Presa Canarios are incredible specimens with the dog world. Large, strong, calm and confident are words most commonly used to describe this breed. The Presa Canario appears to be able to withstand almost anything life throws at them, but how do they handle being alone?
Can Presa Canarios be left alone? As a whole, Presa Canarios can be left alone for short periods of time. Though these dogs have a devoted loyalty to their family, they are also fairly independent and can deal quite well with time spent alone.
Long periods of alone time can however lead to boredom. Presa Canarios not mentally stimulated and left alone for too long will exhibit destructive behaviors. Excessive barking, digging, chewing, and general mischief are all results of boredom or anxiety.
In this post I will cover some of the ways you can ensure your Presa Canario’s time left alone is optimal. Prevention of anxiety and excessive guarding behaviors are important for the general well being of your dog, as well as your home. Let’s dig in.
Do Presa Canarios Have Separation Anxiety?
As a general rule Presa Canarios are not known to have separation anxiety. Presa Canarios are a calm and confident dog that have few problems with solitude. Like any dog however they can develop separation anxiety as puppies. Training from an early age can help alleviate this behavior.
Presa Canarios that do exhibit separation anxiety generally begin doing so from an early age. Working with your puppy to create a calm, relaxed, and enjoyable environment, when you are away, will be required in these cases.
In the next sections I will cover some of those techniques and tips you can follow to avoid your Presa Canario developing separation anxiety.
Is A Presa Canario A Good Guard Dog?
The Presa Canario as a whole is a very good guard dog. The initial intent of this breed was to guard livestock and property. Presa Canarios are confident, alert, and vigilant guard dogs for anything they deem as theirs. Home and the family within their home are guarded with the utmost attentiveness.
For some owners having a vigilant watchdog is an ideal situation. Other owners may find this to be a nuisance, or a potential liability. Leaving your Presa Canario alone can result in excessive guard dog behaviors. Barking and over protective tendencies will develop. But they can be prevented with a few proactive approaches.
Below I will cover some of the techniques you can use to lessen the guard dog behaviors of your Presa Canario, and also help reduce anxious behaviors.
Leaving A Presa Canario Home Alone
Whether your Presa Canario is showing signs of separation anxiety or excessive guard dog behaviors, these are some of the best techniques you can use to lessen both. Applying some or all of these tips will help keep your Presa Canario calm, relaxed, and well balanced while you are away from home.
Give Your Presa Canario Enough Exercise
The Presa Canario needs a moderate amount of daily exercise. When a Presa Canario is not allowed to burn off some of that energy problems can arise. Give your Presa Canario a good walk or run before leaving them alone for the day.
I have always said that a tired dog is a happy dog and the Presa Canario is no exception. Boredom and anxiety are easily alleviated with good amounts of exercise. This will prevent any unwanted and destructive behaviors that your dog may exhibit when left alone with too much energy in the tank.
Crate Train Your Presa Canario
Crate training your Presa Canario from an early age is a good idea. This method is known to help dogs that suffer with separation anxiety. It will also help with excessive guard dog behaviors.
Crates are designed for to give your dog a place they can relax, remain calm, and safety. I have crate trained both of my dogs and separation anxiety never became a major issue. Guarding and excessive barking also never became an issue.
Invest in a good crate for your Presa Canario. I would highly recommend the iCrate by Western Homes. This is my go to crate for my dogs from puppy to adult. The iCrate is safe, sturdy and adjustable as your puppy grows. Presa Canarios get big fast and buying a new crate for each life stage will be expensive. Check out the iCrate on Amazon for more details.
Recommended Crate – iCrate Life Stages
Desensitization Training For Presa Canarios
Along with crate training, desensitization training is also an excellent way to help with separation anxiety and excessive guarding behavior. Showing your Presa Canario that your coming and going from the home is no big deal will allow them to remain calm and not reach a state of high alert and anxiety.
