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The Dogo Argentino also known as the Argentine Dogo or the Argentinian Fighting Dog is a large, white, game-bred, muscular dog that was developed in Argentina for big game hunting.
Appearance: 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.
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.
Hunting/Working: Dogo Argentinos are accomplished
hunters, and are widely used today, mainly in South America
and Texas. They are first and foremost a hunting dog, but are
also used as a tracker, as a fighting dog, as a guard dog and
for general police work including narcotics detection. They
are even occasionally used as a guide dog.
Fighting: The Dogo Argentino was bred specifically
to avoid the dog aggression problems inherent in the Cordoba
Fighting Dog when applied to hunting, specifically its lack of
ability to hunt in a pack. The creators of the breed intended
that great care be taken to prevent this undesirable trait
from manifesting in the Dogo Argentino, as the breed was
always intended to be a pack hunter.
However, in South America (and to a lesser extent in North
America) these dogs are widely being bred for the sole purpose
of dog fighting by certain highly organized groups and
individuals. The Dogos of these lines are extremely dog
aggressive and not suited for big game hunting.
Additionally, the Dogos of these bloodlines are sought
after for dog fighting because they combine strength and a
willingness to continue fighting despite substantive injury,
such as, ripped flesh, dehydration, exhaustion or broken bones
(gameness). These Dogo Argentinos are somewhat smaller than
ones used for big-game hunting (Dogos involved in dog fighting
are often between 75 and 90 lb.) In some rare cases, they are
cross-bred with the American Pit Bull Terrier to enhance their
fighting abilities.
So Dogos can develop an extremely aggressive or dominant
temperament if not socialized with other dogs at an early age,
particularly with other dogs of the same sex, but can be
trained by an experienced handler.
Temperament: 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.
Movies: Carlos Sorín's 2005 film "Bombón (el
Perro)" 2005, set in Patagonia, finds an unemployed man
have his luck change after being given a dogo for a good turn
and a fine specimen is shown at home and on exhibition.
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