Paulo Santos
Cruz (published in "O Fila" number 17, of April of 1980)
The reader Carlos Alberto Barroso Pereira in inquires about: 1) the
character; 2) the temperament; 3) the nervous system of the Fila.
Others ask the why their dogs are criticized, accused of fear biting or weak
temperament, although "vigorously" charging during a test.
This is a passionate subject for us and an absolute priority. Because the
Fila is included in the "Guard" and "Working Dog" categories, it must be
able to "guard" and "work". Without these predicates, it would be like
having a refrigerator that does not refrigerate and a radio that does not
play. That is to say, it would be like dead weight, like everything that is
useless.
It is difficult, but we will try to define "character", in the most straight
forward way. It is a complex collection of qualities and ways of being,
inherent to the breed, in which we identify its nature (disposition),
affection ability, volitional ability, stability, hardness, moral design,
psychism, etc...
"Temperament" can be defined as the way an individual dog reacts to external
stimulus. Its another collection composed of courage, lack of fear, even
recklessness, aggressiveness, defense and protection instincts. Although set
in motion by external stimulus, its manifestation is also guided by the
affection and friendship, as determinative causes of duty, devotion, and of
sacrifice.
"Nervous System" is something physical, not influenced by will. It
determines and regulates emotional nature. I repeat: I am only trying to
define something subjective and abstract. As in everything in this field, it
is difficult, complex and sophisticated.
Perhaps examples can better clarify : a Chihuahua attacks a Fila that moves
away in a dignified manner, without even growling. It has good character, he
does not take advantage of his force, he shows good nature. A brazilian
Jaguar devours the pups of a Fila. The dog pursues it, for dozens of
kilometers, without food or rest, showing firmness, persistency and
determination. This is her character. If she were weak, she would stay put
and whimper.
She adores her owner, then she defends him. We simulate aggression to the
owner, using a pole or only gestures. She reacts, replies, defending who she
loves and for who she feels affection. The greater the esteem, more
energetic is the response. this is her temperament.
Taken to a strange place - the location of a dog show - perceiving other
dogs, people that run, people who cry out, and etc. as threats... Everything
disturbs him, he feels in danger and sees his dear owner also threatened,
mainly if his owner also is nervous and shows it. A clap like noise will
function as the last straw. It is the test of his nervous system.
There are no clear boundaries between those three, and one influences the
other. Good character determines greater ability for affection, stronger
temperament and more violent responses.
In a show, the quick moments of examination of the dogs do not allow full
perception of its mind and its psychism. Therefore, observation starts at
the initial entrance in the ring . Dogs with good nervous systems show
sureness and self confidence. Their look reveals determination, valiancy,
control and serenity. The tail confirms this spirit. The advance at a
handler, or at another dog, who approaches too closely, shows good
temperament. Already the dog is defending his owner and himself.
To look apprehensive, ears back, low tail, or tail between the legs, refusal
to position his crouper back toward the dog that comes behind, denounce fear
and a weak nervous system.
The relationship with the handler provides some valuable signs. The dog with
good nerves and temperament goes ahead of the handler, that struggles to
contain him. The fearful dog needs to be pulled, excited and stimulated to
follow the handler.
Once all dogs are in the ring, the good dog regards all others with contempt
as long as they keep their distance and seeks to attack people who approach
excessively close.
The sagacious judge places himself in the center of the ring and with loud
voice and wide gestures, he asks for to the handlers to walk the dogs in a
circle. The objective of this is to call the attention of the dogs and also
to start to examine (grade) them.
Dogs with good temperament will not take their eyes off the Judge. Their
look is firm, calm and arrogant and demonstrates their will to step forth
and measure forces with that individual that separates himself from all
others in this place where they distrust all. This is what they would do if
they were let loose.
Dogs with weak temperament start to pull their handlers out of the circle.
Their eyes, ears and tail confirm their greatest desire: run from such a
threatening place and that's what they would do if they were let loose.
Some are deceptive. They snarl, they bark, but always towards other dogs...
Fearing them, they look to frighten and threaten them. With this behavior
they wish to prevent other dogs from coming close and attacking. In a bad
comparison, they'd be the equivalent to the "tough-guy" in a fight, which
after the fighting parties are pulled apart, threatens, fights back and
shouts the classic clichÈs: "let me go , I'm gonna kill that guy, etc."
In the Tosa dog fights in Japan, dogs that snarl (growl) before the fight
initiates, lose points, because they showed fear towards the adversary,
consequently looking to threaten it in order to hinder its approach.
This behavior is more prevalent in females.
If the judge takes time making individual evaluations, the good dogs will
calmly sit and maybe even snooze, such is their self confidence. Their
attitude means "Let me rest a little. When someone or something comes, I'll
get 'em".
The nervous system is tested with a sudden and unusual noise. Generally a
toy gun is used like a cap gun or starter pistol. From the initial
observation, the judge already knows, more or less, which dogs will show
great excitement to the point of losing control.
To aid in understanding this, visualize the nervous system as a vertical rod
and that excitement makes this rod vibrate up and down.
Imagine that a determined point cannot be reached by the vibration, and if
it does, panic and uncontrollable excitement will be the result . This point
in medicine is called "threshold".
Dogs that cannot control themselves due to total nervous panic, as a result
of a simple firing off of a toy gun, have low threshold. Evidently, as guard
dogs or working dogs, they are entirely useless. Some even urinate, what is
a really disproportionate and excessive reaction towards the simple
clattering noise of a toy.
Because this "threshold" is physical, evidently, it is certainly a
transmissible deficiency. Therefore, dogs of low threshold should not be
used in reproduction, very special cases being the exception as per the
attainment of some feature difficult to find in others. And even so, with
technical expertise and great caution.
