Dogo Argentino - breed description and dog character

Dogo Argentino is a four-legged pet with snow-white hair, also known among dog breeders as the Argentine mastiff. This dog got such a nickname for a reason. It is known that the Spanish mastiff was a distant ancestor of a dog of Argentinean breed.

Interestingly, these pets are considered the only dogs that were bred in the open spaces of Argentina. You can describe the nature of this pet with just a few phrases. These dogs are quite powerful and noble animals, they have a peaceful and cheerful character.

Great Dane of Argentina - snow-white property of South Americans

Among dog breeders, it is generally accepted that a dog of this breed is a service dog. By nature, the Argentinean mastiff is a hunter. Therefore, his main task is to hunt wild animals. Wild animals, such as wild boars, are potential prey for the dog. Usually a whole flock of dogs of different breeds goes hunting, but the dogs of the Argentine breed are the most hardy and strong. The dog can pursue prey for a long time, and always wins in combat with the enemy.

The appearance of the dog speaks of its noble roots. Its massive body with strong muscles has an athletic structure. A mastiff is considered a large animal with an equally large head and skull. He has a strong grip, a strong jaw and a massive neck. The coat of these animals is short, has a characteristic white color and glistens in the sun.

The history of the Argentine breed

The origin of the pet has a rather interesting historical fact. Mastiffs entered Argentina around the sixteenth century. It was during this period that the dogs of the Argentine breed began their complete transformation and eventually acquired the appearance that they have in the modern world. A great contribution to the formation of this type of dog was made by the famous Argentinean scientist Antonio Nores Martinez.

Around the turn of the XIX-XX centuries, dog fighting was a popular pastime among the local population of Argentina. The most famous dogs that took part in such fights were snow-white Spanish mastiffs. They were often called Cordoba's fighting dogs. The professor was not a big fan of dog fights, but the dog breeder could not miss this beautiful and noble breed of dogs. Martinez decided to develop a new type of dog with a wide range of positive qualities and characteristics. The scientist wanted the new breed to be universal, and the dogs could be good hunters, watchmen, guide dogs and just pets for their masters.

The professor worked for a long period on selecting suitable candidates for breeding a new breed. Different species of dogs took part in the crossbreeding. Only in the 40th year, the scientist managed to introduce the whole world a new variety of four-legged pets. And already in the 60s, Argentine dogs became widely known among dog breeders. Currently, these pets are considered the only one of its kind, the internationally recognized breed of dogs that were bred in Argentina.

On the nature of the Argentinean Dogs

Argentine dogs are considered bold hunting dogs with a balanced character. They are protectors by nature and serve well, guarding their masters. In addition, these pets are true loyal friends, and can serve as guide dogs for their owners.All these qualities are perfectly combined in a large and formidable breed of Great Danes from Argentina.

Often among dog breeders you can hear such unflattering remarks about Argentinean dogs as the “killer dog”. And indeed, the impressive size, strong jaws and athletic body of these pets - all this looks pretty menacing. Many will think more than once before approaching such a formidable dog. Such an erroneous opinion may develop among those who have never before been acquainted with these four-legged pets. However, the dogs of the Argentine breed are considered very intelligent dogs, therefore, they can be both formidable animals and affectionate, loyal and irreplaceable comrades.

Fact! At first glance, the appearance of the dogs can be dangerous, and the character may appear rude and hostile. However, in reality, these dogs are friendly, open and cheerful animals.

Most hosts respond to these large dogs only on the positive side. There are also negative reviews about this dog breed, however, they appear more often due to improper behavior of the owners themselves when raising dogs.

Argentine dogs harmoniously combine such qualities as courage and devotion to their owners. At the same time, nature endowed these dogs with a real hunting instinct and fighting disposition. There is a belief that the dogs of the Argentine breed are a fighting variety of dogs. Dogs really have excellent physical skills that could allow them to take part in dog fights. However, the pet is considered a very smart dog, which is able to assess the situation. Therefore, rushing into a fight with other dogs, without thinking about the consequences, these animals will not.

Beautiful four-legged pets are very easy to learn teams. It’s enough to train the dog just a few times so that he learns all the training lessons. Also, the Argentines have a very well developed flair and canine instinct. That is why Argentine dogs very often help the police or rescue workers in search operations.

The only negative quality of the Argentinean pet is that the dog constantly strives to dominate. Therefore, a four-legged pet is more likely to find it difficult to get along with other animals in the house. However, the most often aggressive behavior of the Argentine is manifested only in relation to other dogs. To avoid an unpleasant situation, it is better to walk the Argentinean dog in a collar and on a leash.

Relationship with children

If we talk about the attitude of this dog to small family members, then in this case the dogs show themselves complaisant and friendly. The only condition is that babies should not behave aggressively towards the dog. The child must not be allowed to hit the dog, drag by the tail or ears, and aggressively shout at him. The behavior of children should be friendly, then the dog will treat the child with love. Very often you can see the picture when the dog is a full member of the family, shows devotion and love towards the owners.

How to educate and train

According to dog breeders, buying a dog of Argentinean breed is better for those owners who have experience in training and raising dogs. Also, dog lovers who have a large margin of patience can get such a four-legged pet. Even despite the fact that the nature of these animals is quite calm and peaceful, the process of raising these dogs can be accompanied by problems for the owners themselves.

You should start training dogs of this breed from the first days when the puppy appeared in the house. The process of raising dogs must occur in a calm and soft environment. In this case, the owner, who is engaged in dog training, must be firm and persistent. The Argentinean breed of dogs is distinguished by a sharp mind, so pets quickly grasp all the teams on the fly and get used to training.However, even puppies of this breed require a certain motivation for training.

