A Complete Price Guide for the Dogo Argentino

The Dogo Argentino is an Argentinian dog breed that was created for the purpose of hunting boars and other large game animals. As a result, it should come as no surprise to learn that these dogs are formidable animals, being big, tough, and courageous. The Dogo Argentino is very different from its predecessor called the Cordoba Fighting Dog. It was created to be not just formidable but also both loyal and loving. Meanwhile, the Cordoba Fighting Dog was apparently very aggressive even by the standards of dog breeds created for dog fighting, so much so that the difficulties of getting them to breed rather than fight with one another actually contributed to their eventual extinction. Unfortunately, the Dogo Argentino doesn’t have the best of reputations, meaning that its ownership is either banned or otherwise restricted in a wide range of places. Something that interested individuals should keep in mind when looking up these dogs.

What Can You Expect to Pay for a Dogo Argentino?

For starters, if people are planning to buy a Dogo Argentino, they should expect to pay a fair amount of money. Generally speaking, puppies should sell for about $1,500 to $2,500, which isn’t that unusual for purebred dogs. It is possible for people to get their hands on a Dogo Argentino for either a much smaller price or a much bigger price. However, there will be some kind of reason for both cases. In the first case, chances are very good that something is wrong with the source of the puppy. Different dog breeders can have very different practices from one another. Thanks to this, people should expect to get what they pay for. In other words, if they manage to get their hands on a Dogo Argentino in exchange for a much lower than normal price, chances are very good that the puppy came from an operation that is meant to produce as many puppies for sale as possible as fast as possible. Something that tends to mean very bad things for the dog’s health. Even ignoring the ethical considerations, there are the practical considerations as well. People might get lucky in the sense that they will get a happy and healthy Dogo Argentino at a much lower than normal price. Sadly, there is a very real chance that their dog will have either physical issues, behavioral issues, or both, which can burn through the money that they manage to save and then some. Healthcare costs can be expensive. Canine healthcare costs are no exception to this rule. As for the other case, the gist of it is that different dogs from the same dog breed can have very different values. In particular, if a puppy comes from a prestigious bloodline, that can cause its value to skyrocket. It isn’t uncommon for such puppies to sell for more than $5,000. In fact, there are some that have managed to hit the $8,000 mark. Fortunately, if people don’t want to pay such prices, they can just go for puppies from less prestigious bloodlines.

Besides buying a Dogo Argentino, there are the options of either adopting or rescuing a Dogo Argentino. These options have a number of benefits. For example, people can expect both of them to be much cheaper, so much so that their cost will be in the low to mid hundreds rather than the low to mid thousands. Similarly, people can expect to get a decent understanding of any of the dog’s issues, though the dog will also have received an appropriate amount of care. On top of this, either adopting or rescuing a dog means saving lives. Simply put, animal shelters and other animal welfare organizations have limited resources, meaning that their ability to care for animals is far exceeded by the number of animals out there that need care. As a result, they are often forced to make unpleasant choices in order to ensure that their charges receive an appropriate amount of care. By either adopting or rescuing a dog, people can free up resources that can be used to care for other animals.

Of course, adopting or rescuing a dog has drawbacks as well. To name an example, people are very reliant on there being a suitable dog for them to either adopt or rescue. For some dog breeds, this is a non-issue because they are so popular that people should have no problem finding such dogs. The Dogo Argentino is not one of these. It isn’t the rarest dog breed that can be found out there. However, there can be no doubt about it being on the uncommon side of things. Similarly, there is no guarantee that the available dogs will be suitable. Often-times, dogs are brought to animal welfare organizations for no fault on their part. Perhaps the dog owner wasn’t ready for dog ownership; perhaps the dog owner has no choice but to give up their dog. Other times, well, suffice to say that dogs can have either physical issues, behavioral issues, or both, meaning that they will require additional care. Still, if people are concerned about price more than any other consideration, they should definitely look into either adopting or rescuing a dog.

What Factors Can Influence the Price of a Dogo Argentino?

