The Dogo Argentinos breed were originally bred to hunt big game, but now they may have found a new calling.
World Class K-9, based in Georgia, has been specializing in breeding and training Dogo Argentinos as family protection and bodyguard dogs for over 25 years.
Coming in at a considerable weight (owner Julius Henry’s prize pooch, Achilles, weighs 95 pounds, and fellow Dogo Trapial is 105 pounds), and capable of bringing down wild hogs up to six times their size, they are seriously not to be messed with.
“What intrigued me about the Dogo Argentino is their heart”, said Julius in an interview with Barcroft Studios. “There’s nothing I can put in front of them that they won’t go through to do their job. They understand social situations, and they also understand when there’s a threat.
“They can be as active as you want to be, and at the same time they can be as relaxed as you want to be.”
If you fancy getting one to make yourself feel that more secure, then be warned: they don’t come cheap. Dogo Argentinos puppies start off at $5,000, and Julius’s trained protection dogs go for anywhere between £15,000 and £25,000. He has been offered $75,000 for Achilles, but he’s not for sale!
Having seen them in action, we can safely say that you’ll be getting the safety that you’re paying for. As a demonstration of the Dogos’ abilities, Julius set up a demonstration in which a (mercifully padded up) brave volunteer played the part of someone attacking Julius. Once the Dogo got wind that his master was under threat, all the padding proved barely sufficient to stave him off – good thing, then, that with just a word from Julius, the Dogo backed off. Good Dogo.
So in summary, Dogo Argentinos: don’t mess with them.
