TEMPERAMENT

National Geographic VIDEO - Dogs 101 DOGO ARGENTINO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezwtqiS4IXY
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The Dogo Argentino is an amazingly powerful dog with an amazingly powerful dual personality. He is a loving guardian of his family, including children, and fierce hunter capable of taking on a wild boar. He is both gentle and fierce, but he should never be aggressive without good reason.

Dogos are big-game hunters and are sometimes trained for search and rescue, police assistance, and military work.

This is a breed in need of early socialization and reasonably firm handling. The Argentinian Mastiff is protective and territorial, a good choice for a property watchdog and personal guardian, but while this is undoubtedly a tough working breed, it is quite sensitive and gentle, at times even described by some owners as a "needy" dog. Exceptionally devoted to its master, the Dogo Argentino is affectionate towards children, making it an excellent household pet.

Recognized by the FCI in 1973 and believed by many to be the ultimate hog catching dog, the mighty Dogo Argentino is deservedly becoming one of the most popular hunting breeds on the planet.

The temperament of a TRUE Dogo Argentino is very predictable:
"Once we have greeted an unknown person, or the person sees him in our company....the Dogo should never show unfriendliness towards that person, unless of course, that person directly attacks us....however brave a guardian he may be, when he has understood that the visitor is welcome in the home, he will never try to bite this person." 
- Agustin Nores Martinez, translated from "The Argentine Dogo"

Another quote from one of it's creators that gives insight into the guardian aspect of the Dogo:
"There is a distinct difference between having a Dogo Argentino as a guardian and having a dog of another breed: If a thief enters your house at night and you have any other dog you know there is a thief because the dog barks; if you have a Dogo, you know there is an intruder because you hear him yell." - Agustin Nores Martinez, also translated from "The Argentine Dogo"

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Also see "The character of dogo argentino"
http://www.dogo-argentinokennel.com/pages/about_us.htm



Fighting and legality

While the Dogo Argentino was bred primarily from the extinct Cordoba Fighting Dog, it was bred to be a cooperative hunter; to accompany other catch dogs and bay dogs on the hunt without fighting with the other dogs. Aggressive traits inherent in the Cordoban Dog were specifically bred out; to enable a stable cooperative nature in a pack. However, in areas where dog fighting continues, Dogos Argentinos have rarely been used for fighting although they have aggressive nature.

In the United Kingdom, it is illegal to own a Dogo Argentino without lawful authority, under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, and dogs of the breed may be seized by the police.The maximum penalty for illegal possession of a Dogo Argentino is a fine of £5,000 and/or up to six months' imprisonment.Breed-specific legislation varies in the United States, with bans on the breed enacted in Aurora, Colorado and New York City public housing.The Australian government has banned the importation of this dog. The dog is also illegal in New Zealand, Norway,Denmark,Iceland, Romania,Singapore, and Ukraine.The ban in the UK has received criticism with a spokesperson from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals stating that the law must "focus back on the real problem ... the owner"