Caes e Compania | Dogs & Co. #31 yr III - december 1981 - part II


“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
Christopher Hitchens

In search of a more homogeneous breeding stock, says the subtitle.. The article acknowledges that the breed is too heterogeneous and an ideal defined type has not been achieved. One of the factors they attribute this situation to is the origin of the breed, resulting from the crossing of breeds such as the Bulldog, the Bloodhound and the Mastiff in the farms of Minas Gerais. The Grand book of the Fila Brasileiro by Procopio do Vale, Enio Monte and 43 collaborators advertised in this same issue, promotes that same hypothesis for the origin of the breed, although the authors fail to produce evidence to substantiate the hypothesis. 
They also blame the Initial Registry accepted from 1946 until 1974. Claiming it brought in questionable breeding stock from farms and other sources outside of the control of the CBKC, although in 1981 the breed was already at a stage of evolution wherein breeders could work well known bloodlines from a few generations.
 The 3rd reason they attribute as contributing for a very heterogeneous breeding stock,  was the culture of dog breeding being used to "ready made" standards from foreign breeds, making it difficult for a proper and defined standard for a national breed. The breed standard in effect at the time of this publication was issued in 1976 and according to the article, was put together to define certain obscure aspects prior to the previous standard of 1954. There was unanimity among breeders in the recognition of some improvement in their breeding stock, however, the standard in place gave way to diverse interpretations a fact proven by at least 6 different types of fila which are accepted, they affirm.

pages 24 & 25 - Canil Belo Cruzeiro, SP (top left|Black coat), Canil da Cachoeira, RJ (center | brindle) Canil Curumau, RJ (top right | fawn)

 
This pie chart on page 25, shows the number of registered filas in Brazil (5.067 filas) in 1980, according to their total by state numbers. Rio de Janeiro holding the 38,1% (1.932 filas) and Sao Paulo with 28.6% (1.451 filas), having the largest amount. It's very curious that Minas Gerais, the state named by them as where the fila originated from only contributed with only 7% (358 filas) of the total registered dogs, just a little over the distant northeastern state of Pernambuco, 6,8% (345). I am curious to know the explanation of how RJ and SP end up with almost 3 times as many dogs as the state that originated the breed..





pages 26 & 27
 It appears as if in 1981 they had no clue what a Fila should be like. They believe the standard permits "elasticity" of interpretations and suppose there were "combinations" of characteristics that could be put together and selected. As I read this, I imagine in my mind a lego-like breed that can be constructed into whatever one's ideal can put together! They were so married to this mentality, that the CBKC intended to create a commission for a hearing on judges, breeders and specialized clubs, as well as an excursion around the country to observe individual dogs. They talk about the organization of a symposium to debate the standard and to create breeding guidelines to be put in effect at a national level by this Counsel. The entire page is devoted to justify plans for the debate about the standard for the breed in the following year, with an objective of modifying it. Mainly, because they found pressing reasons to urgently contain the great number of liters being bred and registered from being notably heterogeneous as the trend in breeding results had indicated thus far.
The pages are filled with fila kennel advertisements as well as Great Dane advertisements. Just as in Fashion magazines, wherein the editorial fashion shoots are done with the clothing brands advertised, so are the dogs featured in the editorials are from the kennels in the advertisements.



page 28

The caption on the photo on page 28 says that Females display 10% less aggressiveness when alongside a male. (The source this information is taken from is not indicated). On this page they also discuss the aggressiveness of the Fila. They say many are adamant that the Fila will not let anyone touch them, not even a judge at a show. Judges, on the other hand, believe this is an excuse used to keep judges from examining faults in teeth alignment. Also, a great impediment for the breed to be recognized by the AKC. The article calls the Fila a breed having a "split personality" because it is docile with those at home and hard to handle in face of strangers. Stating that a Fila may bite a visitor; they state the owner of Brafa da Mata Fria, Sergio Lopes, was bit by one of his own dogs. These were just some of the issues with the breed in the 80's as well as prognathism, cow-hocks, a variety of proportions of head and muzzle, all of which would be dealt with in the following year's symposium, having the main objective to seek a less atypical and better Fila. 

