Dogo Sardo Dog Breed - Facts and Information

Appearance

There is no official breed standard of Dogo Sardo, but it is always a very athletic, strong a muscular big dog with pretty intimidating appearance. The average height is typically between 55-65 cm, which is 22-26 inches and weight between 35-45 kgs, which is 77-100 pounds. The females are naturally little bit smaller than males.

The coat is short, smooth and dense and you can find this breed in many colors including brown, black, red, grey, fawn, brindle or any combination of these colors.

The head of Dogo Sardo is huge and they have pretty long muzzle for a molloser dog. They have well developed and strong jaws. The ears are traditionally cropped and tail docked, but naturally, they have long tail. They have intense and serious expression in their amber or brown round shaped eyes.


Personality
The Dogo Sardo was bred to be the best guard for centuries, which means they are extremely loyal to their owners and family and very suspicious and alert towards strangers. Prepare for a strong bond between you and your dog, because Dogo Sardo will want to be around you all the time, they are totally devoted.

Because of their strong body and dominant nature, this dog breed is a poor choice for novice dog owners. It is because early socialization and proper training is a must, otherwise, they can grow into agressive dogs who will be extremely territorial.

This is one of the best watchdog and protector you can get. If they are not raised with other dogs, they can be agressive towards them. They normally dont have problems with other animals, like goats, horses and sheeps, but this can be vastly influenced by socialization and training.

The Dogo Sardo is definitely an intelligent breed, but not a pushover to train. It is because of their independent and dominant nature. The trainins session should be short, otherwise they might become bored, stubborn and unwilling to train. It is important to be firm and patient leader, only than you can train obedient Dogo Sardo.


Interesting Fact
Until the 20th century, only a few Dogo Sardos left the island of Sardinia. It was because the Sardinians valued this working dog very highly and they were suspicious towards outsiders. This changed lately, when more Dogo Sardos left the island and now you can find them in other Italian regions as well.


History
This is very old dog breed and just like with most of ancient dogs, their origin is unknown and surrounded by mystery. It is believed, that they share similar ancestry with other Italian Mastiffs, like Cane Corso and Neapolitan Mastiff.

Other theory says, that the Dogo Sardo is different from other Italian Mastiff and that they were brought to the Sardinia by Greek or Phoenicians traders.

Well, the only thing we know for sure is, that the Dogo Sardo was predominantly developed on the island of Sardinia, and even today, you can find them mostly on this island only.

They were highly valued by Sardinian farmers for their extraordinary guarding skills, but they were also used for guarding property or hunting wild pigs and deers. It is also believed, that Sardinian army used Dogo Sardo as a war dog in the past, but it is, just like most of the Dogo Sardo history, disputed.


Health and Grooming

This is a low maintenance dog breed, which does not need any special coat care. Just like with all dogs its important to regularly check the dogs ears, eyes and nails and clip them or clean them if needed.

The Dogo Sardo is healthy and sturdy dog breed, but just like all dogs they still suffer from some health issues, most commonly from hip and elbow dysplasia, entropion, progressive retinal atrophy and bloating.