Ackon Cahuak Dogos Argentinos - Historia de la raza

BREED HISTORY

The history of the Dogo Argentino is closely related to Antonio Nores Martinez (1907) and Agustin Nores Martinez (1908).
Having born in Cordoba, Argentina, and being members of a traditional family of Cordoba, their love and passion for dogs led them to embark in this glorious task of creating a new breed.
Antonio was the forerunner of the breed, his vision, spirit and tenacity plus his scientific and profound knowledge of Biogenetics,

Physiology and Anatomy brought him recognition for the successful creation of the Argentine Dogo.
Agustin not only helped his brother from the very moment of the gestation of the breed, but he was also the author of its reconstruction, consolidation and spread beyond the frontiers.

Born an idea and start a dream

They settled in Alta Cordoba, and with the help of their family and friends, they started with 10 females of the Fighting Dog of Cordoba. With the passing of time the number reached 30, all of them mothers or sisters of the boldest gladiators of the area. This first stage lasted for few years, due to the fact that dog fights were rejected by society and prohibited by authorities, it was decided to change the function of the breed giving place to the birth of a new breed to be used as a big game hunter.

This idea immediately became the dream and objective of the Martinez brothers, a dream that it came true on May 21, 1964, when it was recognized by Sociedad Rural Argentina and Federación Cinologica Argentina, and later on July 31, 1973 by Federation Cynologique Internationale. (FCI)

Starting with the Fighting Dog of Cordoba, and in order to avoid risks of excessive consanguinity they divided breeding into two groups called "Familia Araucana" and "Familia Guarani"

On the basis of this gladiator they starts a systematic crossbreeding with specimen of pure breeds which will help to add and consolidate four basic conditions previously defined:

Basic conditions: Regarding the Dogo Argentino as a big game hunting dog according to the mount and geography of Argentina, Antonio stated 4 basic conditions:

1. It must explore the mount quietly.
2. It must have a keen sense of smell, being capable of sniffing over the trace and not on the trace.
3. It must be agile, quicker at fighting than at speed.
4. Above all it must be courageous.

Combined breeds

The Fighting Dog of Cordoba, a mongrel of extraordinary courage and tremendous endurance for fighting, it is a mixture of Spanish Mastiff and Bull Terrier, Bull Dog and Boxer. This is the basis of the Argentine Dogo.

The English Bulldog to give it an ample chest. However, only four specimens were used to avoid reduction in size and prognathism.

The Bull Terrier it was used to increase fearlessness, endurance, tolerance to pain and fighting tenacity.

The Boxer added vivacity and intelligence. llllllllllllllllllllllllllll

The Great Dane, so as to give it greater height and a good head Many specimens of this breed were used, not only at the beginning but also in Esquel.

The Irish Wolfhound gave it speed and size. ---------------

The English Pointer is mainly responsible for its keen sense of smell and its characteristic sniffing quality.

The Dogue of Bordeaux contributed its powerful jaws, strong head and boldness. However, it left yellow traces on the coat so it was used only at the beginning.

The Great Pyrenees Mountain dog gave it size and rusticity and contributed to its white coat, strength and endurance and adaptability to all climates.

The Spanish Mastiff which gives its quota of power and which was already imbedded in the Old Fighting dog of Cordoba.

Development of the breed

Along with the breeding and selection, each specimen underwent functional training, both hunting in the open and against pumas and boars in captivity.

This experience took many years and gave origin to the specimens which best approached the standards set by Antonio in 1928 and which were first published in Diana magazine in May 1947.

Between 1953 and 1956, Antonio took his best dogs to his brother Agustin's farm in Santa Rosa, La Pampa. Agustin opened his own Genealogical Register of the breed, which began with the breeding of Penca on February 3rd, 1954.

On December 2nd, 1956 Antonio and his friend Esteban Gergich fell victim to a cowardly murder while they were hunting deer in Cordoba. At present there is a small monument at the site, sadly remembered as "Picada Nores".

In 1957 Agustin settled down in Esquel carrying 20 male and female dogs. These dogs, together with those found in The Corcovado Trevelin, Tecka and Esquel fields -descendants of the Dogos he himself took there in 1937- formed the basis for reconstructing the breed. He incorporated Pointer, Great Pyrenees, Great Dane and Irish Wolfhound's blood to gain back size, reduce deafness rates and add gentleness.

After years of work he could reconstruct the breed with a new genetic load and constant training. In 1964 he presented a batch of 67 Dogos before the "Federación Cinologica Argentina" and the Sociedad Rural to obtain formal recognition of the breed, giving origin to the pedigree Dogos that exist at present.

The history of the Dogo Argentino-unlike that of most breeds- can be studied from the sources their creators left us. From these sources, we have tried to summarise its origins and development up to its formal recognition as the only breed of Argentine origin.

José Girotti y Carolina Colqui