Dogo Argentino Information

Elite Dogos First Litter

2010-06-08T17:31:00.000-07:00

Check out our new puppies! Born on May 21st 2010

If you are interested in inquiring about these beautiful pups please feel free to contact us at Elite Dogo Breeder

Dogo Argentino Different Types of Ear Cropping

2010-04-18T17:24:00.000-07:00

Different types of crops for your Dogo

1. Battle Crop- You can get this crop if you like the look, however if you are planning on getting your dogo to fight other dogs that is illegal.

2. Short Crop- This is generally used if you plan to big game hunt with your Dogo Argentino.

3. Show Crop- This is the standard ear crop for showing Dogo Argentinos

4. Long Crop- A longer crop is mostly preference, if you like the longer cut rather than the shorter.

What you need to know about getting your Dogo Argentinos Ears Cropped

2010-04-18T17:13:00.000-07:00

If your thinking about getting your Dogos ears cropped then the average age to do it is 7-12 weeks old. During the surgery your puppy will be put under general anesthesia. The veterinarian will then mark where the cuts will be made. Once the surgery has started 2/3 of the Dogos earflap will be removed. What the veterinarian is removing from your Dogo is many of their nerve ending in the ears and acupuncture zones.

After, the part of the ear is removed the veterinarian will then close the raw edges starting at the bottom of the ear and stitch it up. This is a painful operation for your puppy, so do consider that when making your decision.

Once the operation is complete your Dogo Argentinos puppy will then have an aluminum rack or inverted paper cap is attached to the ears to make them stand straight up. This will stay on your dogs head for about 21 days. During the duration of the cap you will need to clean your Dogos ears 2 times a day. To clean them I recommend diluted betadine.

If your Dogos ears develop heavy scrabbling then I would also recommend using an antibiotic ointment. You should apply this to the edges only and avoid the taped areas. Your veterinarian will also recommend pain medication to help with the pain from the operation.

After your Dogo has had his or her surgery I would recommend avoiding re-wrapping the ears because the less disturbance the better the outcome. Suture removal is done after 7 days to avoid scarring of the ears. When having the ears cropped for a great outcome you must keep very good care of the ears.

History about Ear Cropping

2010-04-18T15:51:00.000-07:00

In this article you will learn about the theories and uses ear and tail docking has. History has shown us that Romans did believe that doing this procedure it would prevent their dog from catching rabies.

Then during the middle Ages and through the end of the 1700s, many people believed that by cropping a dog's tail and ears, this would lead to the puppies would be born with those characteristics.

Cropping of a dogs ear was also done for "practical purposes" they would do this if they had a long tail, long floppy ear dog. If they did not crop the ears and tail their dogs ears would not get caught on things while they were out hunting or when working, this would then lead toward your dogo being injured.

They also used to breed dogs specifically for fighting. This gave the opponents’ dog less to grab a hold off and try to rip the ear right off. It would also give your dog a very mean, aggressive look. Nowadays, it is against the law to breed fighting dogs. It is frowned upon in today’s society.

There are also dogs for guarding, when cropping the ears on a guard dog it makes them look like they are in tune to what is going on around them.

Some purposes of cropping dogs’ ears have carried out to today and it is an important part of the breed’s feature for many people, and it is done also for aesthetic reasons (meaning what your dog should look like).

It can also be looked at as a breed’s "trademark" to speak. Sometimes if you want to show your dog then it can be a must in the show ring. Your dog can be banned from a show if this is a requirement.

Cropping your dogs’ ears nowadays it seems to be becoming less and less popular. Cropping your dogs’ ears can be very controversial and it is even banned in some countries, especially through Europe. An interesting fact about ear cropping this is rather interesting, as many of the breeds that typically have the ears cropped, originate from there. In Great Brittan, dogs with cropped ears are actually barred from entering shows.

Show Quality Dogo Argentino "watch out" for these Disqualifications

2010-04-13T21:29:00.000-07:00

If you want to get into showing your Dogo Argentino there are a few characteristics that one should look for before jumping right into the showing world.

Judges look to see if your Dogos lips hang below the lower jaw line. This would be grounds for a disqualification.

Judges also even look at teeth, they inspect for small, weak, and decaying teeth. This is considered a serious fault.

