DOGO ARGENTINO

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY:

 This breed is originally from the province of Córdoba, Mediterranean region of the Argentine Republic. Its creator was Dr. Antonio Nores Martinez, eminent and active surgeon born in Córdoba in 1907 and died in 1956. His work started from the methodical crossing of the “Old Dog of Fight of Córdoba”, an example of great power and strength, product of the crossbreeding that was then done between dogs of the Bulldog and Bull Terrier breeds. He chose completely white specimens for the creation, without prognathism, with a heavy head and a long snout. After an intense and thorough selection and character study in several generations, he achieves his goal by forming several families, always starting from that “Old Dog of Fight of Córdoba”, which initially crossed with the English Bulldog, Great Dane, Mastiff of the Pyrenees, Bull Terrier, Boxer, Pointer, Dogue de Bordeaux and Irish Wolfhound. In 1947 the breed was already created and stabilized geno and phenotypically; for that same year the breed standard is presented at the Hunters Club of the City of Buenos Aires. Its strength, tenacity, smell and bravery make it unmatched among pack dogs for hunting wild boar, peccaries, cougars and other predatory species of agriculture and livestock that inhabit the vast and heterogeneous regions of Argentine territory. This is the traditional activity for which Antonio Nores created this breed. In 1964, it was recognized as a breed by the Argentine Cynological Federation and by the Argentine Rural Society, which opened their “Genealogical Registry”, starting their registration. Recently, in 1973, the breed is accepted by the FCI (International Cynological Federation).

GENERAL APPEARANCE: It is an athletic dog, mesomorphic, of normal type and of harmonious proportions. With powerful musculature, it is agile, its external aspect gives it the feeling of power, energy and strength, contrasting with its expression of friendship and meekness. Completely white, it may have only a dark spot on the skull.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS

. Mesocephalus, the muzzle must be the same length as the skull.

. The height at the withers should be slightly higher than the height of the croup.

. The height of the chest must represent at least 50% of the height at the withers.

. The length of the body must exceed by 10% (no more) the height at the withers.

 BEHAVIOR / TEMPERAMENT: Must be silent, never bark on the trail, good smell, sniffing, agile, strong, rustic and above all brave. It should never be aggressive towards human beings, a characteristic that will be severely observed. It must surrender to its owner unconditionally and without reservations.

HEAD: Mesocephalic type, strong and powerful aspect. Its craniofacial axes are converging.

Skull:  Massive, convex anteroposteriorly and transversely through the reliefs of the masticatory muscles and the nape of the neck. Occipital: Its protrusion is not observed because the powerful neck muscles hide it completely. Stop: Defined, it should not be deep or form right angles.

FACIAL REGION:  Length equal to that of the cranial region, that is, this means that the line that joins the two orbital apophyses of the frontal (bone) is equal to the distance from the occipital and the alveolar border of the upper jaw.

Nose:  Strongly pigmented black, with very wide nostrils.

Muzzle:  The same length as the skull, with its concave top line.

Lips:  Adherent, with free edges, pigmented in black, never pendulous.

Jaws / Teeth:  They are composed of correctly placed jaws, well developed and strong, without prognathism (inferior) or mesognathism (superior prognathism), with healthy, large and normally implanted teeth. Complete dentition is recommended. The bite is scissor (that is, the caudal face of the upper incisors touches the cranial face of the lower incisors, covering them), accepting in forceps (or pincers, that is, the upper incisors are in contact tip to tip with the lower incisors).

Cheeks:  Broad, marked, covered by strong skin, without folds. Well-developed masseters.

Eyes:  Medium size, almond shaped, dark or hazel, with eyelids preferably pigmented in black. Its position is sub frontal, well separated, with a lively and intelligent look, but with a marked hardness at the same time.

Ears:  Of lateral and high insertion, with good separation between both due to the width of the skull. Functionally, they should be cut and erect, in a triangular shape and of a length that does not exceed 50% of the anterior edge of the natural ear pavilion. Without cutting them, they are of medium length, wide, thick, flat and rounded at the tip. Smooth coat, slightly shorter than on the rest of the body, where small, non-punishable spots may appear. Carried naturally pending, covering the back of the cheeks. On alert, they have the ability to semi-erect.

NECK: Thick, arched, with the skin of the throat very thick, forming wrinkles, with smooth folds, but without forming jowls (dewlap). The elasticity of the neck skin is due to the very loose (loose) cellular tissue.

STEM: Rectangular. The length of the body (measured from the tip of the shoulder to the tip of the ischium) can only exceed up to 10% its height at the withers, no more.

Topline:  Higher at the withers and sloping to the croup, gently hanging. Adult specimens have a median canal along the spine, formed by the relief of the spinal muscles. Seen in profile, it should not appear to be yielded.

Withers:  Strong, well-marked and high.

Scapula:  Very strong and with great muscular reliefs.

