Peruvian Hairless vs Argentine Dogo - Breed Comparison

Known also as the Argentinian Mastiff, this large dog breed from Argentina is a descendant of the extinct Fighting Dog of Cordoba. People were looking for a fearless, companionable dog, and a man, Martinez from Argentina, began a selective breeding program to get a breed that wasn’t essentially geared to fighting.

A number of breeds were mixed to achieve the desired characteristics in the Argentine Dogo breed.

It is unfortunate that the dog has been used for fighting and that it comes across as a dangerous dog so that today it is banned in several countries.

This is an ancient breed, and he even looks like he comes from ancient times. This particular dog, the Peruvian Hairless, was part of the Inca Empire and it is amazing that depictions of Peruvian hairless dogs have been seen around around 750 A.D.

It is believed the dogs were a meal for many in those ancient times, and that together with the Spanish conquest of Peru resulted in the dog almost being wiped out.

Today the dog is held in esteem in Peru and it is looked upon as the national dog of Peru – an accolade this dog received in 2001. The Federation Cynologique Internationale has accepted this breed and also adopted an official breed standard.

The Argentine Dogo is a striking looking dog, large, muscular and powerful looking. He stands at about 60 – 68cm and weighs about 35 – 45kg.

He has a pure white coat. The coat is short and smooth. The ears are high set and most times cropped and erect.The Dogo’s tail is long and hangs naturally.

Temperament

The Argentine Dogo is a companion dog today who can be loving and loyal towards his human family. He is a strong willed dog with a distrust of strangers and other animals.

He will most certainly require training and socialization if you want him to behave well among people and animals. With proper training and socialization, he can make a good family pet.

There is no doubt that the most important feature of this dog is its hairlessness, but there is nearly always a little bit of hair on top of its head and on the tip of the tail.

The color of the dog’s skin can be dark brown, mottled or a grey shade. They can be a solid color or grey or brown but with pink spots. The eyes of the dog are brown and the ears can be floppy or erect and the tail is long.

He stands at anything between 25 to 50cm, depending on whether he is a small or medium sized Peruvian. Weights can vary too but can be 4kg for the smaller type, going up to 25 kg for the larger dogs. The dogs are always slim.

Temperament:

Peruvian Hairless dogs love their human families, being somewhat wary around strangers. They are lively, intelligent, alert and protective.

Lean and agile, they can be quick too. Just like with any other dogs, he will require training and socialization if you want him to be obedient and well behaved. He gets on well with other pets in the house and will get on well with disciplined children. This is a quiet dog but even so, he makes a good guard dog.

This big, muscular white dog with his short white coat was once a hunting dog so he is active and energetic. He is also intelligent and courageous, loving his human family and wanting to protect them being a strong characteristic of his.

The Argentine Dogo is social, strong, loyal and devoted and just wants to be part of his human family and all their activities. It is important that he is trained and socialized at an early age because then he is obedient and relaxed around people and pets in the home.

From ancient times, the Peruvian Hairless has been man’s best friend, and June 12th is the official day of the Peruvian Hairless Dog. These dogs love being surrounded by their human family. They are cheerful, playful, social dogs and they make great playmates for children when the children don’t rough play too much so as to injure him.

He is also a good watchdog and when he isn’t protecting you or playing he can be calm and quiet, and slot easily into life in the countryside or the city. Treat him well and you'll enjoy excellent friendship from this hairless canine friend.

The Argentine Dogo can live to be between 10 and 12 years of age if he is looked after well, however about 10% of Argentine Dogos suffer from pigment-related deafness in one or both ears.

Dogs with white coats often have to contend with deafness.

Deafness in Dogs:

A dog can lose it’s hearing because of an ear infection. That is why it is so important to watch your pets ears and make sure that the ears aren’t red and that your pet isn't continually scratching his ears.

The most common cause of congenital deafness with a dog is pigment-related. Dogs with white coats are often affected by deafness and you commonly see deafness in dogs with white pigmented skin because they carry the piebald gene – the white coat and often blue eyes. Without a particular stem cell, the white dog’s body isn’t able to make a special layer of hearing cells.

Hip Dysplasia:

There is a high rate of hip dysplasia with these dogs and more than 40% of Argentine Dogos have malformed hips. This isn’t a dog ailment to take lightly as it can lead to pain, discomfort and even lameness for your pet.

Skin- and Eye Diseases:

Skin diseases such as red, itchy allergies are also common with these dogs as well as eye diseases.

Like all breeds there will be some health problems with your Peruvian Hairless, although with good care care this dog can live to be 12 years of age or maybe even a little older. Some things to look out for include -

Irritable Bowel Syndrome:

You may notice your dog not eating his food, having an upset stomach and vomiting. Irritable bowel syndrome in a dog is a persistent upset stomach, resulting in diarrhea and bloating. IBS isn’t reserved for older dogs, and it can affect any breed or sex. You’ll notice your pet being listless and without energy. In severe cases of IBS, you may notice blood in your pet’s feces. Don’t allow your canine friend to suffer – get him to the vet.

Seizures:

Also known as epilepsy, it can be disturbing for you to see your canine friend having a seizure. Uncontrolled bursts of electrical activity in your dog’s brain cause these seizures which are a mix of twitching and shaking. The seizure can last for less than a minute or for several minutes. A number of things can cause these seizures in dogs – head injuries, anemia, kidney disease, liver disease, electrolyte problems, brain cancer among others.

Skin Problems:

Many dogs suffer with one or other skin problems and these can be painful and frustrating. Hairless breeds are more likely to suffer with skin issues and they require special grooming and skin care to prevent dryness, insect bites, sunburn etc.

Brushing and Grooming:

With his short coat, the Argentine Dogo is a low maintenance dog, requiring a good brush twice a week. Its a pure white dog, and wiping him down with a damp cloth can keep his coat looking dazzling white and clean.

Grooming your dog like this gives you a good chance to also check your pet for fleas and ticks and to ensure the skin is free from infection or dryness. You will find that he sheds a bit more in the hotter seasons, but during the colder months it will be wise to bring your pet indoors.

Other areas to consistently check with your dog are his nails – to keep them trimmed, to clean his teeth 2 or 3 times a week with proper canine toothbrush and toothpaste and to check his ears for infection.

For some, the lack of hair is appealing to some people who battle with allergies. The skin of the dog will need to be washed to remove dirt. You’ve got to be careful however, what you wash your dog with because these dogs are known to get blackheads and acne because of blocked pores.

Then again, the skin can become quite dry, so you need to strike a balance. Talk to a dog expert or your vet on how to care for such a dog’s skin.

You’ll also need to consider your dog when he goes outside into the sun. Protection against sunlight is recommended and once again you might want to find out about sun blocks. Because of the lack of hair, he may also be sensitive to the cold.

Make sure this unusual pet gets the right diet. You want to be sure that whether you feed him commercially manufactured foods or he gets some home-made food it is full of vitamins and minerals. Steer away from spicy, unusual foods as dogs love simplicity and consistency.