10 Dog Breeds that Look and Sound like Dogo Argentino
Very few dogs out there are like the Dogo Argentino, be it in looks, sound, or other traits that Dogo Argentinos are known for. Having a Dogo Argentino by your side instills in you a special kind of confidence and comfort.
Because it will risk everything to make sure you’re well protected. In fact, anyone coming at you would have to go through your Dogo first.
However, the protective instincts and domineering spirit of Dogo Argentinos require them to be super aggressive.
A trait that the majority of people and countries despise in family dogs. This has led to countries like Denmark, Norway, New Zealand, Iceland, Singapore, and Hong Kong banning or restricting ownership of the Dogo Argentino in their territory.
Even in the UK, you need to gain full authorization to own a Dogo Argentino. Therefore, before you buy a Dogo Argentino, it’s best you find out if you’re authorized to own one in your country.
However, in case the Dogo Argentino is not accepted in your country, this article introduces you to dogs that look and sound like the Dogo Argentino.
These dogs also have other similar traits to the Dogo Argentino, and the good thing is, most of them are accepted worldwide. So you’ll like them too.
How do Dogo Argentinos look?
Dogo Argentinos, also known as the Argentine Mastiff, have white short-coats and muscular bodies that make them look calm and beautiful, yet fearless and aggressive.
Their large heads, decorated with a small dark patch around the eyes or somewhere else on the face, give them a distinctive look. However, these dark patches cover only about 10–15% of the face. Anything more than that is not a Dogo Argentino.
Dogos are pure white dog breeds. However, some of them have dark spots on their skin that are mostly invisible unless inspected closely.
Dogo Argentinos are born with floppy ears, which the owners crop to give them a more fierce appearance. They also have saber tails, which gives them the balance they need when running after a game or hiking mountains.
How does a Dogo Argentino sound?
Dogo Argentinos, with a weight of 40–54 kg, can make very thunderous sounds when they bark, and even cute sounds when they’re playing with their loved ones.
The ground shakes when Dogo Argentino’s barks. They are large dogs that were originally bred to hunt big game like boars and pumas. Only the barking sound of your Dogo Argentino is enough to scare intruders away from your home.
What dog breeds look and sound like a Dogo Argentino?
The dogs closest in appearance to the Dogo Argentino are the Great Dane, the Boxer, the Cordoba fighting dog, etc. Let’s look at these dogs and other ones that look and sound like the Dogo Argentino.
1. Cordoba fighting dog
Without taking a closer look, you’d mistake the Cordoba fighting dog for the Dogo Argentino. Though they come in different colors, the Cordoba fighting dog is a predominantly white breed. Their muscular body, large heads, black noses, and eyes make them look almost like a Dogo Argentino.
However, this doesn’t come as a surprise, as the Cordoba fighting dog is the base breed for the Dogo Argentino. Its fearless and tireless spirit were the reasons it was chosen by the breeders of Dogo Argentinos. This is one dog that guarantees you the “I can die for my owner” trait the Dogo Argentino is known for.
2. The Great Dane
The Great Dane is another dog that contributed to the breeding of the Dogo Argentino. Their height and muscular bodies are their main breeding contributions. However, they still have similar facial features, mouth shape, ear type, and eye gaze.
The Great Dane comes in seven official colors, with black as the predominant one. They also have loud, thunderous barks, which can be attributed majorly to their size. With both the Great Dane and the Cordoba fighting dog being descendants of mastiffs, it’s no wonder why Dogo Argentinos inherited many traits from mastiffs.
3. The Boxer
The Boxer is another dog breed that shares traits of look and sound with the Dogo Argentino. Though it has a slightly different facial look, the Boxer has a similar body shape to the Dogo Argentino.
Its face is shorter, with multiple skin folds around the forehead and muzzle regions, whereas the Dogo has smooth skin all over its body. The Boxer is predominantly available in white, brindle, and fawn colors, while the Dogo Argentino has no other color than white.
Even though the Boxer weighs less (30-32 kg) than the Dogo Argentino, it still carries an intimidating sound when it barks. A trait that’s sure to give intruders a second thought before making any attempt on your home.
The Boxer is also one of the dog breeds that contributed to the making of the Argentine Mastiff. It contributed the traits of agility and tractability to the Dogo Argentino.
4. Spanish Mastiff
The Spanish Mastiff, also known as the Mastin Español, looks more like the Dogo Argentino in sound than in looks. Its large body (which weighs 40-70 kg) gives it the domineering and attention-grabbing sounds of the Dogo Argentino.
The Spanish Mastiff is a double-coated dog breed, unlike the Dogo Argentino, which has a single short coat. Its head shape, which looks like the Dogo Argentino, with its tiny eyes and vigilant expression, gives it an even more daring look.