The 2 graphs on the bottom of page 28 are based on a CBKC bulletin of march, 1981, which showed a progression of number of dogs participating in shows, Championship Titles and Titles for Grand Champion. The difference between number of dogs participating in shows from 1976 to 1981 is of 1.634 dogs. Almost 3 times as many dogs participated in shows in 1981 than in 1976. Even more shocking is the number of registered Filas, which is shown in the next graphic with blue rectangles. In 1976, 1554 Filas were registered (which is quite a lot); in 1979, 5323 Filas were registered. That is a minimum average increase of 1256 dogs per year.  This progression is not explained throughout the article.


The Situation of the Fila in the Country.. This portion of the article is a run down of the situation of the breed in different parts of the country. The entire article is fundamentally a pep talk for a reformulation of the standard. Which was the solution they found to "equalize disparities". Finally, there are suggestions drafted on the last page of the article, on page 31.


Some suggestions for a new official standard for the breed

Trends put together by gathering the opinions of the majority of fila breeders for a debate at a symposium in 1982. There were divergent segments one pro standard change and another in favor of keeping the 1976 Standard.

-Evaluation of character and temperament trial to be done on dogs over 12 months   outside of the show ring.
- Head better definition for form, top of head and stop, as there was believed to be contradictions in the current (1976) standard. They believed the head should be slightly squared, and that the stop should not be marked seen front on, but the could be marked seen in profile.
- Bite inferior overbite to be discussed because it was believed it could be tolerated. However, superior overbite not permited, or both not accepted but not judged having equal value .
- Ears  definition of height of insertion
- Eyes  definition
- Topline and rump  rump not excessively higher than front -
- Trunk rectangular seen in profile - square figures to be penalized
- Coat Colors definition for acceptable colors preferably - brindle having base coat color chocolate, fawn and greyish, black, golden, and fawn. The brindle having greyish base coat color from crossing with Great Dane (which can be noticed by coat texture) must be penalized, as well as the brindle having white markings on its back. White markings will only be permitted on paws and chest. Some have the opinion there should be genetic research for the black coat color.
- Height and weight  stipulate max limits
- DQ's  short ears, lightweight build, prance, paws turning out
- Serious Faults short gait
- Faults  lack of dewlap

 
End of Article.

Collaboration  credits for this article:
 
Since the First written Standard, the CBKC has always opted for changing the breed standard. The latest change was made in 2004. Currently, they do no test for temperament or any other functional capacity and they also do not have an approval for reproduction certificate program in place.

1984 CBKC Standard and 1st Fila Standard

Current breed standard compared to the Cafib Standard. 








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An Important Point of View

****UPDATED****

I came across this article written by Joao Nunes from Canil Alufam on his page on Facebook.  I identified so much with it, that I thought it deserved international exposure and recognition, most importantly, for its clarity and reason. I hope it will resonate with like minded Fila breeders and enthusiasts!

Dear friends,
Once again, I wish to express a personal observation:
To me there has always been what I call the Classic CBKC Breeder, ie, individuals that breed, select, and compete in CBKC Shows with dogs having very different characteristics from the Fila Brasileiro bred according to the Paulo Santos Cruz (PSC) Standard for the Fila published in O Fila year I, Issue 8 – July of 1979. So far as there is no mistreatment of animals, that’s perfectly all right with me! They live their lives and I live mine in a friendly and civilized coexistence. But lately, happening in parallel to the increasing acceptance and dissemination of the PSC standard; mainly in Brazil and abroad, I have very frequently been starting to identify a group of breeders that I have come to call Breeders of Hybrids. They argue their position in a very unscientific manner.  Here are some of the examples:

                                                                                                      1) "It’s just a dispute between clubs".
the lesson learned in the 70's still being repeated today..
Wrong, breeding is done on scientific criteria and therefore needs standards and benchmarks. You might not even be a fee contributing member of a club, but you will need a standard to guide your breeding. Now, in any human institution, troubled individuals will always exist. Those who want to use a social group as a release for their personal hang-ups. Well, for those we may reserve our compassion.

