Argentine dog: character, description, diseases [veterinarian's recommendations
Argentine dog
Argentine dog (Dogo Argentino, Argentinean Mastiff) is a dog whose past is as complicated as an Argentine soap opera, and whose veins run the blood of so many breeds that it is difficult to count them all.
He belongs to the group of molossers, i.e. dogs derived from the Tibetan Great Dane, characterized by large sizes and extraordinary strength and courage, used primarily as fighting dogs.
These Molossians, originally known as the Assyrian Great Danes, came to Europe from Tibet along with the migrations of nomadic peoples.
Dogo argentino served as shepherd helpers, watchmen, and fought successfully in the arenas.
When, in later years, the Spaniards reached Argentina - a country considered to be native to the Argentine Great Dane - they brought with them their own dogs similar to the Argentine Great Danes, which they used to defend their estates and prosecute slaves, as well as to hunt wild cats, mainly pumas, jaguars, and wild boars. and peccaries attacking local cattle.
The white color of the dogo argentino dogs favored their quick differentiation from game and identification of sustained wounds.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the crosswords of the so-called. the fighting dog from Cordoba, which was already a mixture of many different breeds, allowed the identification of individuals with a specific exterior and character traits, the further breeding of which led to the official recognition of the breed by the FCI in 1973. Dr. Antonio Nores Martinez and his brother Augustin made a significant contribution to this.
And so the Argentine dog, which is a mixture of m.in. Irish wolfhound, boxer, bull terrier, pointer, English bulldog and Great Dane de Bordeaux, came to many countries around the world, including Poland, gradually gaining popularity and appearing on the streets of many cities.
Unfortunately, due to the specificity of its character, which was selected mainly in terms of combat and hunting (highly developed hunting instinct), not all of them can become guardians of beautiful and otherwise friendly dogo argentino, because improper handling may have disastrous consequences (it belongs to dog breeds recognized as too aggressive).
According to the FCI classification, the Argentine Dog belongs to group 2.
- Argentine dog character
- Breed description
- Care and nutrition
- Argentine dog disease
- Dilated cardiomyopathy
- Congenital deafness
- Hip dysplasia
- Dilation and torsion of the stomach
- For whom Dogo Argenino will be the perfect dog?
Argentine dog character
Argentine dog character Argentine dog as a hunting dog He is characterized by diligence, endurance, courage and an excellent sense of smell.
It is a dog that is not easily provoked and controlled, but can defend itself and attack the opponent if the situation requires it.
Hence, in order to keep such a dog, not only professional training is necessary, but also an appropriate guardian, whose determination, charisma and self-confidence will inspire respect in the Argentinean Great Dane and make it possible to keep him in check.
Additionally, the fact that the dog is included in the list of dog breeds considered aggressive leads to the belief that in the wrong hands the animal may have a tendency to be overly aggressive, which makes it dangerous to the environment.
A correctly positioned dog is attached to its owners, gentle and friendly, especially towards children.
Likes and needs a lot of exercise.
It also works well as a watchdog, due to its strong territorial instinct and its scary appearance.
Argentine Great Danes are not very barking dogs, so they do not alarm unnecessarily, but defend effectively.
Argentine Great Danes are wary of strangers and animals, but have a particularly low threshold of tolerance towards males, especially on their own land.
As working dogs, these great dogs require constant attention.
Not for them to sit all day and do nothing, as these dogs get bored quickly, which most often leads to destructive behavior.
Due to the large size and the love of guarding something, they will feel better if they can run freely than in an apartment, but let's not forget that it will not replace them with a long walk.
It is also important for the dog to spend a lot of time with people, the family and feel like a member of it. It may not look like it, but the Argentine Dog is a very affectionate dog with a strong need for human contact.
The Argentine dog is a dog that can sometimes behave as if it is unaware of its own size and, without any fuss, packs its several dozen kilos on our lap, demanding to be caressed.
Alienating him and staying alone all day in the kennel can also lead to aggressive behavior.
Let us engage him in joint walks, running, agility, trekking or retrieving, which will allow for the creation of a friendly and unique bond that can only arise between a human and a dog.
Breed description
Breed description The Argentine Dog is a dog belonging to large breeds, attracting attention with its harmonious build and muscular, rectangular body.
