NEW, March 2008 litter just born....go to "Breeding Plans"...!!
Introduction
This site is the story of a passion. A condensed story; yes, but a story nonetheless.
This is the story of our passion for a dog-breed which was created in my country, Argentina, by an Argentine: Antonio Nores Martínez, a brilliant surgeon, helped by his 1-year younger brother, Agustín. They started in the mid 1920's, as teenagers...kind of an omen, come to look at it. The roaring twenties; a time in which every dream was thought to be possible....combined with an age in which most men and women also think the future holds unlimited possibilities. And boy, did they achieve; indeed.
The story wouldn't have been possible if it hadn't been for the fact that it was and is shared. My wife, Patricia, taking care of more dogos than I can remember, and never even hinting a protest every time I pack my gear and head off for the hunting field; on the contrary, encouraging me to live the kind of life that only adventure can provide. My two daughters, Belen, and Sofia, who, despite their difference in ages, learned both to walk holding the neck of a dogo. My father, Cesar, who died in 1992 and who taught me everything about living an ethical life. My mother, Marta , who passed away in 2004 and who never ceased to ask me why "I wanted so many of those huge dogs". Both of them are also responsible for me being able to adress you in this language.
My hunting brothers, Leo, Ricardo, and Luis, with whom I have shared so many endless, cold and sleepless nights and long days hunting and just enjoying the simple fact of being together (ok, yes...and drinking!). They are my chosen brothers in the path of life and I love them.
I also want to mention my dear friend Ulises D'Andrea Nores, grandson of Antonio Nores Martínez, with whom we share a partnership and a love for the history and the functional aspects of the dogo. Ulises's family has been my family every time I go to his beautiful estancia in Cordoba, La Cocha: His wife Carolina, children Sofía, Ulisito and María Paz; his father Ulises sr and his incredible mother, Beatriz Nores. The relationship which started with a dog has now evolved to all aspects of life, even sharing vacations together. Ulises, you know how I feel and, among many other things, I will never be able to thank you enough for the effects your family and your estancia have had on my daughter's illness.
This site is dedicated to all of them, and to the memory of all the great dogs that have been lost in the battlefield while this story was being created: Ruano, Allen, Pial, Candunga, Fiel, Lanín, Juancho, Atahualpa, Jaque, Mario, and many, many others....too many to be able to remember them without feeling a lump in the throat.
As a native Spanish speaking person, I want to apologize in advance for all the mistakes I have incurred in writing this site. Many times I have been asked why I do write my stories in English. Well, I feel there is enough information about this great gladiator written in Spanish; on the contrary, that never seemed to be the case in English. Besides, how can I forget how this whole dogo-cyberthing started...my American brother Eric and myself meeting and founding our first message board back in 1998...in English. So, this site is also dedicated then to my American friends; specially those who have come down to hunt with me -Eric, Dave, Howard, Ryan, Cathy, Randy, Amy- , but also those I haven't met outside of cyberspace or a long-distance call.
For this magnificent breed not only displays heart, tenacity, strength, nobility....it also has the uncanning ability to bring people together in a common bond, regardless of nationalities, ethnics, religions, or social classes. Which is quite certainly one of it's greatest achievements.
Sincerely,
Marcelo Fernández (A.K.A. Dogoman)
October 2005 (Updated February 2008)
