Dogo Argentino: Even the name gets most people's heckles up.Given the media coverage of the breed, including a recent report of a Dogo Argentino cross breed which attacked a Manawatu man, it's understandable people may have reservations about meeting one in the flesh.
But the breed has been completely misunderstood, according
to one of the country's few breeders of the animal classified as "menacing" by the National Dog Database.
Shane, who does not want his last name published for security reasons, has been breeding Dogo Argentinos in the Wairarapa for a number of years and said one of the biggest myths about the dog was that it was bred to fight.
"It really guts me to hear that, they're not the breed for everyone, but I've never seen a pup that's been born naturally aggressive," he said.
"They're a utility dog breed primarily for pig hunting and in Argentina they're just normal dogs kept for hunting, as guard dogs and pets."
However, New Zealand dog laws require all dogs that are either wholly or predominantly Dogo Argentino to be micro-chipped, muzzled when in a public place and often neutered ? measures the breeder considers to be far too harsh.
"This law has made it hard for people who are devoted to Dogos to breed them and let people buy them. It's a good breed that's being forced underground.
"Banning the breed isn't going to solve the problem though, owners need to take responsibility, but this law only punishes the dog."
As a result of the new dog laws Shane said he now only has half- breed Dogo Argentinos on his property, but is left wondering what he will be hit with next as a misunderstood dog owner.
"If people could see what these dogs are really like they'd know they're social, really good around kids and just big babies. To me they're part of my family, but once this kind of thing starts it can just snowball, who knows what breed will be banned next?"