Another disqualification is if your Dogo has an "overshot" or "undershot" bite. An "overshot" bite can also be known as”parrot mouth". This is when the upper jaw of your Dogo extends beyond the lower jaw, this can cause the upper teeth to overlap the lower teeth in their mouth. This prevents their teeth from aligning as they should. The "overshot" bite can create difficulty for your Dogo when they try to grasp with their jaws. In severe cases, the growth of the adult teeth can cause significant injury to the roof of your Dogos mouth. This can make it hard for your Dogo to chew, and make them not want to eat. The "undershot" bite is more commonly scene in breeds such as bulldogs, boxers, etc. This is when the lower jaw protrudes out past the upper jaw.

When looking at your Dogos nose you don't want to see a pure flesh coloured nose. This is also known as a disqualification.

Also when looking at your Dogos eyes they need to be functional, it is a serious fault if your Dogos function of the eyelid or eyelashes are abnormal.

You will be disqualified if your Dogo Argentino eyes are any other colour than very dark brown to dark hazel, they prefer the darker the better. Your Dogos eyes also have to match; they cannot have one eye one colour and the other a different colour.

If your Dogo has bilateral deafness. This is when your Dogo is completely or partly deaf. Unfortunately, if your Dogo has this then they will be disqualified.

A judge does not want to see flat ribs, nor a barreled chest. A "barrel chest" on a Dogo carries excess weight that has no actual benefit. These characteristics if found than it is known as a serious fault.

Another serious fault is having a Dogo with (over-angulation) refereed to as having long hocks.

If your Dogo has a "gay tail" also known as having a tail that is curled over the back this is a serious fault. Your Dogo should carry their tail in a upright position.

Your Dogo will be disqualified if he or she has a long coat. It is the standard to have a short hair coat.

You and your Dogo will be disqualified if he or she has any solid patches of color anywhere except on the head. Your Dogo is only allowed to have one spot of colour on its head and it can only take up 10% of the face.

In the height and weight category it is seen as a very serious faults if your male Dogo is over 27 or under 24 1/2 inches. As for your female Dogo she cannot be over 25½ or less than 23 1/2 inches, also your Dogo cannot be over weight, they must be fit.

Lastly, if your Dogo is viciousness or extremely shy. if your Dogo has Albinism.

How to Train your Dogo for Big Game Hunting

2010-04-12T16:20:00.000-07:00

The first stage, off you should determine whether your Dogo Argentino is old enough to start his or her training. I have done my research and found out that you are able to begin training your Dogo when it is between the ages of three and four months old.

The second stage, you need to buy a pig to be use for training your Dogo. However, if you do not feel comfortable in training your Dogo to hunt, than you can always find a qualified trainer to help you. You should start off by choosing a pig that is smaller than the Dogo. This will help your Dogo build their confidence and keep your Dogo from being frightened by the pig.

The third stage, you should introduce your Dogo to the pig. This should be done in a controlled fashion, with your dog inside a contained area like a fenced yard or pen. Choose a place where your Dogo feels secure and can see the pig. Gradually walk your Dogo up to see the pig, encourage your Dogo to jump and bark and get excited.

The fourth stage, you should continue to show the pig to your Dogo every other day, and continue the process for about 2 to 3 weeks. Your Dogo should seem to be more aggressive and struggle to get to the pig. When your Dogo starts to show this sign then you must praise to reinforce its aggression towards the pig. Only let this part of the training happen for a couple minutes each time you do it, or your Dogo pup will lose interest.
The fifth stage, you need to tie the pig up somewhere, then load up your dog and drive to the location of your pig. Let your Dogo see the pig; however you must keep them separated. You also need to encourage your Dogo to become excited. If your Dogo starts showing signs of aggression then it is a good idea to praise him or her. This shows your dog that he or she is doing a good job. After a few minutes you need to bring your dog back home. Repeat this process every few days.

The sixth stage is to teach your Dogo to track the pig. Lead the pig around in a wooded area to make a fresh track and sent for your Dogo to locate. Wearing rubber boots while doing this is a good idea some say because it does not spread your scent and confuse your Dogo. Shuffle the pig at the end of the track so that your Dogo can find it. It is a good idea to then encourage your Dogo to find the scent on its own with your help. If, he or she cannot find it, than you can give your Dogo some quick guidance for the first few times you go out on the trail. When your Dogo finally starts to follow the scent of the pig and locates it then you need to shower it with praise.

