Dogo Cubano

Characteristics of Dogo Cubano

Brief information

• An extinct breed of dog;
• Fighting breed;
• Another name is the Cuban Mastiff.

Character

The Cuban Dogo is a now extinct dog breed that was the real pride of Latin America. The history of the Cuban dog began in the 16th century, during the reign of Philip II. The King of Spain, although not very active, nevertheless continued the policy of colonization of Latin America. And along with the conquerors-conquistadors, animals, including dogs, also arrived in new lands.

Among them was an old type of Spanish Mastiff, now considered extinct, and an Old English Bulldog. The second, by the way, was very popular in connection with a common sport – bull baiting. Small strong dogs were known as the real stars of this cruel performance. Aggressive, fearless and hardy animals drove angry bulls in the arena without fear. By the way, the name of the breed “bulldog” consists of two English words: bull – “bull” and dog – “dog”.

According to the book of the Austrian cynologist and breeder Marlene Zwettler “The Big Book of Bulldogs, Bull Terriers and Molossians”, the Mastiff and the Old English Bulldog were first crossed in Cuba, in the city of Santiago de Cuba. Without a doubt, the resulting mestizo immediately gained a reputation as a good working dog.

Behaviour

A hundred years later, Great Danes were crossed with hounds. So breeders tried to improve their scent. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, representatives of the breed were used to search for and catch escaped slaves. And in the USA, these dogs were set on enemies during numerous Indian wars.

Interestingly, by the end of the 19th century, Cuban Great Danes lost popularity: slavery was abolished, and no one needed these ferocious and formidable guards.

However, some researchers are convinced that even in the 20th century, Cuban Great Danes could still be found in some places in Cuba. They were used by farmers for the protection of possessions and lovers of dog fighting.

Despite the official ban, this brutal sport developed underground until the Cuban Revolution. And Cuban Great Danes had a direct impact on the formation of many fighting dog breeds involved in these entertainments. So, the owners actively crossed them with pit bulls , Cordoba fighting dogs, which are now considered extinct, and Dogo Argentino . Thus, these breeds became larger and more aggressive than their predecessors.

By the way, those few images of Cuban dogs that are available today cannot give a complete picture of how the representatives of this breed looked like. Cynologists claim that outwardly these dogs resembled the modern American Pit Bull Terrier more than the Old English Bulldog.

It is also known that their height was about 50 cm at the withers, and the preferred colors were pure white and white with dark spots.

Care

unknown

Conditions of detention

unknown

Dogo Cubano – Video