2) "I just like a good Fila."
That might be acceptable if you just want to have a dog for your home. But a breeder who is guided by scientific criteria should know that it is not a matter of "personal liking", one must have a scientific explanation for their choice. For example: Two plus two will always be four, like it or not.

3) "the Fila is a mixed breed anyway"
Wrong. The Fila is a collection of individuals whose somatic characteristics are genetically determined and thus inherently transmitted between them. Therefore, the Fila Brasileiro cannot be mixed, either it is a purebred dog or it is a crossbred dog. When new genes are introduced, whether it be from one of the archetypal breeds that formed the current breed, this new dog will not be a Fila, but rather, a compound of Fila genes and genes of breed X. This is "Tio Chico’s" reasoning when he proposes the adoption new breed qualifications, that is, the breed created by Fila genes and the genes of breed X. (Tio Chico's proposal here)

4) "There are good Filas in both groups."
Wrong, there may be good dogs in both groups, however, the Fila Brasileiro is the one that brings in its genetic baggage, characteristics of the breed that will be passed on to their offspring. "The choice of a Breeding Technique and Adoption of Selective Criteria are crucial for the development of a Breeding Program" (O Fila - Year I, vol.3, 02/1979).

5) "There are also atypical dogs in CAFIB. I do not see anything being done for the breed by either CAFIB or CBKC "
Misusing the word "atypical" is very convenient for the breeder who wishes to remain without taking a formed position, and enjoying the benefits of participating in both groups because, in being so, the dog that is not accepted in one group can be accepted in another on the grounds that this divergence in acceptance would be only a "dispute among clubs." The word "atypical", when used in the sense of anatomical or physiological characteristics uncommon to breed, as in females who get c-sections or animals with little bone mass, always occur in any breeding program; the breeder only needs to reassess its breeding program pairings. However, the atypical in the context of signs of crossbreeding is what the CAFIB has been eliminating from the gene pool, for over thirty years, with the analysis and the progeny tests. Given these findings, I cannot agree with the statement: "The CAFIB does nothing for the breed, also."

6) "Many of CAFIB dog’s ancestors were not CAFIB and then what?"
That is why the analysis are done! (O Fila-year III, vol. 30, 1981 07/08/09).

7) "I think its too much radicalism coming from both groups"
The serious breeder (which does not necessarily mean the successful breeder) must have a scientific reasoning, ie, based on scientific evidence and findings of fact. Therefore, expressions such as "radical", "lack of democracy" and "prejudice toward the black color", do not fit in this discussion. Those issues are very important, but for discussions on human relations!

8) "I know what a Fila is because I breed for many years"
Indeed, managing a kennel and dealing with dogs on a daily basis is certainly an experience that will contribute a lot! However, when you identify the true and original Fila, according to the PSC standard (O Fila - year 1, #8 - 07/1979), you are just as inexperienced as me and many others because you spent years using another evaluation criteria in your breeding program.

I could cite several other interesting thoughts that have been said to me, however, notice that the ultimate goal is to always justify that Hybrid Breeder may take advantage of the criteria used by the CAFIB Fila breeders and of Classic CBKC dog breeders. This attitude destroys any scientific criterion of selection on both sides.

Incidentally, I send my regards to the Classic CBKC breeders that have taken a stand in favor of the differences and made their choice to continue on breeding their type of dog, and also, to my friends in CAFIB, selfless partners in favor of true Fila who teach and help me, so much.


Joao Nunes is the  Breeder and owner of Canil Alufam (Alufam kennel), located in Bahia, Brazil – the name of the kennel comes from the African language and religious culture so influential in Brazil and more specifically in Bahia. It denotes Godly protection and direction. Canil Alufam has been breeding according to the Paulo Santos Cruz/Cafib Standard for 20 years. He describes his breeding program as artisanal, but one that implements modern scientific criteria used in modern breeding.
Here is a preview of his practical selection of breeding males.