The seventh stage, continue with taking your Dogo out into the woods with the pig so that he or she can track it down. Make sure you give praise every time he or she finds it and make sure that your Dogo shows aggression towards the pig. Then when you feel that your Dogo is ready to go on a hunt, try going with an experienced pack of hunters.

Hunting with a Dogo Argentino

2010-04-12T14:41:00.000-07:00

Here at Elite Dogo Argentino, we do not hunt with our Dogos; however we do train in the sport of Schutzhund.

If you are interested in hunting with a Dogo Argentino dog. Firstly you would need a "bay dog" in your pack. A bay dog is a dog specifically trained to find and chase the prey you are hunting; in most cases it is wild boar. Once your bay dog has found your prey it will circle the boar and keep it contained. As it keeps your catch contained it will start to bark profusely. The behavior that your dog is showing is known as "baying". Once your dog starts to bark it then will signal you as a hunter that they have trapped and found a boar.

Once you reach where your bay dog has cornered your prey, as a hunter you then will release your "catch dog". Once you have released your catch dog it will use its weight and teeth to immobilize the prey. By immobilizing the prey this allows you as the hunter to humanly kill your boar.

Each dog is outfitted with Kevlar chest and neck armor. This protects your dogs from being speared by the wild boars tusks.

During the process of capturing the wild boar your Dogo will typically take hold of the base of the ear, throwing all there might into it. Once your Dogo has the wild boar under its control they will hold it down by the boars head until you arrive. Once you have arrived at the site you should do behind the boar and quickly dispatch with a knife, or any other hunting tool that is sharp.

About Schutzhund Training for Dogo Argentino

2010-04-11T10:52:00.000-07:00

Here at Elite Dogo Argentino we have started to work with our Dogos in this sport and they are progressing very well.

Many of you may ask what Schutzhund is. Schutzhund is a sport that entitles tracking, obedience, and protection. This training process originally started out for the German Sheppard breed, however now more and more breeds have been introduced to this sport and it is also too used as a breed test.

While training your Dogo in Schutzhund, if done correctly will allow you to learn about your dog’s aggression and how they will react to certain situations. Your Dogo will also learn how to control them even when they are very excited. The end results of this training with your Dogo will end up having a well balanced, well behaved dog. During this training it will allow you and your dog to have a very close bond.

Some people ask the question of "will my dog become aggressive against people once I have started Schutzhund". However, I think if your dog is normally not aggressive towards people before starting the training they will not just turn on a whim.

Schutzhund is known to be a test, your Dogo should show aggression in the protection phase, the decoy, helper or "bad guy", should be a worthy opponent, and your Dogos courage should be tested. During the protection phase of the training one should think of it as a boxing match. All dogs of any breed will bite if they feel that they are being threatened or cannot escape. During the training protection part, we build the dogs confidence and encourage him to enjoy the fight, we often let he or she win, to let them win you can allow your Dogo to run off with the training sleeve, during Schutzhund we also work on control, we teach our dogs when and where it is ok to bite and when it's not.

The basic character of your Dogo, socialization and training will be able to tell you if your Dogo will be aggressive towards people/other animals or not. Also a Dogos genetic build will define whether he or she has the protective instincts and courage to protect his or her family. Schutzhund training will not change the basic nature of your Dogo; however it will give you as the owner some idea of how your Dogo might react in certain situations, and also enable your Dogo to remain under your command.

Titles your Dog Argentino can complete

BH - basic obedience and temperament test
SchA - obedience and protection only
SchI - first level
SchII - second level
SchIII - top level
OB I,II,III - separate obedience titles
TR I,II,III - separate tracking titles
IPO 1,2,3 - international schutzhund degree (International Prüfungsordnung)
FH I,II - advanced tracking titles
WH - watch dog title
AD - endurance title (for breed-worthiness)

Basic Grooming for a Dogo Argentino

2010-04-10T13:49:00.000-07:00

1. When grooming your Dogo Argentino you should brush them every other week due to this dog is not a medium shedding breed. Since the coat of the Dogo is very short they do not have an undercoat.