In no case should you apply aggression to these four-legged pets, rudely insult them, beat them, drag them by the ears or tail, punish or speak in raised tones. The dog will not accept this upbringing, and may become embittered by the owner. The fact is that the animal remembers well all the insults caused to it, and can become aggressive and uncontrollable in relation to the offender. But the dogs quickly get used to loving and patient owners, and become loyal friends for the rest of their lives.

From the first days of the appearance of the pet in the house, the owners should try to win the sympathy of their fourth friend. Indeed, by nature, Argentines tend to dominate, therefore, to earn their respect will not work right away. If the owner makes a mistake in raising a dog, and even for one moment ceases to be an authority for a dog, the pet will immediately become uncontrollable and naughty. At the same time, changing the attitude of the pet and adjusting its behavior will subsequently be very difficult. That is why to teach obedience and to build respect for the dog is necessary from a very early age puppy.

Attention should be paid to the individual skills of the dog and its entry into the social environment. You can take a puppy of a dog with you everywhere, introducing you to the world unknown to him. This will help the dog from childhood to get used to new people, children, animals and the surrounding life around him. If the fourth pet has a desire to bite someone or bite, you should stop this behavior from the very beginning. For this, the owner will have enough hardness and rigor to explain to the dog what is bad and what is good.

Do not forget that in order to raise such a large dog, the owners should have at least a little experience in raising animals. The Argentinean constantly requires attention and care. He needs a devoted friend and master, whom he will be devoted to respect and obey. If the owners acquired the dog for the first time, having no experience behind them, then they may have difficulties in raising a dog.

Maintenance and care of Argentinean Great Dane

Four-legged pets of the Argentine breed can easily get along both in a city apartment and in their own house outside the city. The dog is naturally endowed with excellent physical data, has an athletic body structure, so you should not load the dog with strong physical training. However, the Argentinean should not lead an idle lifestyle.

So that the dog does not lie idle and does not die of boredom, you should walk more with the dog in the fresh air, communicate and play with him, teach teams. If you do not occupy your pet, he may have unwanted hobbies and a desire to chew on something. A one and a half hour walk with a dog on the street two times during the day is enough. The Argentinean is a very active pet, so this time will be enough for him to throw all unnecessary energy into a positive direction.

It is not recommended to leave a dog of this breed for a long time without supervision of the owner. The dog can feel free and all its unbridled animal instinct will splash out. A pet can easily chew on wallpaper and furniture, shoes and other things he likes lying on the floor. If other small pets live in the house, then the dog may begin to hunt them.

Caring for the Argentinean dog breed does not require much effort. Argentines are short-haired dogs, so they do not need to bathe and comb a lot. It is quite enough during the molting period to clean and comb out the fallen wool. Also, the dog needs to cut its claws and clean its eyes. Do not forget about the healthy state of the ears of animals. Ear cleaning is usually done once every two weeks.If we talk about bathing Argentinean dogs, then water procedures should not be carried out very often. Otherwise, a pet can get a cold. Of course, this does not apply to the usual cleaning of paws after a walk.

Nutrition

The longevity of the Argentinean breed of dogs directly depends on a proper and balanced diet. The puppies of the Argentine breed have a very good appetite, however, it is not worth overfeeding the dog. When planning the diet of Argentines, you can make a special calculation of the required amount of food. This will help regulate the weight gain in the animal. It is important to consider that the amount of food consumed per day should not exceed 7% of the dog’s body weight. Up to six months, puppies of the Argentine breed can eat up to four times a day. Adult pets have enough two meals a day during the day.

The menu of the fourth favorite must necessarily consist of raw meat. However, meat offal should be served boiled to the dog. In addition, vegetables, cereals and greens are considered an important element in the dog’s diet. It is necessary to feed the dog with healthy cereals and other cereals. The exception is only potatoes. You can also diversify the four-pet's menu with such healthy products as fish, low-fat cottage cheese.

You can not give dogs to eat sweet, smoked, fried, bitter and other harmful dishes. It is also not recommended to feed the dog with products from the owner's table. Useful food for these dogs can be considered high-grade dry food. Dry pet foods are considered balanced, saturated with all the useful vitamins and minerals that are necessary for the proper development of pets. The Argentinean breed is considered very large, so these pets do not suffer from problems associated with the stomach and intestines. Therefore, dry food can also be combined with natural food.

The Argentinean breed of dogs is in good health, so they live on average until the age of 16.

Buying an Argentine Mastiff

If the owners decided to purchase a four-legged pet of this breed, then before buying you should collect as much information as possible about choosing a puppy. Going to the kennel, it is important to immediately find out as much as possible information about the dog from the breeder. You need to ask to show the pet's passport and all the documents attached to it to make sure that the dog is completely healthy, has all the necessary physical qualities and a good pedigree. Only after that you can get acquainted with puppies of this breed.

The puppy's age should be approximately one and a half months. The nursery where the puppies were kept should be clean and dry. The room should be well ventilated. The animal must gain access to the sun and not lie in a draft.

When choosing a dog, you need to focus on its appearance and state of health. The puppy should behave actively, play with the owner, look completely well-groomed and healthy. He must have a good appetite. If the dog keeps aloof, is afraid, looks warily at the future owner or behaves aggressively, then it is better not to buy such a puppy. The four-legged pet should be interested in its future owner, show sympathy for it. But, of course, the future owner himself should be interested in buying a dog.

Also, do not forget that these dogs are considered an expensive breed. Today, the average cost of dogs of this species, with a good pedigree history, varies within 30,000 rubles.

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