Welcome my newest import to Fortezza, Fantasma the Dogo Argentino. This is a new breed to Fortezza. She was long awaited; we have been developing plans to bring this breed to our kennel and home for many moons. She is a USA import from a breeder who adheres to the original Argentinian standard. She is pure white; spots are unacceptable by the original standard, which I plan to adhere towards as well. She has tremendous muscle for a young 20 months in the image, is sound in all joints, angles, and planes. With large bone, she is bitchy but with good mass and is very strong.

Her body type is fitted towards the type of work the breed was meant for, hunting. She is a good watchdog but hunting is her primary delight and pleasure. She is extremely intelligent and far surpasses the level of intelligence I was expecting. She is obedient and sensitive and doesn't require, nor wants, super firm handling; in fact, does best with verbal corrections and one short physical correction if absolutely necessary. She wears a leather collar and a simple pop with this collar is fine, whereas some of my other dogs, especially my hard-headed Presas, need a pinch collar, or a very tough correction on a flat collar. (Discipline, not punishment!!!!)

She is a hunting prospect and will start with small game and as she gets older, will go to bigger game. We don't have boars around here but there are other things I have a licence to hunt.

With other dogs, she is really not the best. It is best to start a dog off early in its forever pack but we received her at just under 2 years of age. She is still adjusting. We simply do not allow our dogs to meet strange dogs. She is learning to integrate into her new pack. Most of my dogs are pretty good around her, so she can know that she is both accepted and expected to integrate.

She is good on pack walks in the morning and evening, but throughout the day, prefers to be either alone or with me only. She is lower on the pecking order as a new member, but she knows I will protect her. I bring a couple dogs in the office with me during the day and she is included, except she is on a leash while the others are free. This also helps her to know I am her leader because wherever I go and whatever I do, she has to do as well, and she sees that the other dogs listen to my commands and voice. She is learning quickly -- I don't see her having to be on this leash as long as others I've integrated into my pack!

She eats Spring Meadows Raw dog food of all sorts but her favorite is beef and venison. She eats pretty much everything I put in front of her. She is coming off kibble and her coat is a little dull at the moment, her mouth sort of gross and ears very waxy. She is detoxing! Her eyes do look clearer, though, and she eats up the raw meat with relish. She gets a Brewer's yeast supplement with ester-C and a prenatal multivitamin.

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Art, Description © *reinafawn
^{Dog + story is fictional.}