If you’re looking for a dog that will guard you and instinctively protect you like a Dogo, then the Spanish Mastiff is your best bet. It’s well suited to the role as it was bred to be a guard dog, unlike the Dogo, which was bred to hunt big game.
The Mastin comes predominantly in fawn color, but it also comes in brindle, black, and wolf colors.
5. English pointer
The English Pointer, commonly called the Pointer, is another dog with a slight resemblance to the Dogo Argentino. However, their most shared trait is one that isn’t visible – their supreme scenting ability is lacking in many other breeds.
The pointer doesn’t measure up in size with the Dogo Argentino. Though they have almost the same height, the Dogo Argentino has a more balanced body and weight. And just like the Dogo, pointers were bred primarily for hunting.
However, they’ve come to establish themselves as excellent watchdogs too. They also share the short, smooth coats of the Dogo Argentinos.
Pointers are mainly available in black, orange, and white, liver and white, pure liver, black and white, and lemon and white colors.
6. American pit bull terrier
Just a few things differentiate the appearance of an American Pit Bull Terrier and a Dogo Argentino: their color, body size, and eyes.
They have similar head structures, the same nose, mouth, and ear shapes, and the same physique. Even their facial expressions and gaze are the same.
However, the Pit Bull is smaller and comes in different colors, whereas the Dogo Argentino is only available in white. The Pit Bull also has more defined eyes than the Dogos, whose eyes are sunk deep into their sockets.
Though the American pit bull terrier is medium-sized, it possesses the qualities you need in a guard or family dog. They are playful, affectionate, and loyal. They are also protective of their own and would give everything to protect their owners.
7. Ambullneo Mastiff
The Ambullneo mastiff is another dog from the mastiff family that has a similar body structure to the Dogo Argentino. It strikes a near-perfect resemblance with the Dogo Argentino in size, head structure, and muscle.
Apart from the physical resemblance, the Ambullneo mastiffs possess almost the same barking intensity as the Dogo. They rank among the loudest dogs in the world.
Ambullneo mastiffs are born as guardian dogs. They are very protective of their pack and are fearless enough to launch an attack on anyone who makes an attempt on their owners. They’re predominantly available in dark colors, especially black.
8. Presa Canario
If you want a dog that’s as fearless, domineering, and protective of its owners as the Dogo Argentino, then you should get a Presa Canario. The Presa Canario, formerly known as the Dogo Canario, is a Spanish breed of the mastiff family.
It’s among the dogs that look like the Dogo Argentino in many ways, yet have many distinctive traits that’d make you fall in love with them. In fact, just like Dogo Argentinos, you should never get a Presa Canario if you’re a first-time dog owner.
This is because, though the dog is a lovely, trainable, and loyal breed, it loves dominance and only an experienced dog owner can bring the best out of it.
The Presa Canarios resemble the Dogo Argentino more in body physique than in head and facial structure. They’re muscular and athletic and possess a body movement that’s more like that of cats than dogs.
They were primarily bred to be guard dogs, but possess the temperament and characteristics to be trained into loving, vigilant family dogs.
9. Staffordshire Bull Terrier
The Staffordshire Bull terrier is a smaller dog breed than the Dogo Argentino. However, it still possesses some physical attributes that would make you mistake it for a Dogo Argentino.
The Staffordshire bull terrier possesses a similar, though larger, facial structure to the Dogo Argentino. The muscular body, stamina, drop ear, and even their saber tails are also similar to that of the Dogo.
The Staffordshire bull terrier is available in several colors: white, black, brindle, fawn, blue, red, etc. It also appears in combinations of white and other colors.
10. Cane Corso
This is another hunting dog breed that possesses similar physical attributes to the Dogo Argentino. Though they’re slightly bigger than the Dogo, they have similar body, heads, and facial structures.
With a bite force of 650 PSI, the Cane Corso ranks among the dogs with the strongest bite forces in the world. They are fierce, domineering, and energetic, and because of that, they need proper training and exercise to keep them from being aggressive and destructive.
Though they rank among the most aggressive dog breeds out there, Cane Corsos can be loyal and family-oriented when they receive proper socialization. With a Cane Corso by your side, you have a lovely, affectionate guardian dog that can go all out for you and your family.
Conclusion – Dogs like the Dogo Argentino
The ban or restriction on the Dogo Argentino in some countries has made it difficult for everyone who desires it to own one. And only a purebred Dogo Argentino can give you the full characteristics of a Dogo Argentino.
However, the dogs listed in this article, like the American Pit Bull Terrier, the Great Dane, the Boxer, and others, possess similar looks and traits to the Dogo Argentino.
Though they have their own characteristics, they’ll still give you the Dogo Argentino vibes. And the good thing is, most of them have no restrictions or bans, like the Dogo Argentino.
Hopefully, one or two of the dog breeds listed in this article meet your expectations.
