Skull: Solid, convex from back to front and
transversely due to the relief of the mastication muscles and the nape.
Face: Same length of the skull.
We have separated skull and face, however both form the "Head" of the
Dogo, which is typical and, as explained in this work, is of the mesocephalic
type and must have a convex-concave profile, that is, a convex skull due to the
relief of the insertion of the masticating muscles, typical in prey dogs, of
the "masticating' type, and the face and snout slightly concave upwards,
typical of dogs with good olfaction. That is, having a skull for mastication
and a face for olfaction as long as it implies a functional interaction: high
sniffing. Zygomatic arches well separated from the skull, with an ample
temporal cavity to comfortably insert the temporal muscle, one of the main
masticators.)
Eyes: Dark or nut
brown. With black or flesh colored eyelid rims, the separation between them
must be large, vivacious and smart look and markedly stern at the same time.
Light eyes or red brows are reasons to deduct points. Disparity of color is a
reason for disqualification.)
Jaws: Well matched, without prognathism, strong with large and
well placed teeth. (The number of molars does not matter while the most
important thing is the homogeneity of the dental arches, the lack of cavities,
no upper or lower prognathism, and especially, that all four fangs, large and
clean. match perfectly while pressing to seize the prey.)
Nose: Intensely pigmented in black, with a slight stop on its
tip, with ample nostrils. (A white nose or white stained nose deducts points. A
divided nose or harelip is reasons for disqualification.)
Ears: On top of the head, erect or semi erect. Of triangular
shape, must always be cut. (The judge must not fudge a Dogo with long ears, and
must remove it from the ring. Somewhat longer cut ears can be accepted in
females like in Great Danes. The male is preferred with slightly shorter ears.
The Dogo Argentino is a prey dog that is, a fighting dog, and long ears can be
easily grabbed and very painful during fights Moreover, aesthetical reasons
make it necessary to cut the ears.)
Lips: Must be well turned upwards, stretched, with free rims and
pigmented in black. (Lips must be short for the dog to be able to breath through
the side lip commissure while seizing the prey. If the lip is pendant, even if
the maxillary is long, it works as a valve during inhalation, closing the lip
commissure which impedes the animal to perform supplemental respiration though
the lip commissures during the seize, having to release due to asphyxia. (As this
happens to breeds with hanging lips.)
Occiput: Must not show any relief since it is completely
concealed by the powerful muscles of the nape, forming an arch shaped linkage
between the head and the neck. (It is concealed by the curved line of the
convexity of the skull.)
Neck: Thick, arched, well built, with a very thick skin by the throat,
forming the wrinkles like those of the Mastiff, the Dogue de Bordeaux, the
Bulldog, and not stretched, like in the Bullterrier. (Such elasticity of the
neck skin is due to the cellular tissue being very slack in this region,
allowing the neck skin to slide over the superficial aponeurosis, such that the
fang or the paw of the contender only hurts the skin. In the case of a cougar,
for example, which will try to seize it by the neck, since the skin is elastic
and stretches a lot, it allows to seize the prey as well.)
Chest: Ample, deep. Giving the sensation of having a large lung.
When seen from the front, the breastbone must overpass the elbows. (Being the
Dogo Argentino, a dog for work and for fight, it is obvious the importance of
an ample and deep chest due to the importance of breathing for the dog.)
Back: Tall, Very strong. With large muscular
relief's.
Thorax: Ample; when seen sideways, its lower edge overpasses the
elbows.
Top line: On the back, inclined toward the croup in a smooth
slope. (In adult animals, when the development of back muscles and the kidney
is adequate, when seen sideways they show a median channel along the spinal
muscles.)
Forelegs: Straight,
well set, with short and closed toes. The length of the toes must keep
proportion with the foot and have fleshy pads, with thick skin and very rough,
with callousness and allow the animal to run a lot through rough and stony
terrain, without hurting.)
Kidney: Concealed
by the muscles in the dorsum.
Legs: Good muscles in the thighs, with short nails and tightly
closed toes, with no dew claws. Must show good angulations, always having in
mind that they are the drivers for speed and the support for close fighting so
that the thigh muscle must always be emphasized. The dew claw, though very easy
to get rid of during the first few months, is a reason to deduct points by
being a recessive feature toward the Great Pyrenees, but is not a reason for
disqualification.)
Tail: Long and thick, held hanging naturally, but without over
passing the hocks. It must be kept raised during the fight, with a continuous
lateral motion, like when fawning with the master. (It must be kept in mind
that the tail is very helpful, whether acting as a helm to change course during
runs, as a compensatory support during the fight acting in combination with the
rear quarters.)
Weight: 40 to 45 kilos
Height: 60 to 65 centimeters. (With both the height and the weight,
the judge must be inflexible, since being the Dogo a fighting dog among big
game breeds, a smaller size decreases its efficiency.. Any adult Dogo, male or
female, must be disqualified if less then 60 centimeters tall. Among many good
candidates, the tallest must be preferred. The developer of this breed has
expressed that the Dogo Argentino is a norm type, that is, it must keep
harmonious proportions, or organic eurythmy, which translates into a larger force
capacity. This is why the selected specimen must be that with larger height and
weight, without being gigantic.)
Coat: Completely white. Spots of any color are a disqualifier due
to its atavistic nature. White specimens with skin heavily pigmented in black
must be deemed as not good for breeding, due to the recessive nature that
represents, which can turn predominant in its descendants when mated with other
specimens having this latent defect. Small spot on the head are not a reason
for disqualification, however, between two similar specimens; the completely
white must be preferred. On the other hand, any spot on the body is a reason
for disqualification.)
Disqualification: Blue, light blue or eyes of inappropriate
color, deafness, body spots, long hair, white or heavily white stained nose,
prognathism (whether lower or upper). Pendent lip, hound like head, long ears
(with no cutting). Size shorter than 60 centimeters. More
than one spot on the face and any physical disproportion. The dew claw
deducts points, but does not disqualify it.

