What should you pay attention to when a Dogo Argentino first arrives home?
(1) A Dogo Argentino leaving its mother and companions and entering a new environment will naturally be affected, so give it a few days to adapt. At the same time, observe its condition to make sure its emotions are not becoming overly disturbed.
(2) Pet dogs often lose their appetite during the first three weeks in a new environment because of nervousness and anxiety, so the owner should encourage the dog to eat more.
(3) For the dog’s safety, when you are not at home, it should be kept in its enclosure or crate.
(4) Do not let the dog come into contact with plants, cleaning agents, or scattered small accessories.
(5) Eliminate every possible opportunity for the Dogo Argentino to escape.
(6) If it is winter, make sure the dog is given sufficient protection against the cold.
(7) Do not use a leash or collar that can tighten around the dog’s neck.
How should you raise and train a Dogo Argentino?
Do you know that your Dogo Argentino’s personality is closely related to the way you raise and train it?
It is often said that a dog’s character is “three parts bloodline, seven parts upbringing.” For a Dogo Argentino under one year old, that first year is especially important for education and habit building.
This period should be handled carefully. Once poor habits or personality problems form, they become hard to correct. In that sense, the saying “character formed young lasts for life” also applies to dogs.
Just as every person has a different personality, every Dogo Argentino also has a different temperament. The main factors shaping that temperament include the owner’s care, training style, and living environment, all of which strongly influence the dog’s future personality.
So the owner’s way of raising the dog plays a major role in shaping its character. The key to education and training is to extend the dog’s strengths and prevent its weaknesses from developing, so the owner must fully understand the Dogo Argentino’s growth stages.
Very young Dogo Argentino puppies have limited learning ability. At first they only feel the warmth of the mother and spend the whole day nursing. Around twenty days old, curiosity begins to emerge, and by thirty to fifty days old, intelligence develops significantly. This stage is suitable for gradually separating puppies from their littermates, because self-awareness begins to form and strong opinions start appearing. In other words, a competitive instinct is beginning to emerge.
Some people say that a dog’s personality resembles its owner’s. There is a good deal of truth in that. A dog’s character is indeed influenced by the owner’s discipline and training. For example:
1. If the owner is reasonable and lives in a clean and orderly way, the Dogo Argentino is usually honest and gentle.
2. If the owner often scolds, kicks, or beats the dog, the Dogo Argentino will often become fierce and harsh in temperament.
3. If the dog is often left alone to guard the home, it may develop indiscriminate guarding behavior and seek attention everywhere.
4. Dogo Argentinos dislike the smell of alcohol. If the owner drunkenly hugs the dog, it may become unhappy.
5. If the dog is sick and the owner does not care for it, the dog may become gloomy and withdrawn.
How should you train a Dogo Argentino to respond to its name?
The first step in raising a Dogo Argentino puppy is to give it a name so training can begin. It is best to use short one-syllable or two-syllable names that are easy to pronounce, remember, and distinguish. If there is more than one puppy, the names should sound clearly different so the puppies do not become confused.
Name-response training should ideally be done when the puppy is in a good mood, while playing with you, or while asking for food. Training must be done steadily and repeatedly. When the puppy hears its name and quickly turns its head toward you while wagging its tail happily, the first stage of training has been successful.
Once the puppy begins to understand its name, proper rewards must be given, such as gently stroking its head or giving it a favorite snack. Also, never punish the dog when calling its name, otherwise it may think being called means punishment and become afraid to come, which will damage the training effect.