In the popularization of the race equally participated Antonio, Augustine and the rest of the family Martinez. They had a negligible impact on spreading the rumors over the continent about the unbeatable dog, as well as the dog that is at nothing, and who does not withdraw, same did the people who have received such dog from brothers as a gift or purchased, as well those who have already had a Dogo. There are very few (even today) who remain indifferent when meeting with these dogs. However, only few see the beauty of the selected Dogo Argentina in the present, because they aren’t used in dog fight or in hunting anymore (except those illegal, which unfortunately will probably exist forever).
A large and positive impact on the recognition of the race in wider circles left a speech of dr Tono Nores Martinez in the hunting club in Buenos Aires. With that speech full of the passion they have only those who are born with big ideas and do not complain out hard life etc.. Tono’s hunters unveiled a new breed of Argentina in October 1946. The next year the speech was published in full in the Argentine national hunting magazines.
Because of the desire to raze in our reaches a level at which they and some other popular breeds will agree with every fact which dr. Tono expressed on these dogs and dogs in general. Amongst other things standing there and his suggestion that the selection takes into account the strict morphological appearance, but not to forget the objectives for which the breed originated. To make the race steadily progress you have to take care in making the proper choice of the father and mother, and what inevitably goes with it, and training. Training for hunting, training for the guard dog, tracker, official dog training or simply for everyday life … Of course, the dogs that end up in a corner of the backyard, or very often in chains, you will never to find out whether you could become a good company, maybe learn the basic commands and things like that. Such dogs often become, in these conditions of isolation, too aggressive. This is still a race (like all the rest) that requires daily contact with members of the family or it lives very difficult with ill-treatment filed owners. And today you need to know in which direction to go the education. You have to have the same goals. Without it there is a stagnation and decline of the race.
Great Interest in the Dogo after this speech and stories of their courage attracted the attention of many. Augustin Martinez (then Senator) meets one of them hunting in Pampa. don Antonio Maura with whom he came into conflict because of the story of courage Dogo. Given that the area in which they were was known by El Gouna (but unlike the Spanish, without killing bulls), Mauro Augustine teases him that one of his Dogos try and defeat the bull in the arena in front of the people. This, of course was accepted as a challenge even without thinking and he goes in search of adequate dog. Due to the seemingly unequal duel brothers had problem to find a dog that wanted to fight with a bull. Dogs that are bred in use for hunting were well socialized and tolerant to domestic animals. After a while, they found a dog (which is undoubtedly still used in combat), who was very aggressive towards other animals, primarily because of its isolation. The youngest brother, Francisco gets the task to train the dog to lead him in the arena.
On the day of the fight in the arena was a serious number of spectators gathered, especially those who wanted to see the outcome of the bet. As a positive thing this cruel event whose outcome we will find out later it was the presence of a large number of Argentine, and Brazilian journalists. Apart from his closest family members present Martinez, all others are considered totally unfair fight, and were convinced that the dog has no chance. At the beginning they had doubts about the outcome and fruition begun, because at the entry of bulls into the arena, the dog was completely indifferent. To motivate the dog Francisco jumps into the arena and it enraged the bull. The dog, of course, reacted instinctively and jumped on the bull to protect the master. He grabbed him by the eyelid and left to hang on his head. Raging Bull shrugged him off in full race on the Arena fence and the dog remained lying motionless. All participants thought that the fight was over. However, the dog got up and jumped on bull’s head and firmly bit his ear’s root. When rolling a bull and a dog who does not want to release what was bitten, the dog grabs the bull by the muzzle and squeezes it firmly so that the bull had to give up. The dog did not let their prey even after the apparent surrender, so Francisco jumped back into the arena and calmly separated the dog from a bull and took him out of the arena. The dog is limping out (later X-ray showed multiple fractures of the thigh bone), of course, present audience was left with a standing ovation.
The mission was completed. Reputation of Dogo Argentina was defended, a dog that can do “EVERYTHING”! After all of this everyone began to truly respect the Martinez brothers and their work, and no matter what the journalists took the opportunity to describe all the brutality of the battle, the dog experienced tremendous popularity, but now, also outside of South America. The brothers established the first kennel, and the area in which they lived give it a name del Chubut. Under the old rule, the family continued to give away their dogs to selected friends. At one time there were over a hundred dogs found on Santa Isabel. From there he moved the selection of two separate groups of dogs completely far beyond blood relations.
However, in addition to it all, tragedy has happened to those who already were in love with the dogs and their creator, in a hunt in early 1956, completely meaningless Antonio Nores Martinez loses his life. He was killed by a man who tried to rob him. A few years later, brother Augustin completely takes over education of the dogs and he ends everything they have began almost 40 years earlier.
B. Sc. Eng. Slobodan Lazic
FCI judge
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