Before you choose your Fila Brasileiro Puppy there are a few things you should think about. If you've never owned a fila before, are you set up to properly care for one now? Fila pups are absolutely the cutest of all pups, with those long droopy ears and sad eyes. Just wait til they grow up!

To the right, an excellent example of an adorable fila pup.

It's easy to get complacent around this breed when the only people they ever see are their family. How could such a gentle, loving dog also be such a great protector?

Before you pick out your pup, you should visit at several Fila kennels so you see what this breed looks like close up. Then spend some time thinking about how you will handle a dog like that as an adult weighing up to 170 pounds.

Is your yard absolutely secure? Can the fila puppy dig under the fence? Will it be able to jump the fence once it reaches adulthood? Is there enough room in the yard for your fila to get sufficient exercise? A chain attached to a kennel is not an ideal situation for a large, athletic mastiff type dog with loads of energy, nor is a 10x10 chainlink kennel. A fila would be miserable if caged away from his people.

Can strangers or visitors get into your yard from the street or from your house? You need to have fences that provide a secure area for your fila pup to play, as well as for the people on the outside when that adorable pup gets older and starts to get more protective.

Is your neighborhood fairly well populated? The fila brasileiro breed was developed for farm or large estate use, not city neighborhoods...but with growing home invasion and child abduction statistics, a fila braileiro would be a good choice for suburbanites as well, with proper management.

Wherever you live, it is important that you research the fila breed very well before making the decision to own one. There are several great guardian breeds... Fila Brasileiro is not necessarily the most suitable for you and your situation, but only you can determine that by doing your homework.