Dogo Argentino: Origin, Personality, Fitness & Health

(Argentine Dogo, Dogo)

Group: The Argentine Dogo is classified under the Mastiff group. It has been given the Working Group designation.

Also Known As: Argentine Dogo is also known as Dogo Argentino and Argentinian Mastiff. It is commonly referred to by its nickname Dogo.

About Argentine Dogo

Origin and History of the Breed The Argentine Dogo breed was developed in the 1920s in Argentina. Dr. Antonio Nores Martinez had given rise to this breed. The objective of the breeding endeavor was to create a dog that could be a good pack hunter and guardian and could also be trusted with the family. The Cordoba Fighting Dog was chosen as the base for the breed. Upon crossing it with Great Dane, Boxer, Spanish Mastiff, Old English Bulldog, Bull Terrier, Great Pyrenees, Pointer, Irish Wolfhound and Dogue de Bordeaux the Argentine Dogo was finally created.

The Dogo’s features suitably met the initial expectations of Dr. Martinez and also turned out to be a worthy guide dog.

It also proved to be successful in military and police work.

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A General Description of the Breed

The Argentine Dogo is a graceful dog having a smooth and muscular body. It is large in size and has superior athletic abilities. The dog has got very strong and tenacious jaws. It has got a short, sleek, glossy, thick and white coat that is capable of reflecting heat. It does not have an undercoat. The length of the body of the Argentine Dogo is slightly longer than tall. The females are found to be somewhat longer in body than the males.

The skull is slightly domed and massive in size and the front of the dog’s head is convex with a moderate stop. The muzzle is powerful and is slightly higher at the nose than at the stop. The skull and the muzzle are of nearly the same length. It is customary to keep the ears of the dogs cropped. However, they may also be allowed to hang naturally- close to the skull. The eyes of the dog are dark brown or dark hazel in color and one can find an alert, intelligent and intense expression in them. The nose is black. The Argentine Dogo’s chest is wide and deep. This makes it look strong. The neck skin is loose and this offers protection during hunts. The tail is relatively short. It is set low and is thick at the base and tapering. It reaches to the hock. The tail is never carried over the back of the dog. When excited, however, the dog can swing its tail and carry it high.

Height

Heights of Argentine Dogos vary between 23.5 inches and 27 inches.

Male dogs: 24.3 inches
Female dogs: 23.5 inches.

Weight

Argentine Dogos’ weights vary between 75 pounds and 100 pounds.

Personality

Temperament of the Breed

Argentine Dogos are affectionate dogs. They are loyal to the members of the families that keep them as pets. They crave for attention and seek a firm and consistent but loving hand to take care of them. The Dogos are playful and intelligent creatures. They love to kiss and cuddle with the members of the household where they are kept. They have high pain bearing capacities and are tolerant towards children who may playfully cause them pain.

The Dogos act protectively about what they perceive as their territory and guard this fearlessly. If properly socialized from young age, especially with dogs of the same sex, then they can get along pretty well with other dogs later. However, that does not ensure that they will never pick up fights with other dogs trying to assert dominance over them.

The Argentine Dogo is exceptionally skilled in hunting, tracking, acting as a watchdog, guarding, police work, military work and narcotics detection.

Better suited to outdoor or indoor lifestyle?

Argentine Dogos can be kept in apartments provided they get enough exercise. It is best for the dog if the home has a yard of average size. It is important to bear in mind that even though the Dogo can be kept outside the home at other times it needs to be brought indoors in case temperatures drop below freezing point.

How active is the breed?

The Argentine Dogo needs to be exercised regularly. A daily long walk or jog will meet the exercising requirements of the Dogo.

Grooming

The nails of Dogos grow pretty fast. Hence these need to be frequently clipped. The dog is an average shedder and the single white coat is easy to care for. It does not emit doggy odor too.

Health and Care

Though the Argentine Dogo is generally considered to be a healthy dog breed, yet, like other breeds the Dogo too may be having certain genetic disorders. Deafness is a problem especially associated with white dogs like the Dogo. The Dogo may be born partially or completely deaf. Thus it is important for all Dogos to be BAER (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response) tested. Hip Dysplasia is yet another disorder of Dogos that needs to be checked out.

Life Expectancy

Dogos live for around 10 or 12 years.