The Original Standard
Written by Antonio Nores Martinez Translated By Joshua Faulkner
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Standard for the Dogo Argentino
Skull: Massive, Convex in the anterior-posterior sense, and transversely because of the relief of the masticating muscles and of the nape,
Face: Of the same length as the skull. That is to say that the line that unites the two orbital protuberances of the frontal bone is equidistant from the occiput and the alveolar edge of the upper jaw.
Eyes: Dark, cloaked by eyelids, trimmed black or plain. The separation between them must be great. Lively and intelligent gaze, but with a marked hardness
at the same time.
Jaws: Well adapted, without prognatism, strong. With teeth well implanted and large.
Nose: Strongly pigmented black with a light stop at the end. Ample nasal openings.
Ears: On top of the head, erect or semi erect, in the form of a triangle. They must always be presented cropped.
Lips: Well turned up, suspended, with free edges pigmented in black. It demands a pretty short lip because when the dog is apprehending prey, it can also breathe by the rear lip corner. If the lip is pendulous, even if the jaw is fairly long, it comes to make an inhalation valve and closes the corner of the lips of which impedes the animal from a supplementary respiration by the mouth while holding prey, having to release due to asphyxia as it happens in the Mastiff.
Occiput: It must not be in relief because the powerful muscles in the nape efface it completely, being the insertion of the head and neck form an arc.
Neck: Thick, arched, svelte with the skin of the neck very thick. Having wrinkles like the Mastiff and not tight like that of the Bull Terrier. This elasticity of the skin on the neck...
Chest: Ample and Profound, with the sensation of possessing great lungs. Viewed
from the front, the sternum must reach just below the elbows.
Withers: Tall, very strong, with great muscular relief.
Thorax: Ample, viewed from the side its lower edge passes the elbow.
Topline: Higher in the withers and slanting to the croup in a smooth slope. In adult animals, when the muscular development of the withers and loin is good, seen from the profile, they look like armrests and present a center channel the length of the topline, due to the relief of the spinal muscles.
Paws: Straight, vertical with short, consolidated toes.
Loins: Covered by the dorsal muscles.
Hindquarters: Very muscular thighs, with short hocks, and consolidated toes. Absent of the dew claw
Tail: Long, carried in an arc with ample upward curvature. During the fight it is carried high with continuous lateral movement, like the happiness of greeting its loved ones. The length we should try to shorten to improve overall harmony. for which which should lend preference to those whose tail does not reach the hock.
Coat: Entirely white, we can tolerate only one dark or black spot on the eye or on the head ahead of the ears. All spots on other places of the body must be disqualified as an atavistic character trait. White dogs with heavily pigmented skin must be considered examples not apt for breeding, for this recessive trait that shows can become predominant in offspring if it is paired with another with the potential for this defect.
Motives for Disqualification: Light eyes, deafness, spots on the body, long hair, blank nose, prognatism (one jaw passing the other), pendulous lips, overall body disproportion.