Start with short time intervals of leaving the home and making it a non event. This means no “Bye Baby boy, Mama gonna miss you” and no over excited play either. Simply pick up your keys, ignore your dog, and go. Return in much the same manner in a minute or two.
Ignore any over excited behaviors that happen when you return home. Reward the calm behaviors with some calm affection and a favorite toy or treat. The goal here is to leave calm, arrive calm, and reward calm. Practice this and gradually increase the duration of each exit from your home.
Resources & Reviews – The Best Dog Training Courses, Books, & Tools
Control Your Presa Canarios Environment
Controlling the environment of your Presa Canario will be important to keep anxious and especially over protective behaviors to a minimum. Along with crate training there are a few other tips I can offer to be proactive in keeping a well balanced and calm dog left alone.
One example might be blocking access to windows. If your Presa Canario is on high alert and guarding the home, windows will be an access point they will use to monitor the outside. This means that anything that moves in their field of view will result in barking and guarding behaviors.
Outside noise can also be a trigger for guard dog behavior and anxious behaviors. When this is the case keep your Presa Canario in a quiet spot in your home. Avoiding the distracting sounds can help them better relax and avoid the high alert and anxiety heightening reactions.
Calming sounds and music believe it or not can be very helpful. I have even used soothing music and sounds for my dogs to give them an added layer of comfort in the environment when I am away.
There is some research that shows this can work great for anxious dogs. There are even specific TV programmings for dogs over at DogTV that have become a big hit recently.
Keep Presa Canarios Distracted
Providing distractions and activities for your Presa Canario is another technique you can use. Things like chews, food puzzles, and durable toys are an excellent way for your dog to keep themselves occupied when you leave them home alone.
Chewing behaviors are good when done in the right manner. Dogs use chewing as a way to self soothe and remove anxiety. Food puzzles like Kongs will provide your dog with some added mental stimulation to keep them busy, and tire them out.
Consider getting a few Kongs, and some tough toys and chews for your Presa Canario to occupy themselves with. Removing boredom and giving them an activity will reduce anxiety and guarding behaviors.
Resources & Reviews – The Best 15 Dog Toys & Chews for Aggressive Chewers
Reward Good Behaviors
Always reward the behaviors you want to see more of. When your Presa Canario exhibits calm, relaxed behaviors, reward them for being in that state. When your Presa Canario exhibits anxious or over protective behaviors such as barking, you ignore those behaviors, or redirect them to a positive activity.
Calmly reward your dog and using positive reinforcement is the best way to establish and reinforce wanted behaviors. Do this often and consistently with your Presa Canario to help them understand what you are asking from them.
Consider Supplementation
There are some circumstances that require additional approaches. Calming supplements can be a great option for your Presa Canario when all else has failed or is not quite reaching the desired level.
There have been some great results in the realm of supplementation for anxiety over the years. Things like CBD oil, and herbal chews are just a few of the possible solutions.
There are a variety of chews and treats available to help naturally calm and relax your Presa Canario when they suffer chronic anxiety. Products like PetHonesty premium hemp chews use ingredients like chamomile, melatonin and valerian root in their delicious chew formula.
I have created an excellent resource for CBD Oil For Dogs on my resources and reviews page that will break down the benefits and the best brands on the market to consider for your Presa Canario.
Resources & Reviews – The Best CBD Oil For Dogs
Final Thoughts
Presa Canarios are generally well suited for alone time. But each dog is different. Though the Presa is not prone to separation anxiety, it can develop. Pair this with their instinctual nature as a guard dog and you could have a problem on your hand.
Using these techniques has benefited me personally a great deal. Both of my dogs are able to calmly remain at home alone without any distress, anxiety or guarding behaviors. This didn’t come naturally, it required putting in the work.
Applying these tips in the early years of your Presa Canarios life will reap tremendous benefits for their future. Developing the confidence and calmness needed to be left alone is the ultimate goal with your dog. Use these tips and see for yourself.