Dogos?

The Dogo Argentino Was built in Argentina over a 20+ year program to make one man's ideal hunting dog. Dr. Antonio Nores Matinez basically developed a breed standard and built a dog to fit it.

His brother Agustin writes:

"I still remember as if it were yesterday... the day when my brother Antonio told me for the first time his idea of creating a new breed of dog for big game, for which he was going to take advantage of the extraordinary braveness of the Fighting Dog of Cordoba. Mixing them with other breeds which would give them height, a good sense of smell, speed, hunting instinct and, more than anything else deprive them of that fighting eagerness against other dogs, which made them useless for pack hunting. A mix that would turn them into sociable dogs, capable of living in freedom, in families and on estates, keeping the great courage of the primitive breed, but applied to a useful and noble end; sport hunting and vermin control."

Agustin Nores Martinez, History Of The Dogo Argentino

The breeds used in development were:
1) the Fighting Dog of Cordoba (a mix of Mastiff, English Bulldog, Bull Terrier, and Boxer) , to which he added blood from
2) the Pointer to give him a keen sense of smell which would be essential for the hunt.
3) The Boxer added vivacity and gentleness;
4) the Great Dane it's size;
5) the Bull Terrier, fearlessness;
6) the Bulldog gave it an ample chest and boldness;
7) the Irish Wolfhound brought it's instinct as a hunter of wild game;
Cool

the Dogue de Bordeaux contributed it's powerful jaws;
9) the Great Pyrenees it's white coat and
10) the Spanish Mastiff gave it's quota of power

The Dogo Argentino is an endurance hound much like his Irish Wolfhound ancestor. He is expected to track the wild boar across vast pampas, corner the animal and attack and hold it for the hunters. He is capable of dazzling bursts of speed for short distances, but his forte is covering long distances at a gallop (hence the arched loins to give impetus at the gallop). Having cornered the boar, he must have enough strength in reserve to attack and hold a wild boar weighing up to 400 pounds. In a traditional boar hunt the hunter will jump on the boar and kill it with a knife thrust to the heart while the Dogos are locked on with a death grip.

Some people will tell you they are the be all and end all of hog dogs. Not necessarily so. Although in my brief experience it seems that they can hold thier own in each aspect of the hunt. I have friends who use them as pure catch dogs and they are tough. Others use them as running catch dogs and they seem to have the stamina for that also. Dr. Martinez did not envision them as bay dogs, but they are bred to have a good enough nose to find a hog. His writings tell us Dogos are to be hunted in packs of 4-10 Dogos. He did hunt with find dogs as well.

They are bred to have the temperament of a family dog. My Achilles loves people, but then most of my dogs do. They will protect the home but are not intended for protection work specifically.

I will say this. Unless someone is giving you the dogs, you could buy a decent pack of a couple good strike dogs and a couple good bulldogs for the price of one Dogo Argentino.