Dogo Argentino |
Other names | Argentine Dogo Argentinian Mastiff |
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Nicknames | Dogo |
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Country of origin | Argentina |
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Dog (Canis lupus familiaris) |
The Dogo Argentino (also known as the Argentine Dogo) is a large, white, muscular dog that was developed in Argentina for the purpose of big game hunting, primarily cougar and wild boar. It was first bred in the 1920s or '30s from the Cordoban Fighting Dog.
Appearance
The Dogo Argentino is a large white short-coated dog with a smooth muscular body that rarely has any markings. Its height is about 62 cm (24.3 inches) at the withers for male dogs and 60 cm (23.5 inches) for female dogs. The maximum height is about 68.5 cm (27 inches). The length of the body is just slightly longer than the height, but females may be somewhat longer in body than male 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 has a broad, slightly domed skull and the muzzle is slightly higher at the nose than the stop, when viewed in profile. The tail is set low, thick at the base and tapers to a point.
The Dogo experiences pigment-related deafness. There is an approximately 10% deafness rate overall with some dogos afflicted unilaterally (one deaf ear) and some dogs bilaterally (deaf in both ears.
Temperament
Dogos are game hunters and are sometimes trained for search and rescue, police work . Due to their physical capabilities, they are not common family pets, though they are sometimes kept by experienced dog handlers.
Dogos Argentinos are protective of what they perceive as their territory and will guard it against any intruder. They get along with other dogs as long as they have been properly socialised, but will usually not tolerate another dog trying to assert dominance over them and might not coexist peacefully with another dominant breed of dog. They can develop an aggressive or dominant temperament if not socialised with other dogs at an early age, particularly with other dogs of the same sex.
Fighting and legality
The Dogo Argentino was bred primarily from the extinct Cordoba Fighting Dogwas bred to reduce certain aggressive traits inherent in the Cordoban Fighting Dog, specifically its lack of ability to hunt cooperatively in a pack, as the breed was intended to function as a cooperative pack hunter. In particular areas of the world where dog fighting as a bloodsport remains culturally acceptable, Dogos Argentinos have been used for fighting. Dogos of these lines are extremely aggressive and not suited for big game hunting, unlike the original Dogo Argentino breed .