Dogo Argentino

Argentine Dogo, Argentinian Mastiff, El Gran Perro Argentino

The Dogo Argentino has become, as a result of many crossbreeds, a superb dog that is elegant, gentle, affectionate and tender. He has great physical strength and a pronounced fighting side. Well educated, trained and socialized, the Dogo Argentino can become the best companion for life.

Height 60 to 68 cm
Weight 40 to 54 kg
Life expectancy 10 to 12 years
Hair Loss Low
Excercise Need High
Home country Argentina

Quick Overview of the Dogo Argentino

Temperament

  • Gentle with all
  • Excellent guardian
  • Non-aggressive, rather dissuasive
  • Dominant towards his peers

Appearance

  • Harmoniously proportioned silhouette
  • Hardy and strong build
  • Powerful and well-developed muscles
  • Flexible and strong skin

Health

  • Robust and strong
  • No particular pathology
  • Hip dysplasia
  • Growth to watch

Temperament of the Dogo Argentino

Very controversial because of his abilities, the Dogo Argentino is balanced and naturally submissive to humans. Gentle with all, he is nevertheless an excellent guardian. However, he is not aggressive but rather dissuasive.

Dominant towards his peers, he is sometimes rowdy with other canine males. He is very docile by nature and his education is easy but must be firm.

dogue argentin personnalité

Breed Appearance

great dane

Of medium size despite the length of his limbs, the Dogo Argentino has a particularly harmoniously proportioned silhouette. His constitution is robust and strong and his muscles powerful and well developed.

It is also easy to see all his strong muscles under his flexible and solid skin. His gait and step are calm but firm. He has a very athletic physique.

Height

Between 62 and 68 cm (24.41 to 26.77 inches) for the male
Between 60 and 65 cm (23.62 to 25.59 inches) for the female

Weight

Between 40 and 54 kg (88.18 to 119.05 pounds) for the male
Between 40 and 54 kg (88.18 to 119.05 pounds) for the female

Color

The dress of the Dogo Argentino is usually white. It can sometimes be spotted with black.

Hair

His short coat is smooth and very soft to the touch. About 2 cm (1 inch) long, its density and thickness can easily vary according to the climate.

Morphology

His almond-shaped eyes are usually a beautiful dark color. His triangular ears are of medium length. They are often cut and erect. His broad nose is black. His large tail is long and naturally drooping.

According to the FCI breeds nomenclature, this breed belongs to group 2, section 2 and is #292

Characteristics of the Dogo Argentino

Does this dog suit your lifestyle?

Every dog breed has its own characteristics. However, the actual character of a dog can vary from one to another within the same breed.

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Life in an apartment
Good first dog
Tolerates solitude
Tolerates cold weather
Tolerates hot weather
Affectionate
Friendly with children
Friendly with strangers
Friendly with other animals
Hair loss
Drooling level
Easy to care for
Robust health
Easy to train
Intelligent
Tendency to bark
Tendency to nibble
Protective
Instinct to hunt
Adventurous spirit
Energy level
Level of intensity
Need for exercise
Playful

Price and monthly budget

Price you can expect to pay for a Dogo Argentino puppy: between and
These prices are indicative and may vary from breeder to breeder
Average monthly budget for a Dogo Argentino:
The monthly budget includes the average expenses for food and hygiene products (grooming, anti-parasite...)

Tips About this breed

Created for hunting in Argentinean territory, the real aptitudes of the Dogo Argentino are now more oriented towards guarding, protecting, searching and companionship.

His elegance and great beauty also make him a very appreciated dog for dog shows.

The Dogo Argentino can live just about anywhere as long as he can benefit from good daily exercise. He lives very easily indoors and needs little space as long as he is close to his own.

Despite his fighting genes with multiple cross-breeding dogs, he is a very gentle animal that loves to be petted and cuddled. His family is very important to him and he protects them at all cost.

He tolerates heat very well but does not like the cold, so he often prefers the cosy interior of the fireplace to the outdoor garden.

As he is dominant by nature, he needs to be well educated to prevent him from becoming aggressive. Socialization must be instilled at a very early age because he has difficulty cohabiting with his peers, especially those of the same sex.

Males tend to fight among themselves unlike females who are quite sociable. The Dogo Argentino is an excellent dog but his strength and physical advantages can become a dangerous weapon if the dog is put in the hands of irresponsible owners.

Keep in mind that the Dogo Argentino must be firmly educated and well controlled by his master because he can be awful for both animals and humans if he is not properly trained.

Health of the Dogo Argentino

He is robust and strong and does not suffer from any particular pathology except for a few cases of hip dysplasia, but the disease is not present in all specimens.

Some cases of deafness were also found in dogs entirely white. They are not frequent or numerous but there are still a few. His growth is to be watched as with all the molossus and his life expectancy is nevertheless appreciable.

GROOMING

He is very easy to maintain and only needs a good brushing from time to time. No other special maintenance is required.

History of this breed

Created at the beginning of the 20th century by the brothers Antonio and Augustin Nores Martinez for big game hunting, he was also adapted for hunting in Argentinean territory.

The two brothers thus opted for the qualities of fighting dogs while improving the physical strength and size of the dog. The Dogo Argentino was a source of income for the poorest and of leisure for the richest.

Hunting being very popular at the beginning of the 20th century and the Nores Martinez brothers passionate about it, they decided to multiply crossbreeding in order to obtain a new breed specifically adapted for hunting. The first breed used was the native breed, the Pero de Pelea del Cordoba.

Many breeds were later added such as the Great Dane, Pointer, Irish Wolfhound, Pyrenean Mastiff, English Bulldog, Dogue de Bordeaux, Bull Terrier, Mastiff and Boxer.

White as a background color was then determined to easily differentiate the dog from potential game and thus avoid shooting the dog instead of the game.

In 1928, the breed received its first standard and the Argentinean Mastiff Club of Cordoba was created in 1969. It was not until 1973 that he was officially recognized by the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale).

From his creation as hunting dog in Argentinean terrain, he has become today an excellent search dog for drugs or buried people, guard dog and much appreciated companion dog. The many crossbreeds have greatly contributed to making him a very exceptional dog.

One Comment

  1. I want to get a guard dog since I’m often not around and the house is empty whenever I go to work. Thanks for letting us know that even though Dogo Argentinos have a gentle temperament, they still make an excellent guardian since they are dissuasive rather than aggressive. I’ll keep this in mind while I look for Dogo Argentino puppies for sale.

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