors of the eyes are from dark brown to yellow and will match the coat color. The muzzle is strong broad and deep with the teeth meeting in a scissor bite or level bite. The nose is big and has wide nostrils, which are always black in color. The legs are strong boned and straight. The tail is wide at the root and tapers towards the tip, which reaches the hocks. The skin is loose over the whole body and this is a feature of the breed. The coat is short and dense, this lies flat to the body. The colors are solid and any color is permitted and a black mask may or may not be present. White is only allowed on the feet, chest and tail tip. The height is 25.6-29.5 inches in the male and 23.6-27.5 in the female. The weight is 100 pounds minimum in the male and 80 pounds minimum in the female. The life expectancy is 9-11 years.

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History: The Fila Brasileiro comes from the English Mastiff, Bloodhound, Bulldog and the Rafeiros from the 15th century. They were breed to be hunting dogs that could hold the quarry at bay until the hunter came. This blend of dogs gave the Fila Brasileiro the ability to hunt, track, herd and control. In Brazil this breed was used to bring back slaves unharmed. The Fila Brasileiro has been used down the centuries as an all round working dog and in more modern times as a guard dog. This dog is banned in some countries due to its potential aggression.

Temperament: This is a dog that, despite its size and reputation, is loyal and protective of its family. They love the children they are raised with and are known for being kind gentle and even taking abuse from those children. They are good family pets and bond well with other animals that share the home, with courage and bravery built into the breed. They are obedient and faithful and will always seek out their owner. They are calm and confident and one of the best guardians of property. This is all within the dogs’ family. They need an owner that is dominant but not cruel. This means the owner has to be the alpha and understand this breeds needs. A meek owner will have big dominance issues with this breed. They need order and this means training, house rules, and an active fully achieving pack leader. This is not the dog for the first time dog owner or someone who can not meet this breeds needs. Socialize this dog well from a young age and keeping that up throughout the dogs life will add balance for the dog. The garden will need a very good solid fence. Really understand this breed before you decide. You need to know if you can give the dog what it needs, to get the best from this breed.

Health issues: Hip and elbow dysplasia, CHD, gastric torsion and PRA. The Fila Brasileiro can also get bloat, as some large breeds can.

Grooming: The Fila Brasileiro coat is easy to keep clean and brushing the coat weekly is all that is needed. Rubbing over with a chamois will add a shine to the coat.

Living conditions: The Fila Brasileiro is not suitable for city life and will not be good in an apartment. They need the countryside and a large well fenced garden.
 

If you can't find a local breeder in your area don't worry, many breeders are using the major airlines like American, Delta, Continental and Northwest airlines for shipping their puppies.

At this time the airlines will ship puppies to the following States: Alabama AL - Alaska AK - Arizona AZ - Arkansas AR - California CA - Colorado CO - Connecticut CT - Delaware DE - Florida FL - Georgia GA - Hawaii HI - Idaho ID - Illinois IL - Indiana IN - Iowa IA - Kansas KS - Kentucky KY - Louisiana LA - Maine ME - Maryland MD - Massachusetts MA - Michigan MI - Minnesota MN - Mississippi MS - Missouri MO - Montana MT - Nebraska NE - Nevada NV - New Hampshire NH - New Jersey NJ - New Mexico NM - New York NY - North Carolina NC - North Dakota ND - Ohio OH - Oklahoma OK - Oregon OR - Pennsylvania PA - Rhode Island RI - South Carolina SC - South Dakota SD - Tennessee TN - Texas TX - Utah UT - Vermont VT - Virginia VA - Washington WA - Washington, D.C. - West Virginia WV - Wisconsin WI - Wyoming WY - Hawaii HI.