Dogo Argentino

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY: This breed originates from the province of Córdoba, Mediterranean region of the Argentine Republic. Its creator was Dr. Antonio Nores Martinez, an eminent and active surgeon, born in Córdoba in 1907 and died in 1956. His work started from the methodical crossing of the “Old Fighting Dog of Córdoba”, an example of great power and strength, a product of the miscegenation that then was done between dogs of the Bulldog and Bull Terrier breeds. He chose totally white specimens for breeding, without prognathism, with a heavy head and a long snout. After an intense and meticulous selection and character study over several generations, it achieves its objective by forming several families, always starting from that “Old Fighting Dog of Córdoba”, which it initially crossed with the English Bulldog, Great Dane, Pyrenean Mastiff, Bull Terrier, Boxer, Pointer, Dogue de Bordeaux and Irish Wolfhound. In 1947 the breed was already created and geno and phenotypically stabilized; for him that same year the standard of the race is presented in the Club of Hunters of the City of Buenos Aires. Its strength, tenacity, sense of smell and courage make it unrivaled among pack dogs for hunting wild boar, peccary, pumas 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 bred this breed. In 1964 it was recognized as a breed by the Argentine Cynological Federation and the Argentine Rural Society, which opened its “Genealogical Registry”, initiating its registration. Recently, in 1973, the breed was accepted by the FCI (International Cynological Federation). All this thanks to the vehement passion and unparalleled work and effort of Dr. Agustín Nores Martinez, brother of the creator of the breed, who achieved this recognition not only for his individual action, but also for the institutional action of the Argentine Cynological Federation and the Club of the Dogo Argentino Dr. Antonio Nores Martinez.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : It is an athletic dog, mesomorphic, of normal type and harmonious proportions. With powerful muscles, he is agile, his external appearance gives him the feeling of power, energy and strength, contrasting with his expression of friendship and meekness. Entirely white, he may only have a dark spot on his skull.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS

• Mesocephalus, the muzzle should be the same length as the skull.

• The height at the withers should be slightly higher than the height at 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 the height at the withers by up to 10% (no more).

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

HEAD : Of the mesocephalic type, with a strong and powerful appearance. Their craniofacial axes are convergent.

Skull:  Massive, convex anteroposteriorly and transversally by the reliefs of the masticatory muscles and the nape. Occipital: Its prominence is not observed because the powerful muscles of the nape completely hide it. Stop: Defined, must not be deep or form right angles.

FACIAL REGION:  Of equal length to that of the cranial region, that is, this means that the line joining the two orbital apophyses of the frontal (bone) is equal to the distance between the occiput and the alveolar edge of the upper jaw.

Nose:  Strongly pigmented black, with very wide nostrils.

Muzzle:  Of the same length as the skull, with a concave upper line.

Lips:  Adhesive, with free edges, pigmented black, never pendular.

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

edge to edge with the lower incisors).

Cheeks:  Wide, marked, covered by strong skin, without folds. Masseters well developed.

Eyes:  Medium size, almond-shaped, dark or hazel, with lids preferably black pigmented. Their position is subfrontal, well apart, with a lively and intelligent look, but with a marked hardness at the same time.

Ears:  Set on the side and high, with good separation between the two due to the width of the skull. Functionally, they must be cropped and erect, in a triangular shape and of a length that does not exceed 50% of the anterior edge of the pinna of the natural ear. Uncut, they are of medium length, broad, thick, flat and rounded at the tip. With a smooth coat, slightly shorter than the rest of the body, where small, non-penalty spots may appear. Carried naturally pendulous, covering the back of the cheeks. On alert, they have the ability to semi-erection.

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

TRUNK : Rectangular. The length of the body (measured from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttock) may exceed its height at the withers by no more than 10%.

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

Withers:  Strong, well defined and high.

Scapula:  Very strong and with large muscular reliefs.

Loin:  Short, broad, heavily muscled.

Croup:  Broad and strong, of medium slope.

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

Underline and belly:  Slightly gathered over the underline of the thorax, never tucked up; strong and of good muscular tension.

TAIL : Long, not exceeding the hocks; thick, medium set. At rest, it is observed naturally drooping; at attention or in motion, raised in an arc, with a wide upward curve.

PREVIOUS  MEMBERS 

General appearance:  Straight, well erect, with short, well-knuckled toes.

Shoulders:  Oblique shoulder blades, with large muscular reliefs, without exaggeration.

Upper arm:  humerus equal in length to shoulder blade, with good slope.

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 to the arms and perpendicular to the ground; with strong and straight bones, with good muscular development.

Carpal Joints:  Long and in line with the forearms; free of bone overlays and roughness.

Pasterns:  Slightly flat, with good bone; seen in profile, with a slight incline, but never sagging.

Feet:  With short, well-jointed toes. With strong, thick and rustic pads; Preferably black pigmentation.

HINDQUARTERS

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

Thighs:  proportionate to the set. Strong, with important and visible muscular development.

Knees:  With good slope.

Legs:  Slightly shorter than thighs; strong and muscular.

Hocks:  The tarsal-metatarsal joint is short, strong and firm, ensuring the propulsion power of the hind limb. Robust tarsus, with the point of the hock evident. Metatarsus robust, almost cylindrical and upright, without dewclaws.

Feet:  similar to the front paws, although slightly smaller and longer, maintaining the same characteristics.

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

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

Hair:  Uniform, short, smooth, with an approximate length of 1.5 cm to 2 cm. Its density and thickness vary according to the climate.

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

SIZE / WEIGHT

Height at withers: 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 exact proportion to 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-muscle development (weakness).

• Partially pigmented nose in adult specimens.

• Small, weak or diseased teeth.

• Presence of entropion or ectropion on your eyelids.

• Round-appearing eyes due to the shape of their eyelids; prominent eyes, light or yellow.

• Barrel chest.

• Keel chest; flat ribs.

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

• Lack of angulation of any of its locomotor limbs.

• Croup higher than the withers.

• “Camel step” 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.

• Overshot or undershot.

• Deafness.

• Lack of typicality.

• Long hair.

• Total lack of nose pigmentation in specimens older than two years.

• Brown truffle.

• Pendular lip.

• Spots on the body coat.

• More than one spot on the head.

• Size smaller or larger than established.

• Eyes of different colors or blue.

• Lack of sexual dimorphism.

NOTES :

• Males must present both testicles, of normal appearance, well descended and accommodated in the scrotum.

• Only clinically and functionally healthy dogs of typical breed conformation should be used for breeding.