D is for DOGO ARGENTINO

Another animal of which I had no knowledge but find its story very interesting.  Quite fascinating when you consider the trouble Dr Martinez went to in order to breed the type of dog he wanted.

The DOGO ARGENTINO is a large, white, muscular dog.  In 1928 Antonio Nores Martinez, a medical doctor, professor and surgeon set out to breed a big game hunting dog that was also capable of being a loyal pet and guard dog  He picked the Cordoba Fighting Dog to be the base for the breed.  That breed is extinct today but was said to be a large and ferocious dog that was a great hunter.  He crossed it with the Great Dane, Boxer, Spanish Mastiff, Old English Bulldog, Bull Terrier, Great Pyrenees, Pointer, Irish Wolfhound and Dogue de Bordeaux.  Nores Martinez continued to develop the breed via selective breeding to introduce the desired traits.

Its main purpose was big-game hunting, including wild boar and puma and one that would exhibit steadfast bravery and willingly protect its human companion to the death.  It rarely has any markings and any type of marking or spot on the coat is considered a flaw.

Breed standard height: from 23.6 to 25.6 ins (60-65 cm); weight: 40-54 kg.  The length of the body is slightly longer than the height and female dogs may be somewhat longer in the body than male dogs.  The tail is set low, thick at the base and tapers to a point.  This dog has unlopped ears (I hate it when they lop ears and tails and always ask "Why?")

Dogos are big-game hunters and are sometimes trained for search and rescue, police assistance, service dogs, and military work.  As with all breeds, the Dogo Argentino can be good with children, if properly socialised at an early age.

Dodo Argentinos have been bred specifically to allow better socialisation with other dogs and are well suited for group environments.  They get along with other pets in most rural and urban settings ranging from a complete outdoor farm dog to urban housing with a small yard, to crowded apartment buildings.  Because aggressive traits are purposely bred out, attacks on humans or other pets are extremely rare.  This animal has a life expectancy of nine to twenty years.

The Dogo Argentino is banned in certain countries, such as the Ukraine, Iceland, Australia (no wonder I'd not heard of it) and Singapore.  In the United Kingdom, it is illegal to own a Dogo Argentino without lawful authority and the maximum penalty for illegal possession is £5,000 and/or up to six months imprisonment.  Laws vary in the United States, with bans on the breed enacted in Aurora, Colorado (Aurora Colorado removed 7 of 10 breeds from the ban list including the Dogo in 2011), as well as the New York City public housing.

This is a gentle looking female of the species.  (I can't understand if the ferociousness was bred out why these dogs are banned but I guess we have to accept the law in all its forms.)