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Dogo Argentino
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What is a Dogo Argentino?
The Dogo Argentino is a working dog that originated in Argentina in the 1920s. It was bred as a pack-hunting, big-game hunter by mixing the extinct Old Córdoba Fighting Dog with other breeds. The Dogo Argentino is known for its muscular build, short, white coat, and strength.
Because of its potentially aggressive nature, the Dogo Argentino needs an experienced, firm, and consistent owner. It is a loving and loyal dog that requires frequent exercise and mental stimulation. The Dogo Argentino can be prone to pigment-related deafness and canine hip dysplasia.
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Where did the Dogo Argentino originate?
The Dogo Argentino originated in Argentina in the 1920s. It was created by Argentinian physicians Antonio and Agustin Nores Martinez by mixing the extinct Old Córdoba Fighting Dog with several other breeds. The Dogo Argentino is the national dog of Argentina and was developed to hunt big game. The Argentine Kennel Club recognized the Dogo Argentino in 1964, the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 2020, and the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) in 1973.
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What does a Dogo Argentino look like?
The Dogo Argentino is a muscular working dog with a short, sleek, white coat, and sometimes a colored eye patch. They typically stand 24 to 26.5 inches (61 to 67 cm) tall at the withers and weigh 80 to 100 pounds (36 to 45 kg). Traditionally, their ears are cropped where it is legal, otherwise, they have drop ears.
Developed in Argentina in the 1920s, the Dogo Argentino was bred as a pack-hunting, big-game hunter by crossing the extinct Old Córdoba Fighting Dog with several other breeds, such as the Great Dane and Bull Terrier. The Argentine Kennel Club recognized the Dogo Argentino in 1964, and the American Kennel Club (AKC) did so in 2020.
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What was the Dogo Argentino originally bred for?
The Dogo Argentino was originally bred in Argentina in the 1920s by brothers Antonio and Agust\u00edn Nores Martinez physicians. They created the breed as a pack-hunting, big-game hunter by mixing the extinct Old C\u00f3rdoba Fighting Dog with several other breeds. The Old C\u00f3rdoba Fighting Dog was mixed with breeds such as the Pointer, Great Dane, Pyrenean Mastiff, Bull Terrier, Boxer, and Bulldog. The Dogo is known for its strength and sleek white coat.
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What kind of temperament or personality does a Dogo Argentino usually have?
The Dogo Argentino is known to be a tough breed and not recommended for inexperienced or casual owners. They need an experienced owner who can be firm, confident, consistent, and careful. This is because they can be aggressive towards unfamiliar dogs, people, and even familiar dogs. However, despite their tough nature, they can be loving, loyal, and demonstrative companions that enjoy close contact.
Breeders suggest getting a Dogo Argentino as a puppy to establish a respectful relationship and begin obedience training. The breed is fairly active and benefits from activities to keep it occupied. Also, the Dogo is not known to bark frequently. The Dogo Argentino was recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 2020.
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What special care or training might a Dogo Argentino need as a pet?
The Dogo Argentino needs an owner who is experienced, firm, confident, consistent, and careful due to the breed's potential aggression towards unfamiliar dogs, people, and even familiar dogs. It is not recommended for inexperienced owners, children, or seniors.
Dogos benefit from activities that engage their minds and bodies, such as games, agility, obedience, and scent work, in a securely fenced yard. Coat care is minimal, needing only occasional bathing and brushing.
Because pigment-related deafness has been reported in the breed, brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) testing is recommended for all puppies. Also, puppies should be raised on large-breed puppy food to lessen the risk of dysplasia. Because of its potentially aggressive nature, the Dogo Argentino is not a dog for dog parks.
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Dogo Argentino, breed of working dog created in Argentina in the 1920s as a pack-hunting, big-game hunter. The Dogo Argentino was developed by two brothers, the Argentinian physicians Antonio and Agustín Nores Martinez, mixing the extinct Old Córdoba Fighting Dog (bred and trained to fight to the death) with several other breeds. The dog is noted for its strength and is recognized by its short and sleek white coat, colored eye patch, and powerful, muscular build. The ears are traditionally cropped in countries in which it is legal to do so; they are drop-eared when natural. Because of the Dogo’s reputation as a potentially dangerous breed, it is banned, restricted from importation, and requires special dispensation in several countries.
- Also called: Dogo, Argentine Dogo, Argentinian Mastiff
- Breed group: Working
- Height at withers: 24–26.5 inches (61–67 cm)
- Weight: 80–100 pounds (36–45 kg)
- Life span: 9-15 years
- Did you know?: The Dogo is the national dog of Argentina and was developed from a combination of several breeds to hunt big game. Dogos are banned or are illegal to own in several countries because of their potentially dangerous temperaments and their past reputation as fighting and hunting dogs.
Origins and history
The Mastiff-like Viejo Perro de Pelea Cordobés was used for pit fighting and for bringing down large ferocious prey. However, since that breed was so aggressive that it was difficult to own, the Nores Martinez brothers mixed it with several breeds, including the Pointer to improve scenting ability, the Great Dane to increase height, the Pyrenean Mastiff for a calmer temperament, the Bull Terrier for white coat color, the Boxer for agility and personality, and the Bulldog for increased jaw strength. Later, the Dogo was the subject of a national magazine article and gained particular notice when Antonio Nores Martinez pit his Dogo against a boar and a puma—and the Dogo won. After Antonio Nores Martinez’s death in 1956, Agustín Nores Martinez traveled extensively as Argentina’s ambassador to Canada, allowing him to promote the breed to a global audience.
The Argentine Kennel Club recognized the Dogo Argentino in 1964; the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) in 1973; and the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 2020. Introduced to the United States in 1970, it became popular with hog hunters in the western part of the country. With AKC recognition and exposure to more people, the Dogo became an instant hit with those wanting a notoriously tough dog with sleek, good looks. The Dogo Argentino belongs to the AKC Working group and to the FCI group 2 Pinscher and Schnauzer–Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattledogs, in the Mastiff subtype.
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Care and upkeep
The Dogo is not a dog for dog parks because of its potentially aggressive nature. It needs frequent exercise, which can be aided by a secure fenced yard in which to run and supplemented with leash walks and other activities such as games, agility, obedience, scent work, and other activities that engage both its mind and body. The Dogo enjoys playing with a ball or a disc, but it may not retrieve them. Coat care is minimal, consisting of occasional bathing and brushing. It does not like extreme cold or extreme heat. As a breed susceptible to canine hip dysplasia, puppies should be raised on a large-breed puppy food, which slows the rate of growth and lessens the risk of dysplasia. Brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) testing, a common test used to evaluate hearing in domestic animals, is recommended for all puppies, as pigment-related deafness is reported in the breed.
Temperament
The Dogo is among the toughest of breeds, and it is not a breed for inexperienced or casual dog owners. It requires an experienced owner who is firm, confident, consistent, and careful, since the breed may be aggressive toward strange dogs and people and even familiar dogs. Because of its strength, the Dogo is not a good choice for children or seniors; however, it is a good watchdog and protection dog.
Despite its tough nature, it is a loving, loyal, and demonstrative companion that likes close contact. Breeders suggest getting a Dogo as a puppy so that the new owner can establish a respectful relationship and initiate an obedience regime. The breed is fairly active and does best when given activities to occupy it. It is not a prolific barker.
These are well established and widely accepted generalizations about the breed. Individual dogs may differ in behavior and temperament.
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