A Page from the History of the Fila Brasileiro

by Antonio Carlos Linhares Borges
author of the book Cão Fila Brasileiro Preservação do Original
(can be purchased here)

Original text from the Canil Caramona website, this is a translation of page 7 of the History pages. It's for learning purposes only, without intent of copyright violation and within the qualification of fair use. Some pictures have been added by Fila411-USA to further illustrate the dogs mentioned in the text.

Opala do Caramona
"At the birth of little Sahara’s pups, being the sole survivor of  a mating  between Opala and Conde das Torres do Rio Bonito, right away the exceptional quality of the liter was observed.
I told to friends from the Clube Mineiro – then being reactivated - to the fact. My friend Paulo Augusto M. Moura chose Tarumã, and my friend Carlos Barreira kept Touro. Olegario Bretas, whom at the time wished to start a kennel under the supervision and advice of expert Paulo Augusto, kept Tupa’. The arrival of these animals to Belo Horizonte could not have been more timely. Touro was requested to rescue traditional breeding programs and commencements of others.


Touro do Caramona
Olegario Bretas started Sao Jose da Lapa Kennel with Tupa do Caramonã. Afterward, providing an opportunity for a mating between Touro do Caramona and Opala do Caramona, which was done by me. Having then acquired Areta do Carmona (1993), Apoema do Caramona’s sister, which I later used [in my breeding program].

 Areta was an exceptional bitch and was covered by Tupa do Caramona, producing the also wonderful Jandaia Sao José da Lapa (1995), acquired by the then young student and friend of ours, Guilherme Trindade Reis who came to found the    Canil Fazenda Mundeo.



 
Areta do Caramona
At every three generations it is important to introduce new genetic elements,  in order to avoid the losses that inbreeding can cause.

 By this time (1995), once more I had very few dogs, all of which were blood related, because the only "refreshing" of bloodlines had hitherto been that of Conde das Torres do Rio Bonito and Honda do Engenho, whose daughter I had kept from the mating between  Imagem do Engenho,  but died after the birth of her 1st litter and I did not know the whereabouts of the puppies because they had been sent to several persons by my friend Jose Luis Cortes, owner of Imagem. 


I started a search for new bloodlines to enter the Caramonã bloodlines before inbreeding would cause genetic damage . That's when I remembered the dogs whose lineage I registered under Porto Alegre name.
I went in search of these dogs on the farms where I had met them."

A female from Porto Alegre bloodlines – property of [farmer] João Ferreira, Corrego Catule, Jampruca, MG. End of the 80's

(((UPDATED))) 

Luma de Porto Alegre and her offspring with Zabele


Zabele the Caramonan with my son Daniel.


The Porto Alegre Bloodline

In 1998, a crossing of the female Luma de Porto Alegre (Rambo Porto Alegre x Princesa de Porto Alegre) an authentic cow-dog, I got the Bata do Caramonã, son of Zabelê do Caramonã.  I registered him under my kennel name, because at the time Toto (owner of the Porto Alegre farm) had recently died, a fact that caused the near extinction of the Porto Alegre Bloodline.



The Porto Alegre bloodlines 


Female Caramonan X Porto Alegre - notice the pear shaped head, 2007. This is also one of the puppies from Pungirum do Caramonan X Round Arugua.


These dogs were rustic, many of them bull-dog-like in conformation, bred for decades to work with Nelore cattle and selected for work.

 Bata being from 50% pure Caramonã base, having health (hybrid vigor from his bloodlines) and work instincts, came to contribute greatly to the breeding program, especially when I got the female Champagne da FazendaMundeo, a gift of loving friends from the Unifila board, Paulo Augusto, Guilherme Wagner Resende (kennel Acangussu), Geraldo Barbosa and Jerfferson at a time when I had to put Opala and Agata do Caramonã down as a result of leishmaniasis.



Opala and Agata do Caramonan at a Dog show in Belo Horizonte with the attendant Maurinho
He had a litter with Champagne (named Caiçara by us), which produced Era do Caramonã and Erati do Caramonã which went to stay with Teo Hudson (kennel Aruguá) who still preserves the genetic basis Caramonã x Porto Alegre.