2. Grooming your Dogo once a week with rubber curry comb keeps the coat as well as the skin in great shape.

3. A Dogo Argentinos nails grow quite quickly so when trimming there nails I like to clip about every 1 to 2 weeks. I use a good pair of dog nail clipper. When, clipping you must always be aware of the dogs quick. If you cut into this it will cause your dog pain and bleeding. By clipping your dogs’ nails it helps them walk correctly and helps displace weight properly.

4. When shampooing your Dogo make sure to use sensitive skin soap as they have very sensitive skin and tend to break out in rashes if irritated. They are also prone to allergies. When shampooing your Dogo use a shampoo that is for white coats, as there coat is naturally white. A Dogos coat also does not omit a lot of odor.

5. Skin care for a Dogo can be a little difficult as they are prone to sensitive skin and have allergies. They also are also sensitive to the sun, and can burn like you and me. So please don’t leave your Dogo in the sun for to long.

6. Cleaning your Dogo Argentinos ears can be a chore especially if you have their ears cropped. By cropping their ears it allows a lot more dirt into the ear canal. It is very important to keep the ears dry and clean.

You can start the cleaning process by using a soft tissue, cotton balls, (never Q-tips) as they can damage the ear drum if you push to far into the ear. A sign that there is trouble with the ears is when your Dogo starts to shake and scratch them. If the ears start to stink then you should consult your vet as it could be due to an ear, or fungal infection.

7. All the info that I have shared with you is very common, however some people tend to forget about their dogs teeth. From time to time you should give a little attention to your Dogos teeth. Cleaning the teeth helps prevent bad breath, gum infections and irritating teeth problems. Usually people tend to buy the teeth cleaning chews (it’s the easiest way).

Another way to clean the teeth is to visit the pet store and buy one of the finger toothbrushes and dog toothpaste. Please do not try to use human toothpaste as it is very toxic to dogs. You can also get your vets to clean them for you if you do not feel that you are capable of doing it.

Items To Use While Grooming your Dogo

Rubber Curry Comb
Dog Nail Clippers
Sensitive Dog Shampoo for White Coats
Tissues
Cotton Balls
Finger Toothbrush
Dog Toothpaste
Dental Chews (Dog treats that clean their teeth)

Dogo Argentino Breeders

2010-04-07T15:25:00.000-07:00

I have started this blog because I am a Dogo breeder and would like to get more information out to others about this rare breed. That at times can be misunderstood. For anyone that is interested in adopting a Dogo Argentino. Just take a look at the website!
Elite Dogo Argentino

Facts about Dogos

2010-04-07T09:56:00.000-07:00

Welcome! to Dogo Argentino blog spot! Here are some interesting facts about this beautiful, strong breed that you may not know because of the rarity of the breed in Canada.

Interesting Fact #1 Dogos are big game hunters, they were and still are used for hunting large animals.

Interesting Fact #2 Dogos can be used and trained for search and rescue aids, police assistance, and sometimes even military work.

FACTS ABOUT THE DOGO ARGENTINO BREED
Country of Origin:	Argentina
Dog Breed Group:	Mastiff
Life Expectancy of Dogo:	10-12 years
Dogo Colouring:	White
Dogo Coat Type:	Coat short, thick and has a glossy shine
Dogo Height:	Female- Height at withers (60 to 65 cm) Males- Height at withers (62 to 68 cm)
Head:	Broad Head, Slightly domed skull, Muzzle slightly higher than nose
Tail:	Set low, bottom half of body, Thick at base then tapers off
Health Issues:	Deafness, and Hip Dysplasia in some dogs

What to look for (temperament wise) in a Dogo?

Most Dogo Argentino dogs are perceived as protectors, or guard dogs. However, with enough socialization and training they can be a very loyal, sensitive, attention seeking pet for a loving family.

Dogos need a lot of exercise so therefore the owner of this particular dog needs to be an athletic person who enjoys being active. Providing the right amount of exercise for this breed allows your dog not to get bored or rambunctious! Meaning, that this could lead your dog to excessive barking and destructive chewing.

A Dogo owner also needs to remember that it is very important to allow your dog to be socialized in the proper way. Dogos are naturally protective, especially around strangers so allowing your Dogo to be around friendly people will help your dog recognize "good people" from the bad.

An owner of a Dogo Argentino must also keep in mind that this is a breed that was naturally bred to hunt, so introducing your Dogo as a pup to different animals will help with its socialization to trusting other animals and allow them to get along.

Links

2009-04-21T13:27:00.000-07:00