The Fila Brasiliero - A Brief History

How did the Fila Brasileiro breed develop?

Necessity is often the mother of invention, and that is certainly true with the Fila Brasiliero. As the name suggests, the country of origin is Brazil. This breed evolved through the need of the Brazilian colonists for a strong, hardy, working dog, and the first records of early Fila type dogs can be dated as far back as 1671. Environment as well as necessity played a part in the formation of the Fila breed, but just exactly which breeds went into the makeup of the Fila is unknown.

Most enthusiasts agree that the breed has strong influence from Bloodhounds, Mastiffs, herding dogs and Bulldogs. It is also believed by some that the Fila Terceirense may have played a part in the early formation of the Fila Brasiliero.

The Mastiff Influence

The Mastiff influence is clearly visible in the large head, short neck, curved croup, size, substance and protectiveness of Filas today. Ancient mastiffs were commonly used in battle and for hunting large game and the Fila’s talents in these fields have been appreciated both by the Brazilian Army and by large game hunters. The ancient Mastiff war dogs would rear up on their hind legs in battle to challenge their foe, and if you watch the Temperament Tests of today’s Fila Brasileiro, you’ll see them launch straight up towards their their attacker. The Fila Brasiliero also shares the same basic coat colors as the Mastiff, as well as his black mask.

The Bulldog Influence

An ancient bulldog known as the Engelsen Doggen or Bullenbeisser brought to Brazil in 1600’s is also believed to have contributed a great deal to the Fila Brasiliero. They had a longer nose than we associate with the bulldog today and many exhibited an undershot bite to assist in biting and holding. These dogs were well known and revered for their stubborn tenacity and fighting ability as well as for their hunting ability. From these bulldogs the Fila Brasiliero inherited their aggressive temperment, stubbornness and tenacity. Some of the physical traits can still be seen today, such as the rose ear, the slope which rises from the shoulders to the croup and coat colors. The piebald coat pattern which crops up every so often is said to originate with Bulldog.

The Bloodhound Influence

Bloodhounds passed their low set ears, loose skin to the Fila, along with pear shaped heads and the pronounced occiput. They were also responsible for the pendulous lips with hanging flews and dewlaps, pacey gait and extraordinary scenting and tracking ability. Surprisingly, Bloodhounds were also responsible for some of the legendary Fila “Ojeriza” … Bloodhounds can be extremely leery and distrustful of strangers, prefering to form strong attachments to their own family to the exclusion of all others. That irresistible melancholy look so beloved in the Fila and the hound like bay that rises in tone is a direct contribution from the Bloodhound.

The Fila Terceirense Influence

There is a strong possibility that the Fila Terceirense or Fila de Teceira had some influence on the early Fila Brasileiro. In the early 20th century many people emigrated from the Azores Islands to Brazil, taking with them their working dogs, among which was the Fila da Terceira or Rabo Torto. The most immediately identifying characteristic of this breed is it’s twisted tail, and even today some Fila Brasileiros still have a characteristic kink in the tail. The Fila da Terceira was used as a bulldog by cattlemen in the 1800’s and later as a herder and livestock guardian by shepherds. Influence from this breed helps explain the Fila Brasiliero as a natural herder and drover. To be able to handle wild and aggressive cattle in wide open expanses it took an exceptionally talented herding dog.

Until the latter half of the 20th Century the Fila Brasileiro was considered first and foremost a working dog, and was bred for utility. By the early 20th century the Fila was considered an established breed, but an attempt to cross them with Great Danes in the 1930’s was scrapped when the outcross proved detrimental to the temperament and working ability.

Again in the 1970’s when exporting Filas became popular and lucrative the desire was for a larger more massive dog, and many breeders in Brazil started outcrossing to Neopolitan Mastiff, Old English Mastiff and Great Dane to better fit the market demands. The results were significant changes to the size, conformation and temperament of these lines, and this can still be seen in popular bloodlines in the USA today, to the degree that many newcomers to the breed believe this is what the original Fila Brasileiro looked and acted like.

The first Fila Brasileiros were officially registered in 1946, with the first official breed standard developed by Dr. Rathsam, Dr. Ebner and Dr. Paulo Santos Cruz in 1968. The standard has changed since then, with the most recent being released in 2004.

For a more detailed history, check the links below.

References:

1. Wikipedia
2. The Fila Brasileiro Guide by Clelia Kruel
3. O Grande Livro Fila Brasileiro by Procopio do Valle
4. Fila Brasileiro: A Comprehensive Owner’s Guide by Yvette Uroshevich