Argentine Dogo

Breed Rating

Breed Details

General

The Argentine Dogos (also known as Argentino Dogo or Argentine Mastiff) are large, white and muscular dogs developed in Argentina. They are bred for big-game such as hunting, including wild boar and puma. They are also called Argentine Mastiff and Dogo Argentino.

These dogs are naturally robust, very intelligent and have a quick response as of a serious athlete. Their short, plain and smooth coat is completely white although a dark patch around the eyes is allowed as long as it does not go more than 10% of the head.

The Dogo is cheerful, humble and friendly dog. They don't bark so much and are never aggressive. They are very affectionate to their family and love children. This dog needs extensive daily exercise to keep their athletic condition and pleasant disposition. Grooming for them are fairly easy. They need proper leadership and sufficient exercise to make living with these dogs a delight.

Color

The dog's coat can only come in White.

Coat

The dog's coat is uniform, plain, short and smooth to the touch. It has an average length of 1/2 to 1 inch. Variable density and thickness depends on different climates. The coat becomes sparse and thin in tropical climates. On the other hand, the cold climate the coat becomes thicker, denser and can present an undercoat.

Personality

The Dogos are specifically bred to be vicious hunters and go home to the hunter's family and be gentle with them. They are very protective of their territory and will fiercely guard it against intruders. If given proper socialization, they can get along well with other dogs. However, if another dog will try to assert dominance over them, they will not tolerate it. Thus, they might not be able to coexist peacefully with another strong breed. Because of their physical capabilities, they are not commonly taken as family dogs but they can be for the experienced dog owners.

Care

The Argentine Dogo's single white coat is very easy to care for. Brushing should be done weekly to remove loose and dead hair while the nails are kept trimmed. Bathing should be done only when necessary to keep the coat's natural oils. Use only gentle shampoos or the ones that are made for white coats. Their skin can be sensitive to sunburns although their coat deflected the heat, make sure that they are in shaded areas when outside. They are generally a healthy dog breed but they can be prone to hip dysplasia and pigment-related deafness. Overall the Dogos, there is the 10% possibility of deafness rate of one deaf ear and some deaf in both ears. Studies show that the deafness occurrences reduce when the only breeding stock used is that with bilaterally normal hearing.

Training

This dog needs socialization and obedience training as early as possible. They are highly intelligent dogs. Thus, training should be done with love, firmness, fairness, respect and consistency. Positive reinforcement and motivation works well for them. They can become stubborn from forced training. The Argentine Dogo excels at agility trials, guide dogs, police dogs, tracking, search and rescue, bomb detection, drug detection, support dogs, therapy dogs and similar occupations.

Activity

These dogs thrive on vigorous exercise and athletic activity. Although not recommended, they can do fine in an apartment if they are given enough exercise and activities. They can also drain their energy in an average-sized yard but make sure that it is securely fenced. They are wonderful walking and jogging companions as long as you keep them on a leash. Insufficient exercise will brought about destructive behaviors because of boredom.