Is anyone here experienced with this breed? I recently lost my bird dog. I am interested in a new dog and, since grouse numbers are in decline, I may not need a bird hunting breed. I like more rugged dogs but ofter have field-bred Spingers for hunting. Is this breed a good family pet and outdoor companion?

No

More hog dog than pet.

Get a Toller, they fetch alcohol!

Only experience has been running into owners/breeders at dog shows. Of course, those are the type of owners that generally have well trained dogs.

I assume (hopefully), you've done a little research online about the breed and maybe contacted or looked at an owners group webpage or two? If you have, you know they are mastiff types and it appears there are some jurisdictions that have them on "banned" lists or require insurance on them (some homeowner's companies may not write a policy covering them and other large breeds).

Fantastic dogs from what the owners say, but not for everyone.

Good luck if that's what you decide upon.

what Valsdad said.
my insurance co wouldn't write for me if i got one. and i want one . also listed were Akita's all Pitbulls , and boxers of all things. there were more "bad dogs " listed but none i cared for.

I'm no fan of dogs that could easily kill me, or someone else. The breed was bred for aggression, either towards dangerous game or people and according to the websites needs careful socialization around people in public. Two of 'em killed a woman in a San Francisco apartment hallway maybe ten years ago.

All of that and they weigh 100lbs. with the usual penalties of more food, larger craps, shorter life. I dunno of anything I'd need a dog to do that a 50lb dog couldn't do as well or better than one twice that size.

Seriously, if you want that sort of dog, why not get a pit bull? Just get it fixed if its a male, most dog attacks are initiated by male dogs that still have their 'nads. Testosterone and all that.

Presa Canario was the breed that killed the woman. They were bred to hunt wild hogs in Argentina. Any dog needs proper socialization for that matter.

Tks for the correction, generally similar breeds tho.

.

Indeed, but some breeds are far more of a liability than others.

They've got a lot of Pitbull in their development, although their enthusiasts rarely admit it.

Different breed. Those were Presa Canarios.

DAs are no joke as a dog. Whereas an APBT will make a good hog catch dog, a DA will make a good "rip the hog limb from limb in front of you if you are not quick enough with the knife to stick the hog in the neck" dog.

If you have never owned and successfully trained & socialized an APBT, a working dog (dobie, GSD, rott) or another less-sharp molossus breed...a DA is probably the wrong place to start. Being successful with a bird dog is better than being totally new to dogs, of course.

Good luck with your decision and be sure to keep in touch with folks who have been successful with DAs if that is the way you go.




A lot of urban APBT have DA in their development. The male APBTs I knew as a youth were in the 65lb range. Gotta do more than feed an APBT a lot to get it near 100lbs of lean muscle.

I am a dog lover. I don't care what breed, I can find something to love in them. I would never own a fighting breed though. They are cool dogs, but the truth is that they won't do anything that I need to do that other dogs won't do. While I really like my chances as a responsible owner, the liability with one of those breeds is more than I am willing to suffer.

If I had a junk yard to protect, or if I had just landed on the shores of latin america and was looking to conquer a new continent I'd love a couple of those dogs. Barring that I have a hard time seeing a use. Not to say they should be banned, but it should be law whatever they do to anyone else gets visited upon you tenfold. I've never met one, just read up on them. Would be neat to see one one day.

They are loyal to a fault much like a Pit is, from the research I've done they are a very rewarding dog to own. They are a very active dog and need a job to stay out of trouble. they are not a dog that can be ignored and only paid attention tom when it's convenient for you.

Research the breed very well before you decide if this is a dog for you. If you want to put in the time I suspect it will be very rewarding for you.

Too much dog for most owneers IMHO. I would plan on some pretty intensive supervision/socialization if I were to get one. That is how I treat my Pit Bull rescue.

I have not owned a Dogo Argentino, but I have researched them and what everyone here is telling you seems to be true.
That being said I own one of the breeds known for viciousness (an Akita)
And while my dog is strong willed and stubborn at times she is a fabulous and well behaved dog.
I spend everyday and all day with her and made a conscious effort to socialize her. She is very smart and well behaved.....the training technique was way different than more civilized dogs.
I believe these dogs take a strong commitment and an owner well versed in dog behavior....
If you go into knowing that chances are you will have a great protective dog.....
You must be willing to put the dog down if it proves vicious though, most cannot deal with that.

Had a dog that was targeted because of his breed and we were in the wrong place at the wrong time (too near scammers).