Height
The height at the withers of a male dog is approx. 62 - 68 cm and bitches 60 - 65 cm,
Libra
The body weight of an adult individual varies between 40 and 50 kg.
The appearance of the Dogo Argentino
The appearance of the Argentine Great Dane | Head | Strong and massive with smooth lines and a poorly marked foot. |
| The muzzle | Broad with a slightly concave topline, and cranium and skull of equal length. |
| Nose mirror | Black color. |
| Lips | Short and close-fitting, they cover a set of large and well-formed teeth set in a scissor or pincer bite. |
| Eyes | Dark almond-shaped, set wide, with a sharp and hard expression. |
| Ears | Set high, thick, wide and flat, close to the cheeks. This breed used to have ears copied - then they had the shape of a triangle. |
| Neck | Strong and muscular, covered with thick, less clinging skin than on the rest of the body. |
| Ridge | Strong and with highly developed muscles. |
| Croup and withers | They are on one line and the loins rise slightly towards the rump. |
| Chest | Broad and deep, belly slightly tucked up. |
| Tail | The thick tail extends to the ankle and is carried below the topline when in motion. |
| Limbs | Straight and parallel, well boned, muscular, but in proportion to the size of the dog. |
| Paws | Compact, round, with hard pads, smaller and wider in the pelvic limbs. |
| Skin | Flexible, close to the body and without folds. |
The dog in motion is resilient, dynamic and agile. The characteristic visible tension of the figure and the immediate reaction when the dog is interested in something.
The color of the Great Dane
The color of the Great Dane The coat is short and smooth with an undercoat of varying density, depending on the climate.
The coat is completely white, but the "pirate" type ointment is also allowed with a black monocle around the eye on one eyelid.
Care and nutrition
Care Due to the fact that the Argentine Dog has a short coat with a small amount of undercoat, its care is basically limited to brushing it 1-2 times a week.
These dogs like water very much, so persuading them to take a bath should not be too difficult, but try not to do it too often, but only when the skin requires it.
Dogs are also prone to allergies, like most white breeds, so it is worth observing and reviewing them for disturbing changes and consulting them with a veterinarian according to the principle "better sooner than later".
The rest is basic care, i.e. periodic control of the length of the claws, the condition of the teeth and the cleanliness of the ears.
Due to its size, it is obvious that the Argentine Dog eats a lot of food.
As a breed, it does not have specific nutritional requirements, so the dog food that we normally feed large breed dogs will suit them.
We can use both ready-made feeds available on the market and prepare meals ourselves, taking care of the balance of micro and macro ingredients.
Since they are not fussy eaters, and most Great Danes could enter the food package and eat them until they burst, we have to give them this food, adequately to their weight and activity.
It is important for working dogs that their food contains optimal amounts of high-quality protein.
Of course, the quantity and quality of the other ingredients are also important.
Adult dogs are best fed 2-3 times a day to reduce the risk of gastric dilation and torsion.
Argentine dog disease
Argentine dog disease Dilated cardiomyopathy
Dilated cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle, the essence of which is the dilatation of this muscle, i.e. thinning of the walls and widening of the heart cavities.
These changes result in a decrease in contractility and lead to circulatory failure.
This disease is progressive and its symptoms are often noticed only in the advanced stage.
Belong to them:
- cough in a dog,
- exercise intolerance,
- weakness,
- dyspnoea,
- pulmonary edema and / or ascites.
Great Danes have a mild wolfhound cardiomyopathy, and changes in echocardiography can be seen in puppies several months old.
Dogs themselves do not show symptoms for a long time - they appear statistically at the age of approx. 6 years.
Treatment, even intensive, is aimed at supporting the heart and relieving symptoms, but the disease is irreversible.
Congenital deafness
Congenital deafness is a genetic defect to which mainly white-coated dogs are predisposed, but the exact mechanism of inheriting this defect has not yet been known.
The cause of deafness is the degeneration of the VIII nerve, known as the vestibulocochlear or static-auditory nerve, which transmits audio information to the brain.
Affected puppies do not respond to acoustic stimuli from the first weeks of life.
Such animals may be nervous, not responding to commands and calls.
The BAER (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response) test is used to confirm whether the dog is deaf.
This test measures the auditory brainstem evoked potentials to assess hearing performance.
Most often it is performed under light sedation.
