# Fila Brasileiro Pictures



## Incoherent (Feb 18, 2012)

Hi All,

Had a request for some pictures of my Fila so here is Kaylee. She is going to be 4yrs old in July and comes from excellent working lines. She enjoys long walks in the woods, chasing cows, and well - eating people though she is rarely allowed to do so.

































Bea & Co.


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

She is gorgeous! I've never seen a fila before. Looks sort of like a cross between a mastiff and a bloodhound. 

You mentioned working lines- what work were filas bred for?


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## Incoherent (Feb 18, 2012)

Hi Amaryllis,

Fila's pretty much are a cross between a mastiff, a bloodhound with a few other things thrown in - though they are a pretty old breed! They are one of the few breeds of dog out there that was purposely bred to be people aggressive. There primary job was to chase things Jaguar, Cattle, but mostly people over really rough terrain. They were kept on cattle ranches and sugar plantations where they were used to run down slaves that ran away. Though the name "Fila" means "to hold" - which is what they were suppose to do. They would run a slave (or animal) down, knock it over and grab them by the back of the neck holding them until their handler got there. 

They are a very versatile bred of dog though and now they are used for lots of different things. Herding, Hunting, Carting, Family Guardians, Security dogs for Prisons, Police dogs, Cadaver Search dogs, many things.

When I said working lines on my girl, well - her mother for instance has her champion ship conformation title but is also a champion weight puller, the head dog of a working ranch, and works with the local police department on a regular basis.

They are *amazing* dogs - but they are not for everyone. They are not social dogs, they love their family and that is it. They are not dogs for people who have an active social life. My girl tolerates people because we have done a lot of training and socialization with her but she doesn't like them at all. That being said she is one of the first four filas in the nation to have her canine good citizenship certificate. 

Wow - sorry didn't mean to go off quite so much! I could talk about Filas for hours. 

Bea


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## MATT62485 (Sep 22, 2011)

awesome, the breeder we got our Cane Corso from keeps saying she will own another Fila some day. We decided on a Cane Corso b/c we wanted a breed we could take out and still be social, yet protective when neccessary. Love to meet a Fila someday, they are very rare around here. I see a Corso or two on occassion.


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## +two (Jul 12, 2011)

She is beautiful, for sure. (and congrats on the CGC! My Boy didn't fair so well on the test  )


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

no, ramble on. that's really interesting. i'd only heard mention in passing of filas, but no explanations of their history or purpose.

huge congratulations on the CGC. that can be tough for any breed, let alone one bred for taking down people.


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