Argentina’s Hunting Dog
The Argentine Dogo is a large, muscular dog that was developed in the South American country of Argentina for big game hunting. Unfortunately throughout the years it has also become a well-known fighting dog. This has led to the Argentine Dogo to be an illegally owned pet in various p
arts of the world, such as the United Kingdom.Argentine Dogos are large, white, short-coated dogs with highly muscular bodies. At the minimum height males stand at 24 inches at the withers, while the females stand at 23 inches, however the maximum height can reach as tall as 27 inches. Ears are sometimes cropped, but will also be left to hang naturally.
Argentine Dogos are normally evaluated as hunting dogs, and continually bred for the same results. In the 1920s an Argentine man by the name of Antonio Martinez started breeding a dog for the roles of pet, family guardian, and hunting dog capable of taking on large game such as wild boar and jaguars. Martinez started with the now extinct Cordoba Fighting Dog as his base for the breed. This bred was known to be a large ferocious hunting and fighting dog. Later the dogs were crossed with many breeds, which include, but are not limited to, the Great Dane, Boxer, Spanish Mastiff, and Irish Wolfhound. Martinez continued his selective breeding until the first standard for the Argentine Dogo was written in 1928.
The Argentine Dogo was specifically bred to avoid the dog aggression problems that were found in the Cordoba Fighting Dog, one reason being its inability to hunt in a pack. Unfortunately, these dogs are now being bred by many for the sole purpose of dog fighting. These dogs will continue fighting despite substantial injury, making them highly sought after for this purpose. The Argentine Dogo has even been imported to the United States for dog fighting as well, where it is illegal.
Argentine Dogos are loyal and affectionate with their families. They do well with children because of their high pain tolerance and are protective of their territory and people without fear. Dogs get along well with other pets as long as they have been socialized by a young age. Any type of aggression is not desirable within the Argentine Dogo, despite the breeding that is being done by dog fighting rings.