I was sweating until his tile-crawling lawyer and my insurance lawyer deposed the lying rat b@st@rd and realized that not only was he a liar, but he was as likable as a sebaceous cyst on your backside.

For all my appreciation of the working and bully breeds, I have not sought out another. And if one did fall into my lap, no way I am going out in a public urban area without a muzzle and well-trimmed nails. The muzzle not to protect others from my dog, but to protect US from insurance-scamming scum and their tile-crawling lawyers. May they all rot in #ell.

Thanks guys. I had a boerboel before and they can be an aggressive breed too. My thought on the DA was that ot would have more hunting drive and I might have been able to teach it to hunt birds bit (did this with a Berner before) and have it also be a good for guarding my house. I really liked my boerboel but he was downright dangerous around strangers - even harmless ones. I have kids so I think I will shelf this idea until they are grown and get another bird dog for now. Thanks for all of the input.

We have had a lot of looters not far from my house. There have been stores looted and ATM machines blown up within a mile of my home. It makes me miss my boerboel. We have not had any issues in the residential areas. I’m well armed but a bit of a deep sleeper.

Lol, A Dogo Argetino would make short work of looters.......

A good bird dog does not have to be useless in the protection sphere, especially if you bond them to you & your kids real tight. Terrific early warning alarms at the very least.

We had a sweet little 45lb German Shorthaired Pointer who actively protected our 3YO daughter from a menacing illegal alien. Never expected that female GSP to do such a thing, but she was still a dog and she perceived her favorite human was under threat and left that illegal lame and leaving a blood trail. Not APBT or big dog damage, but enough to get the job done.

Before we were married and got the female GSP, my wife had a buff 75lb intact male GSP and would take him everywhere. He was a perfect gentleman on a leash, but many folks just don't want to mess with a healthy muscular dog. [Even if he has the softest mouth/bite you've ever encountered. Would catch sparrows and chickadees out of bushes on the wing and bring them to me. Live and uncrunched. I'd let him eat some of them, but half I would claim and let fly off, so he could catch it next week.]

GSP: Do-everything dog, IMO.

Dogo Argentino are very vicious. Crazy neighbor woman rescued a pair.. She had to keep them in separate cages or they would try and kill each other. One got out and killed one of her Labs and ate part of it! You do not want one!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is much more to this story BUT you do not want one.........................................


Dogo Argentino: Considered by some as the most aggressive out of all the dangerous dog breeds. The Dogo Argentino was bred to hunt down large game such as wild boar and puma. Will fight to the death if required. It is banned in at least 10 countries including Australia, the UK, New Zealand and Portugal.

You might look into an Airedale. Seems they would fit your needs quite well. Especially one from larger lines.

I have a friend that had a pair of Dogos several years ago. Father and son, as a matter of fact. Big, muscular, high energy dogs. Lived in the house with him and his wife and two daughters. He has a big house, BTW. My friend's 76 year old mother was feeding the dogs and the older dog--4 years old-- attacked the lady and tore about half of her scalp off without warning or provocation. The woman recovered after extensive surgery. They ain't household pets.

Maybe your neighbor rescued the two from Sharpsguy’s story.

2 things stand out from what you said. First, they were rescue dogs. I can understand wanting to rescue a dog but it is crazy to rescue a serious breed like that. They were dumped with a shelter for a reason.

The other thing is that your neighbor doesn’t sound very responsible. The dogs were obviously a problem when she had to cage them that way. She should have dealt with the problem before the lab was killed.

I do appreciate the info though. I think I could handle one but don’t think I want to risk it with my family and in my residential neighborhood. Maybe one day. For now I will probably either get a bird dog or a rottweiler.

If you get a schi-tzu ([bleep]) you won't sleep if anything or anybody strange is in your yard. Really sounds like what you want is a lab or possibly a chessie.

If I get another pup someday.
Gonna be a Purebred Rhodesian ridgeback or a Belgian malnios.

Smart protective family dogs with social skills.
Just need a master/ leader over em, so they know their role.
You gotta be assertive with love around some breeds.
Cant treat dogs like a human and get upset when they act like a dog not to your liking....


JMO.....

My bird dog does a good job as a deterrent. She’s loud and will charge any strangers in the yard.

She’d be worthless as a bite dog, but is alert and that’s good enough for me. Might even run somebody off as long as they don’t try and pet her. She’d likely likely invite them in the house at that point lol.

Have no interest in an aggressive bitey kind of dog. They’re just a pain in the azz.

Labs have never appealed to me for some reason. Nice dogs but not for me. Chessies are okay but I wouldn’t get one unless I started hunting ducks.