The Fila Brasileiro () is a Brazilian breed of large working dog of mastiff type.
It is used as a guard dog, for cattle herding and for big-game hunting; it may also be kept as a companion dog or pet. In the eighteenth century, when slavery was still legal in Brazil, the Fila Brasileiro was used to return escaped slaves to their owners.
Etymology
The verb "filar" in Portuguese literally means "to hold, arrest, grab". So "cão de fila" (fila dog) or "cão de filar" suggests that it is a catch dog, a dog that "bites and does not loosen its grip". A similar name is also found in two Portuguese dog breeds: the Cão de Fila de São Miguel and the extinct Cão de Fila da Terceira.
History
thumb|Dogs hunting a [[jaguar in Brazil, by Maximilian zu Wied-Neuwied.]]
The Fila Brasileiro is thought to descend from European dogs brought to Brazil during the Colonial period, with little or no influence from indigenous South American dogs from the Pre-Cabraline era.
The Fila Brasileiro were bred and raised primarily on large plantations and cattle farms where they originated. In addition to cattle, jaguars, and other animals, these dogs were taught to chase down fugitive slaves. The standard imposed by the CBKC (a club affiliated to the FCI) is the most popular in the world, but it is by far the most distant from the appearance of the old dogs of four decades ago.
The other two standards are from CAFIB (Fila Brasileiro's Enhancement Club) and AMFIBRA (World Association of Dog Breeders of Fila Brasileiro), respectively. Both are based on the first breed standard elaborated by Paulo Santos Cruz, the man who is considered the "father of the breed".
Legal status
thumb|Fila Brasileiro
In Fiji, the United Kingdom, Norway, Australia, Hong Kong and Cyprus, it is illegal to own any of these dogs without specific exemption from a court. In Turkey, it is illegal to own and breed a Fila Brasileiro. It is automatically classified as a dangerous dog in Trinidad and Tobago, meaning they cannot be imported and males must be neutered.