Also Erussu whose image became official seal in Finland, as its beauty. Its owner Mark Nurminem (Higienópolis kennel) sent us a postcard, expressing his satisfaction. 

Erussu do Caramonan and the Era do Caramonan as puppies


Era do Caramonan
At the moment of recovery of lineage, it is pertinent to mention Champagne and the role that she played.
 Champagne came to the Caramonã kennel in 1999 when I was without breeding females. She was therefore a gift from friends who recognized the importance - besides friendship – of my work with the Fila breed.

 She was a wonderful puppy, having extreme bone stucture, which led me to choose her among the litter, because it represented one of the items that stood out in the Caramonã bloodline as a special mark.

 

Champagne, whom we called Caicara, had some features that I did not exactly identify from Caramonã origins. Fearful that her descendants would inherit very large upper lips (severe defect that we never see in our line), I programmed  her matings that could, say, clean up the strange expression on Caramonã.

 Champagne’s first crossing  was with Bata do Caramonã, a purebred farm Fila crossed with pure Caramonã (Zabelê x Luma de Porto Alegre).


 
Soon afterward, in order to rescue the purebred source of the lineage, I discovered where Bright do Caramonã was (Zabelê do Caramonã x Imagen do Engenho). With this cross and being that Bright was already very ill, a single pup was born: Pungirum do Caramonã the indisputable greatest exponent in the Unifila Shows while he lived, an absolute winner of all shows he participated in as best of breed, best head and best of show, for four years.

 He possessed formidable temperament. He was able to lie quietly on the runway during the show, or "digg” the earth, defying everyone and everything. Seeing any approximation directly toward him, at once his expression became serious, without issuing even a growl.  If challenged, he would become really angry, demonstrating a momentum that reminded me of Adros and Poguaçu.

 [The picture above is of] Bright do Caramonan, being rescued on a farm and infested with ticks.

 At this point, we began a phase of breeding (from 1990) that generated the breeding dogs we have today, as will be shown.

 The following is a sequence of generations of  breeding males and females that showcase our bloodline.


Note the that are passed on, especially from Adros  to Poguaçu, from him to Zabelê.  In Bright’s generation Jaguara bloodlines enters : 1 - Adros; 2 - Poguaçu 3 - Zabelê 4 - Bright, 5 - Pungirum.
Breed & Bloodline are maintained for five generations.
*all photos are copywrited and attributed to Antonio Carlos Linhares Borges

Great Stories of the "O Fila" monthly Bulletins


The First Bulletin called "O Fila" published by the Commission for the Improvement of the Fila Brasileiro breed was issued in December of 1978, after its creation in March of the same year, in Sao Paulo. 

There is so much historical material contained in these bulletins, that it feels like a special treat to read. I consider this collection to be the "big book" of the Fila. Most of the articles were written by Paulo Santos Cruz himself. Much of it contains very thorough real science of those times, which ranges from genetics and anatomy;  to "How to's" of kennel construction, complete with an architect's project.

Interspersed with the technical articles about the Fila named "O Curso" [The Course], there are very informative articles about the evaluation of important Filas, results of the shows of the times, names of dogs and owners included and my personal favorites, stories of Filas!

Here are some excerpts from the article "O Fila, Boiadeiro, Onceiro e Amigo"
By Paulo Santos Cruz ["The Fila, The Cattle-driver, the Jaguar hunter and the friend "

The article starts right in with: "Dunga do Parnapuan foi o primeiro canino brasileiro exportado. Foi adquirido pelo príncipe da Baviera, Herzog Albrecht von Bayern." 
[Dunga do Parnapuan was the first Brazilian canine to be exported. He was acquired by the Prince of Baviera, Herzog Albrecht von Bayern.] (picture of the prince holding Dunga below)

Mr. Cruz, proceeds to recount the story of how the dog who was born at the shore town where his kennel was located, arrives in his new home in the middle of prussian winter. After having been kept for 3 months inside the prince's Castle to be spared from the brutal cold, the dog was released to the fields during the thaw, at 6 months of age. 



