Argentine Dogo

Other Breeds

Keeshond   |   Palomino   |   Pig – Pot Bellied   |  

Alternative Name

Dogo Argentino Argentinian Fighting Dog (nick Dogo)

Basic Info

The Dogo Argentino also known as the Argentine Dogo is a large, white, muscular dog that was developed in Argentina for big game hunting. The Dogo Argentino is a large, white, short-coated dog with a smooth, muscular body, displaying both power and athletic ability. The length of body is just slightly longer than tall, but bitches may be somewhat longer in body than dogs. The length of the front leg (measured from point of elbow to the ground) is approximately equal to one-half of the dog's height at the withers. The head is powerful with a broad, slightly domed skull and a powerful muzzle that is slightly higher at the nose than the stop, when viewed in profile. Ears may be cropped, or hang naturally, close to the skull. The relatively short tail is set low, thick at the base and tapers to a point. The Dogo Argentino should be evaluated as a hunting dog, and exaggerations or faults should be penalized in proportion to how much they interfere with the dog's ability to work.

Health

N/A

Habitat

Argentina

Behavior

Dogos are known for being extremely loyal and affectionate with their families and crave attention from their owners. They are excessively tolerant of children, due to the dogs high pain tolerance derived from selective breeding to be a big game hunter. They are protective of what they perceive as their territory and will guard it without fear against any intruder. They get along with other dogs, as long as they have been properly socialized but will usually not tolerate another dog to trying to assert dominance over them and might not coexist peacefully with another dominant breed of dog. However, dog aggression is not desirable in the Dogo Argentino breed, as it is at odds with their intended purpose as a pack hunter.

Origin

Argentina

History

In the 1920s in Argentina, Antonio Nores Martinez started breeding a dog intended to not only be a pet and family guardian, but also a hunting dog capable of taking on big game such as wild boar and jaguars. Martinez picked the Cordoba Fighting Dog to be the base for the breed. The breed is extinct today but was described as a large and ferocious dog that was both a great hunter and fighter. With the Cordoba Fighting Dog as the base, he then crossed in Great Dane, Boxer, Spanish Mastiff, Old English Bulldog, Bull Terrier, Great Pyrenees, Pointer, Irish Wolfhound and Dogue de Bordeaux. Martinez kept improving the breed via selective breeding to introduce the traits that were desired. The first standard for the breed was written in 1928.

Common Foods

pellet dog food