The temperament is tested by the attack on a pole, or any object. The
objective is to make the dog believe that he and his owner are being
attacked
A dog with good temperament reacts immediately, and retaliates. After all,
the defense of his owner is his duty.
Good temperament dogs advance as far as the guide (leash) allows, jumping in
diagonal line to reach the aggressor. They will be on their hind legs and
standing virtually upright.
Dogs with poor temperament advance, remaining however, on their four feet.
They do not jump in a diagonal line. They would bite the aggressor from the
knees down if they reached them. But they would expose their heads, nape of
the neck and back to the hits of the aggressor.
Inferior temperament dogs stay alongside their owners, tap dancing and
barking, but do not advance.
Finally there are those who are trained. Their owners "give it away" with
commands, tell them to attack and stimulate them. Some owners pretend to be
running towards the attacker to see if the dog, livened up by the example,
will comply.
The dogs also "give training away". They advance to the end of the guide,
barking, then go back to their owners with wagging tails and happy, looking
forward to the customary prize; affection and praise. Then the owner
commands and once again they run to the end of the guide only to return
looking for praise.
Some of them turn their backs towards their aggressor to ask for their
reward. Imagine if this were a real aggression situation!
When the Fila is of good temperament, its owner doesn't even think of attack
training his dog. The first one to be bitten would be the instructor. The
owner will feel compelled to provide training after he notices a weak
temperament. Then he will pay somebody to teach the dog to act brave. The
dog really learns to fake bravery. He will never be brave and valiant, it is
not in his nature and temperament to react with violence.
The trained dog will seek to bite the pole, and not the aggressor. the
definitive test: to give the pole to him; he will bite or try to break it.
Some take it to their owner, happy and accomplished. All of them forget
about the aggressor.
Good temperament dogs don't even look at the pole that has been thrown at
their feet, they continue trying to reach the aggressor. Even after the
evaluation, already out of the ring and tied to a tree awaiting the end of
the show, he still stares at the judge, the aggressor that is, in the hopes
of a chance to taste his flesh.
As with all acquired factors training is not transmissible. The dog is
trained, but its genes, its germinative cells, its eggs, those never will be
trained. The dog may pretend to be brave and perform what he was taught, but
its offspring will be born with the same weak nerves as the father or
mother.
The only solution is to correct this shortcoming lays in the following
generation, through planned pairings. When the dog is a prime example and
carrier of many other qualities it might be worth mating (breeding).
However, if what it has to offer can be gotten in another source, it is best
to let the dog live out his happy life. Imagine a female, of excellent
structure, excellent character, magnificent temperament, but of weak nerves
as an example. Mating her with a male of flawless nerves, in the attempt to
achieve maternal structure and paternal nerves, is a perfectly justifiable
fact.
I used the female as an example because they are the most common example of
lower threshold. However, if they descend from dogs of good nerves, almost
certainly the participation of a mate with good nerves will not do harm; on
the contrary, its genes will collaborate with the ones of the male. Her case
my be hormonal. A male with weak nerves represents a very serious defect
because it does not have the female sensitivity to even him out.
When the temperament is tested, we place the dog in a position that allows
the sunlight to shine on the eyes of the dog. Strong temperament dogs are
enraged against whoever dared to threaten its owner, in such a manner that
its nervous system does not command certain involuntary actions. One of them
is of the diaphragm of the pupil, that opens and closes to control the
amount of light that enters the eye. With the sun in their eyes the pupils
should retract but with an out of control nervous system, pupils remain open
in their totality.
The pupil is seen immensely dilated then, allowing the input of the sun deep
inside the eye, where pigmentation is made by the cromopoietic gene, using
elements supplied mainly from the spinal marrow (nerve trunk). If the nerve
trunk had failed to supply pigmentation elements, then all the nervous
system, in other words, secondary nerves, also will be harmed.
When pigmentation is good, it can be concluded that the marrow functioned
well, therefore, all the nervous branches also function well. Sunlight
reflects pigmentation in blue and green at the bottom of the eyes. The judge
easily evidences these colors in the reflections that come from the bottom
of the eye. If he is prudent he will not come close to this dog and if the
dog reaches him, it will bite indeed.
If the dogs pupils are retracted, that means he is insensitive towards the
aggression or threat towards his owner. That indicates very poor character
and temperament.
In some cases the pupil dilates, that is to say, the nervous system loses
control over involuntary movements as a result of fear or panic. The bottom
of the eye will have no pigmentation therefore the reflection of sunlight
will be red or yellow which is the reflection of the capillaries of the
bottom of the eye, the blood that circulates in them, that is. There is no
pigment, the nerve trunk did not work properly and all the nerve branches
are harmed. The judge will be certain the dog is in fear which will be
confirmed by his behavior and if he comes close the dog it will back down
and even hide behind its owner.
As acknowledged by readers, many times it is precisely the dogs attack that
will give away evidence of a weak temperament. Therefore, despite the
attack, it is done in such a way that authorizes the judge to give a weak
temperament defect grade.
I repeat, and now I make a plea to breeders, please do not mate males with
weak nerves. it is a transmissible defect. mate only females and only in
very special cases, assisted by a specialized technician. do not raise the
numbers of the fearful ones.
Do not get attack training for your dogs. if they have not inherited a
courageous, fearless guard dog temperament, do not fool yourselves by
teaching them to fake it. in the event of real need, your trained dog might
jump on your lap or flea to the back of the yard, leaving you alone to
confront the evildoer. Breed a real friend and guard dog, help us rebuild
the fila breed.