In our country, there are several specialized centers where we can perform this test, among others.in. in:
- in Warsaw,
- Wroclaw,
- Olsztyn.
Deafness is an incurable disease, but affected dogs can function normally if we provide them with the appropriate conditions.
It should be remembered above all that, without hearing our warnings or calls, they may, for example,. unconsciously run out onto the road, posing a threat to yourself and others, so you should learn and develop appropriate methods of dealing with such animals.
Hip dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is a disease that affects many dog breeds, especially large and giant dogs.
HD (hip dysplasia) consists in the defective shaping of the structures of the hip joint and their improper connection.
Its formation, apart from genetic tendencies, is also conducive to the so-called. environmental factors such as too much exercise during the puppy's growth period, rapid growth, and improper feeding.
Dogs are born with normal hips, and the development of dysplasia occurs as a result of an imbalance between the growth of hard and soft tissues, resulting in deformity, soreness and chronic inflammation within these structures.
The first symptoms may appear in animals several weeks old, but most often they will not be noticeable until the age of 6-12 months.
In the case of minor chronic damage to the cartilage, the capsule may thicken and the joint can be stabilized again, which means that we will only notice the signs in dogs with. 5 years old.
This is called. adult canine dysplasia.
The main clinical symptoms of dysplasia are:
- reluctance to move,
- preferring the lying position,
- lameness,
- stiff gait.
For early detection of dysplasia in puppies aged approx. 4 - 6 months, a prophylactic sedation X-ray of hip joints is performed.
Treatment may be pharmacological or surgical, depending on the age and severity of the animal.
Its aim is to reduce or eliminate pain and slow down the development of the disease.
The most commonly used surgical techniques include:
- femoral head resection,
- pectinectomy,
- triple pelvic osteotomy.
Dilation and torsion of the stomach
Gastric dilatation is a sudden increase in stomach volume due to the accumulation of too much food or gases from easily fermentable foods.
It is most common in large-breed dogs with a deep chest, but can occur in other breeds as well.
Since the consumption of excessive amounts of food at once promotes the expansion and torsion of the stomach, dogs that are fed once a day will be at greater risk.
The most common symptoms of gastric torsion include:
- unsuccessful attempts to vomit,
- salivation,
- enlarging the outline of the abdominal integuments,
- dyspnoea,
- bruising of the mucous membranes,
- loss of consciousness,
- tachycardia,
- limbs spacing.
ORŻ is an emergency that requires immediate medical intervention.
X-ray is performed to confirm the suspicion of a widening and twisting.
Treatment in the case of dilation is usually gastric puncture and / or gastric lavage, while the torsion is eligible for surgery.
For whom Dogo Argenino will be the perfect dog?
For whom Dogo Argenino will be the perfect dog? The Argentine Dog is on the list of 11 breeds recognized as aggressive contained in the Regulation of the Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration of April 28, 2003 on the list of dog breeds considered aggressive, the legal basis of which is the Act of August 21, 1997. on the protection of animals. This means that breeding or keeping a dog of this breed requires a special permit issued by the head of the commune, mayor or president of the city competent for the planned place of breeding or keeping the dog at the request of the future owner. Therefore, the decision to buy an Argentine Great Dane requires some thought.
It is not a dog recommended for people with no experience, because it needs a guardian who already knows a bit about dog psychology and knows how to deal with these pets. Their leader must therefore be patient, consistent, firm, but not cruel and, above all, not use force towards the rebellious pet, as this will certainly turn against him.
A very important stage is the puppy's socialization, which begins in breeding and then continues in the new home. It is important to put the dog in contact with as many different situations and people as possible in his youth, so that he can distinguish a real danger from a situation that does not require intervention. If the dog is afraid of new things, that fear can also turn into aggression as a line of defense. It seems a good idea to take advantage of the so-called. dog kindergartens.
The Argentine dog will be a good companion for families with children as well as for single people, as long as they devote enough time and attention to it.
What do Argentine dog breed dogs suffer from??
The most common diseases of the Argentine Dog are dilated cardiomyopathy, congenital deafness, hip dysplasia, gastric dilatation and torsion.
Does the Argentinean dog like children??
The Argentine Great Dane breed will be a good companion for both families with children and single people, as long as they devote enough time and attention to it.
What is the life expectancy of dogs of the Argentine dog breed?
The lifespan of the Argentine Hounds is 10-15 years.
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