Loin:  Short, broad, with great musculature.

Croup:  Wide and strong, with a medium slope.

Chest:  Wide and deep. Seen from the front and in profile, the sternum must be below the line of the elbows, thus providing maximum breathing capacity. Long chest, with ribs moderately sprung.

Bottom line and belly:  Slightly retracted over the bottom line of the chest, never tucked up; strong and with good muscle tension.

TAIL: Long, without exceeding the hocks; thick, of medium insertion. At rest, it is observed naturally fallen; in attention or in motion, raised in an arc, with a wide upward curve.

PREVIOUS MEMBERS

General appearance:  straight, well-erected, with short fingers and well joined.

Shoulders:  oblique shoulder blades, with great muscular reliefs, without exaggeration.

Arms:  Humerus of equal length as the scapula, with good inclination.

Elbows:  Robust, covered with a slightly thicker and more elastic skin, without folds or wrinkles. Naturally located against the costal wall.

Forearms:  of equal length than the arms and perpendicular to the ground; with strong and straight bones, with good muscle development.

Carpal joints:  long and in the same line with the forearms; free of over bone relief and roughness.

Pasterns:  Slightly flat, with good bones; viewed in profile, with a slight inclination, but never yielded.

Paws:  with short, tightly joined fingers. With strong, thick and rustic plantar pads; preferably black pigmentation.

POSTERS

General appearance:  muscular, with short metatarsals and tightly closed fingers, without prongs; medium angulation.

Thighs:  proportional to the set. Strong, with important and visible muscle development.

Knees:  With good inclination.

Legs:  slightly shorter than the thighs; strong and muscular.

Hock:  The tarsus-metatarsal joint is short, strong and firm, ensuring the propulsion force of the hind limb. Robust tarsus, with evident hock point. Robust metatarsals, almost cylindrical and upright, without lugs.

Legs:  Similar to the previous legs, although slightly smaller and longer, maintaining the same characteristics.

 GAIT / MOVEMENT: Agile and firm, with noticeable modifications when showing interest in something, moment when it stands up and with quick reflexes, typical of the breed. Step paused. Wide trot, good front suspension and powerful rear propulsion. At the gallop he shows all his energy and develops all the power he has. Its movement is agile and safe in step, trot or canter. It should be harmonious and balanced, showing a solid body construction. A “camel step” (displacement of the two ipsilateral members – on the same side – at the same time) is not accepted, which is considered a serious fault.

SKIN: Homogeneous, thick, but elastic. Adhered to the body by a semi-loose, elastic subcutaneous tissue, without forming wrinkles; except in the throat region, where the subcutaneous cell tissue is looser. Copies with black pigmented lips and eyelids are preferred. Black pigmented skin is not penalized.

Hair:  uniform, short, smooth, with a length of approximately 1.5cm to 2cm. Its density and thickness vary according to the climate.

COLOR: entirely white. Only a black or dark tint on the skull is allowed. It can also be located in one of your ears or around one eye. The size of the stain must keep an adequate proportion, not exceeding 10% of the size of the head. Between two dogs of equal conditions, the judge should always choose the whiter.

SIZE / WEIGHT

Withers height: Males: 60 to 68 cm.

Females: 60 to 65 cm.

Ideal height: Males: 64 to 65 cm.

Females: 62 to 64 cm.

Approximate weight:

Males: 40 to 45 kg.

Females: 40 to 43 kg.

FAULTS: Any deviation from the terms of this standard must be considered a fault and penalized in the exact proportion of its severity and its effects on the health and well-being of the dog and its ability to perform its traditional task.

. Lack of bone-muscular development (weakness).

. Partly pigmented nose in adult specimens.

. Small, weak or sick teeth.

. Presence of entropion or ectropion in your eyelids.

. Round-looking eyes due to the shape of their eyelids; prominent, clear or yellow eyes.

. Barrel chest.

. Keel chest; flat ribs.

. Lack of chest depth, which does not reach the elbow line.

. Lack of angulation of any of its locomotive members.

. Croup higher than withers.

. “Camel pass” movement.

. Males and females whose weight is not adequate to that established in the present (standard) and are not related to their height.

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS

. Aggressiveness or excessive shyness.

. Any dog ​​showing clear signs of physical or behavioral abnormalities must be disqualified.

. Upper or lower prognathism.

. Deafness.

. Lack of typicality.

. For the long.

. Total lack of pigmentation of the truffle in specimens older than two years.

. Brown colored truffle.

. Pendular lip.

. Stains on the coat of the body.

. More than a spot on the head.

. Size smaller or larger than established.

. Different colored or blue eyes.

. Lack of sexual dimorphism.

NOTES:

. Males should have both testicles, normal in appearance, well lowered and accommodated in the scrotum.

. Only dogs that are clinically and functionally healthy and of a typical breed configuration should be used for breeding.