Character and Strength of Argentine Dogo Breed

The origin of the Argentine dogo dog breed, as one can tell from its name, is Argentine and is also fairly recent. We speak of the first decades of the 20th century, when Antonio Nores Martinez, together with his brother Augustin and father Antonio, set out to create a dog suitable for hunting big game in the Argentine pampas. It had to be very brave, combative, powerful and strong as it would have to deal with pumas, peccaries and wild boars.

From various crosses in 1928, the ‘Argentine dogo’ breed was born, whose standard was published in 1947 and official recognition in 1964. Many cross-breeds were made; one speaks of the perro de Pelea Cordobes, (a local dog, a specimen of great power and uncommon strength) with bulldogs, bull terriers and mastiffs, breeds that contributed to the fighting touch. For hunter temperament, the Great Dane, the Dogue de Bordeauz, the Pyrenean mountain dog, the Irish Wolfhound and the Pointer.

He chose totally white specimens for breeding, without prognathism, with a heavy head and long muzzle. It took many years and a lot of cross-breeding to arrive at the current Argentine dogo.

In its country of origin it is mainly used for hunting, in which it is distinguished by its good sense of smell, its courage and endurance, its speed and its sure and firm grip. In many other parts of the world it is bred mainly as a defence and guard dog.

It should be noted that this breed was listed as a dangerous dog breed, but was removed from that list by an ordinance of 3 March 2009.

Character of the Argentine Dogo dog breed

Despite being selected for years as a fighting dog, the Argentine dogo is a very sweet, affectionate, family-oriented animal that loves children and games. It is a very balanced, intelligent dog that knows how to carefully examine and assess all situations. The protective instinct that this dog has towards his master and his family unit really has no boundaries. In fact, it is one of the best guard and defence dogs, very courageous and fearless.

As far as its training is concerned, proper socialisation must be given already as a puppy. It is advisable to socialise him from an early age with as many people and animals as possible. It is in fact not a dog suitable for beginners, as it is very intelligent and also very cunning, and needs an owner with a pulse to keep it straight. And this is also essential with regard to its size and mighty form, which are difficult to manage and control. With strangers he is normally suspicious and even with other dogs he does not get along with everyone, even if socialised. It is therefore not a dog to be taken to a park or dog area, because with Argentine dogo dogs, risky situations should be avoided.

It can also live in a flat, but it must be ensured adequate daily exercise. If, however, you have a garden, you must avoid leaving it alone outside all the time. Alone, he tends to get bored and very sad.

Appearance of the Argentine Dogo dog breed

The Argentine Dogo is a medium to large dog. The height at the withers for a male is 62 to 68 centimetres and weighs 45 to 50 kilograms, the female usually a little less.

The appearance of this dog is athletic and of harmonious proportions. It is very muscular and robust, agile and its outward appearance gives the feeling of power, great strength and energy, while its expression is usually friendly and tame. His bone structure is also powerful and massive.

His movements are agile and confident, but also shrewd and guarded. The fierceness of his bearing and the agility of his movements is underlined by his shoulders, which are high, strong and muscular.

The limbs are straight and well aligned, the hind limbs have very muscular thighs. The shoulders are strong, with considerable muscle relief. The tail is large and long, sabre-shaped and at rest naturally drooping.

The skull is massive and convex in the anterior-posterior and transverse directions. The muzzle is powerful, somewhat longer than high, well developed in width. The eyes are small, usually dark or hazel, very far apart, as are the ears, which are attached high on the head and well separated from each other due to the width of the skull. The natural ear, i.e. uncut, is worn drooping and well set against the back of the cheeks, when upright it becomes semi-right. The most noticeable thing are the jaws, which are somewhat intimidating, and are strong and well stretched, without upper or lower prognathism.

The coat of the Argentine Dogo is short and smooth in general, although the density and thickness vary depending on the climate. The colour is always pure white. It can sometimes be found with a black spot on the head.

Health and care of the Argentine Dogo dog breed

This breed generally enjoys good health if it is tested and well fed. It may, however, have skin problems, in particular it is prone to various types of dermatitis. Being large in size, it is often prone to rapid growth and may be predisposed to hip dysplasia and stomach torsion. Another problem that can afflict the Argentine dogo is deafness. The average life span of the dogo is 12 to 13 years.

As far as its nutrition is concerned, this must be taken care of especially during the first months of life. It grows very quickly in the first months, so it is very important that it does not lack the right nutrients to support its development.

For coat care, on the other hand, there is very little to do. Just brush him once a week to remove dead hair and bathe him if he really needs it. He has moderate hair loss.