Here are my responses to the statements you've heard.
Dogos were bred for an all purpose hunting dog.-----
I would say partially true. All purpose as in they were bred to find and catch large game, primarily boar and puma. And also expected to be a guardian for their farms and properties, sometimes were even used as cattle dogs.Dogos catch wherever and sometimes chew up a hog.----
I have yet to see a dogo "chew up" a hog, I would say a dogo might catch wherever to stop running prey, but will more often catch head on, if given the opportunity.Dogos arent tested as hard b/c traditionally they were bred to run and catch in packs so each dog gets pressured less when on a rough hog.-----
Do some searching of the video that the creator used to introduce the dogo to the "general public", I wouldn't say that his testing wasn't that hard. I have seen plenty of video footage of dogos fighting with adult INTACT puma/mtn lion, and 350+lb Jabali(boar), not the type of boar to just sit back and wait for the dog to be broken off, the type of boar to FIGHT. A Jabali with tusks that were so long they started to curl around.Dogos are slow to mature and the breed are far and few btx when it comes to finding working quality dogs.-----
Slow to mature is relative to the owner and the breeds the owner has worked with. It all depends on how you raise them, but being that they have many large breed dogs in their makeup, they are not physically grown up til 2, but I would say that they can be solid hunting dogs by 1. I don't think its hard to find working dogos, or show dogos. But it is hard to find both in the same dog.Dogos are not tested to the standards that the founders intended b/c they are not used the same way in this country.-----
I would say I agree that the creators would not have used the dogo this way, but feel the need to add "in their country" to that statement. Lots of people here catch LOTS of HOGS running dogos and other breeds, in the manner they do. And for out terrain, and not to mention PROPERTY LINES, it seems to be the efficient way to go. As a breed enthusiast, its not the way to PRESERVE the dogo, but it may refine certain lines to be the americanized hunter necessary for american hunters.Dub:
As I was typing I see you posted...I have run my dogos in South Florida with no problems in July and August with no problems. I do let them drink as much water as they want, and I appreciate the reminder. I am thinking about how to bring pails of water with my, but I usually just bring bottles and a bowl.
I have never needed to train a dogo to catch anything. And as their creators have written, their primary training should be that of accepting the animals you want them to. They are bred to have an inate aggression with other animals, and any animal you want them to be cordial with, they need ALOT of socialization. I don't want to start a bloodlines conversation, but am always interested in how specific blood works for different people, so if you don't mind emailing me about that dogo you are working its
Lahistoriadogo@aol.com. I think sometimes others scare people into too much training with dogos. Maybe some exposure, but for me if you want to see if a dogo has it, just let it up against a boar that will FIGHT it. If the dogo doesn't want to fight it, then you have a problem. Then the only thing I would do, is give the dogo praise for things you want it to attack. Getting them to attack should be the easy part, getting them trash broken should be the harder part. Once you let them know that they are allowed to go after something specific, believe me, they will be searching there asses off to find that fight that you don't punish them for.
I did see that video or a video I should say. It was in black and white. I didn't see any type of testing that personally knocked my socks off in the one I saw. Mabe you should post it to make sure we saw the same one. I did see some testing on Puma in a video once, but it was on a declawed adolescent. One of the ones I saw on a hog the dog nearly pulled the hogs lip off. Also if a hogs tusks are curling over they aren't cutting tusks.