There are numerous factors that can influence the price of a particular puppy. As mentioned earlier, a prestigious bloodline can have a huge impact. However, it is but one of a number of factors that can come into play. One of the reasons that a Dogo Argentino is because it is a purebred dog. There are now more and more people who are interested in mixed-breed dogs. Sometimes, this is because they like the claims that mixed-breed dogs tend to be healthier because of their bigger gene pools. Other times, this is because they want a mixed-breed dog with desirable traits from two different dog breeds. Even so, purebred dogs are still seen as being more prestigious, which in turn, means that purebred dogs can sell for higher prices. Coat color is something that can have a huge impact on a puppy’s price as well. Essentially, some coat colors are rarer than others, meaning that they can sell for higher prices because of the increased competition for them. However, coat color shouldn’t be an issue for the Dogo Argentino. This is because most kennel clubs don’t recognize animals unless they have a white coat. Furthermore, any marking on that white coat tends to be considered a flaw, which has a corresponding effect on the puppy’s price. There is a notable exception in how the Federación Cinológica Argentina allows for either a black or a brindle spot on the forehead. However, that won’t be relevant for most English speakers. Having said that, people might be able to get a discounted price if they are willing to get a Dogo Argentino with markings, though they should take the potential consequences into consideration before taking such a step.

Similarly, availability in the local area is an important factor. People who are buying a puppy tend to be limited to the dog breeders in their area. Beyond that, most will have a hard time visiting dog breeders, which can complicate any purchasing plans. To name an example, people can get a dog shipped over long distances to them. However, that means that they won’t be able to check out the dog beforehand, which is always a bad idea. Furthermore, there is the matter of the shipping cost. Something that can be quite expensive in its own right. As such, people who are buying a puppy will be impacted by the availability of the dog breed in question in their local area. More dog breeders mean lower prices. In contrast, fewer dog breeders mean higher prices. This is particularly relevant for the Dogo Argentino because it is on the uncommon side of things.

Naturally, the resources that have been spent on the puppy have an effect on the puppy’s price. One common example would be their healthcare costs. Another common example would be their training costs. After all, dog breeders are doing business, meaning that they need to cover their costs and then some if they want to make any profit. It is interesting to note that this rule is often true for adopting and rescuing dogs as well. Animal welfare organizations might not be interested in making a profit. However, they do tend to be interested in continuing to operate, meaning that including the cost of healthcare in their fees is a useful way for them to operate longer than otherwise possible on the resources that are available to them. Age is another issue. Generally speaking, younger dogs sell for higher prices. As such, people can get a better price if they are willing to get a somewhat older dog.

What Other Costs Do You Need to Keep in Mind?

The price of a puppy is just the first cost that people will need to consider. After all, dogs are living beings, meaning that they will need other things for them to live happy and healthy lives. Generally speaking, the first year will be the most expensive year because people will need to buy toys, accessories, and other items for their dog. After which, the costs should settle down somewhat. This can change if the dog gets a serious medical problem of some kind, which is one of the reasons why preventative healthcare is so important for everyone.

In any case, there is an estimate of about $3,000 for the first year because of everything new that will have to be purchased for the dog. If people already have some of the necessary items that are going unused, they can save some costs by making use of those. There are limits to how much this can help, particularly since a lot of costs will come from healthcare costs rather than item costs. To name an example, a puppy is going to need to make multiple visits to the veterinarian for all of their shots during their first year of life, with each visit costing about $60 to $250. Similarly, if the dog needs to be either spayed or neutered, that will mean another $150 to $450. Once the first year is over, the cost of dog ownership should go down to about $1,700 on an annual basis. This includes food, healthcare, and other routine costs. Be warned that if a dog has a serious medical problem, that is going to mean a much higher annual cost because of the additional healthcare costs, though the exact figure can see considerable variation from case to case. As such, getting a healthy puppy is important. Furthermore, keeping that dog healthy can providing it with nutritious food, regular exercise, and preventative healthcare is important as well.

How Can You Find a Reputable Dog Breeder?

On a final note, going to a reputable dog breeder is a good way to increase the chances of getting a happy, healthy puppy. As a rule of thumb, people should always visit the dog breeders that they are thinking about buying a puppy from. This is so that they can see how the dog breeders treat their dogs, which will have a huge effect on the wellbeing of the puppies. On top of that, such visits are a good chance for them to learn more about the puppy as well as a good chance for the dog breeder to learn more about them, both of which are normal for reputable operations. While interacting, people should be careful about dog breeders who are excessively aggressive when it comes to selling their dogs. For example, they should be very careful about dog breeders who try to inject a sense of urgency into everything because that can cause them to make mistakes by rushing rather than get the chance to figure everything out so that they can make a fully-informed decision. Similarly, they will want to check the documentation for the dog breeders’ claims, particularly when it comes to the puppy’s background as well as how the puppy has been treated. For that matter, people should definitely look up the dog breeders on the Internet, which should be able to provide them with information about other people’s experiences with them have gone in the past. Something that can be as useful as checking the dog breeders’ own testimonials.