(original picture of Fila with Buffalo in "O Fila")

The first thing he sees is a grazing bull, which he then rushes to hold by he nose with his teeth, as he tries to bring it down. The Prince was so impressed and enthusiastic about the event, that he sends Paulo Santos Cruz a cablegram recounting the story in detail. 

He explains that Dunga was born at his kennel in Santos [Santos is a Port city near Sao Paulo in Brazil, people that are born and raised there are referred to as "peixeiros", meaning "for the fish"] as well as both his parents, however both his grandparents had come from Minas Gerais, at very very early ages. It baffles Paulo Cruz that Dunga should have such a reaction being that he was so far removed in time and environment from his ancestors, having only his great-grandfather been a cattle-dog. 

   It is plainly clear how important to Paulo S. Cruz genetics and the inheritance of traits were, being that in every issue of the first bulletins there is mention and  technically precise pages of articles about genetics.  He asks some questions that are still unanswered today, despite our much more advanced molecular technology:

Genes transmit only somatic and physical characteristics, therefore, which is the vehicle that transmits that which we call instinct? In which molecule, atom or particle does courage get passed on from ascendents to descendants? Where is the figure of the Bull archived in the mind of the Fila? And where is the physical or chemical molecule that starts the gears which signal it's brain that that bull is the one archived and also the file in which how to handle the bull is written.. These questions are unsettling because they show us how genetics is still taking baby steps.

He was such a forward thinker, that I believe that if he were alive today, he'd take into account Neuroscience and Psychology.

 

He also recounts a story about another Fila of his, used as an extra for a feature film of the Vera Cruz studios called "Sinhá Moça" [a slave term for a young woman, daughter of a master - "young m'am"]. They needed Filas to play the part of dogs to go after runaway slaves, so Paulo S Cruz sends in Aimoré do Parnapuan. Every time they slate the picture,  Aimoré wants to "get" the slate person. The director, Tom Payne tells Paulo that one day the dog started to pick up a scent in the air, which made him stiff and his hackles raise. At this point Martinelli, the animal wrangler for the movie, lets Aimoré take him to where the scent is coming from, only to find a jaguar in a cage. He immediately jumps on the cage and startles the jaguar which then cowers to the back of the cage. 

(original picture from the "O Fila")

Aimore was also born in Santos, but his parents were from Varginha and Nova Lima, Minas Gerais, and taken to Santos at around 2 months of age. Again Paulo S Cruz, questions about Aimore's onceiro [jaguar hunter] genetic Inheritance.. 

He tells the stories of how cattle was driven from the Mato Grosso swampland or the plains of Goias to the slaughterhouses of northern Sao Paulo state, a journey that would take weeks. Facing ever present danger, man and dog become brothers by taking on the same jobs and risks . He describes the cur-style in which the dogs and cowboys work in:
To listen to the the call of the man, in a large gesture in extended arm, asks the dogs to circle the stock to push it to move left or right.. After the job is done, the stock is parked and kept by circling around the herd and keeping it stationary. After fires are lit, man and dog eat and sleep together, keeping a close eye on each other and on the stock. 

(Filas from Farmland in the south of Minas Gerais)

He finishes this wonderful article with this lovely thought:
..kept in the cells of the pure-bred Fila are the Cattle-dog, the Jaguar-hunter, the friend, the cattle-driver, the fight against the big cat, the protection and guard of the man that knew how to be its master and friend, comrade and brother. 
Mastiffs my come from civilized land, but, precisely because of it, their cells did not get that which makes us love the Fila Brasileiro.

Many generations later, the Fila still defies time and odds, by showing us it is still capable of being a cattle dog and a hunter, as well as a guardian. Even with the advances of molecular science and neuro-biology, we still cannot pinpoint how behavior traits get passed  on, but the Fila has shown to be capable of adapting well to its original environment. 


Abare Boiadeiro do Jatoba and Gameleira Gitana dos Tabayara 2010


Present day Farm Filas in Minas Gerais, Brazil, 2010 (photo by Robson Freitas) 


for the full article look up "O Fila" Year II. Number 18, May 1980
(all pictures are linked to their original sites whenever possible and are for didactic puporses only-no intent of copyright violation was intended)