Some of you will recall about 6 months ago I got a dogo mix American bulldog. He was in pretty bad shape when I got him, neglected, skin-n-bones, penned up and pretty much forgotten. In the time which has elasped he has become a great friend. I've never known how loyal a dog could be. We've done some training, and have gotten him in pretty good shape. About two months ago I brought him to the vet for some shots and he weighed about 70lbs. Better shape than when I got him, but now he weighs 85 lbs and is looking great. He looks like a dog bodybuilder, muscle everwhere, with a massive head and full of energy. Just to confuse things I name my dogo, Dogo.

We've started hunting him a while back after some trials in a pen. He did well in the pen, but was still untested in the field. After four unsuccessful hunts I was really anxious. The night before this hunt I couldn't sleep, just too excited. We were to hunt the area where the guys killed 14 hogs on New Years day, I was pumped.

Well things just don't work out like you plan. After four hours of hard hunting we did not even get a piglet. I was discouraged, begining to wonder it the big white one was jinxed. I was also cold as a front had moved in.

We went to my son-in-law's home and I discovered that he and his friend West, were going to the river to try to find Hotrod. Hotrod was the favorite dog of another friend who went out with the pack but never made it back. His tracking collar placed him in a deep slew which was too deep to walk in. So the guys were going to take a pirogue in and try to retrieve his tracking collar. I was invited especially since they wanted to take Dogo as Stuart's catch dogs all three of them were in heat. I didn't want to go, I was discourged, tired, and cold. At the last minute I produced warmer clothes and decided to go.

A short time up river, West saw a good hog on a sandbar, but it took us a while to get there as the river is shallow in spots, full of current, and deadfalls. Truthfully the current makes me nervious as I am use to the slow moving bayous of home.

When we finally pulled up to the sandbar Stuart realised that he had forgotten the tracking collars for his dogs in the truck at the boat landing. He then decided not to release his dogs so West dogs, Nigger (sorry, that's his name) and Lily hit the bank followed by Dogo, hard on their trail. I was hit by the sudden urge to pee (like old men get), West took one look at me in wonderment and took off after the dogs. Stuart turned the boat around for the boat landing to get the forgotten collars. After the longest pee of my life, I climbed up the steep bank and saw West's white ballcap moving a great distance away through the woods after the dogs. I began to try to close up the distance with a young man not half my age.

When I got with in about fifty yards of West I saw West draw his revolver. I was too winded to draw my own, and quite frankly didn't know what was going on as the dogs were a good distance from us. West was crossing a small slew ahead and by the time I got to it I heard him shoot once. I quickly crossed the slew, getting a boot full of water on each foot in the process. A short time later I caught up with West at the bay.

Soon as I got there West advised that the sow was in too bad a shape to capture alive and that we would have to kill it. Dogo and Nigger each had an ear, or what was left of an ear. West began to catch the sow's hind legs to throw the hog, and I told him I'd take it. I drew my Muela with it's 10" double edge blade and struck the pig just a bit further back than I wanted. Truthfully with that blade it was probably ok, but I hit the hog again, right where I wanted to, and cutdown as I withdrew the blade. The hog died almost instantly. West's more experience dogs almost immediately broke off and began to search for more hogs. Dogo was still intent in getting his share. I started to drag him off when West intervined indicating as a young dog he need this. So we left Dogo with his hog and went a short distance and found the hog West had shot. West had place a .38 cal. bullet about 4 inches behind the hogs ear, it died where it stood. This was a large sow, mature, and obviously with piglets somewhere. Soon there after West's dogs had killed two of the piglets and we caught one alive. Dogo returned a short time later covered in blood which showed up well on his white coat.

We spent the rest of the afternoon looking for Claude, Stuart's dog which he had released upon his return. Claude went missing much like Hotrod had done. After much searching he was found unable to lift his head in a puddle of water and appered to have severe hydrothermia (sp). Which was puzzling as he had dry ground all around the puddle he was lying in.

Anyhow we made haste to the boat landing, and after picking up the boat we were flagged down by a guy who had stuck his vehicle and wanted assistance. We advised that we had to get a dog to a vet and didn't have time to pull him out but offered him a ride. Now West is in the process of moving, and his truck, the one we were using was full of his goods and we had no room for him in the cab. So we offered to let him ride in the bed of the truck with the dogs. He took one look at Dogo, covered in blood and declined and instead road in the boat we were towing, that must have been a cold ride.

I was filled with pride on the way home, my dog had done really well. Never knew this dog stuff could grow on you the way it can. I believe there will be more sleepless nights ahead for me, as I lay in bed, but see in my tossing and turning a big white dog bounding through the woods.

Good on you for taking the challenge to help a neglected dog, sometimes there behavioural traits are harder to fix than the physical damage. You must have a lot of pride in seeing him starting to work.

You're right Shankspony, he is still very shy around people he doesn't know. I was extremely happy the way he behaved around West.

Larry,

Here's to you and Dogo! What a great story...made me glad I checked in. Count on more sleepless nights because your canine partner loves the hunt even more than we do. When you get the chance, an update on Claude and Hotrod. Super post. Take care...

Matt

Hey Matt, thank you for your kind response. It means a lot comming from a real pro like yourself. I am still very much the rookie, with a lot to learn.

Claude is fine, by the time we got to Stuart's he was very much improved. The ride home in the cab with the heater on did the trick. He spent the night in an insulated shed, and today he is fine.

Hotrod has joined the big pack in the sky, what happened remains a mystery to us. He was once the most reliable nose of them all, but was severely injured by a large boar and was totally irratic thereafter. The dog would often run like a madman through the woods and not even make an attempt to hunt. That too was a puzzle to us all.

Again thank you for your remarks, Matt, hope all is well with you.

Larry

Oh Dogo, just earned his keep again. Chased some Jehova's Witnesses off the propery. All he did was give a couple of barks and a low growl and they decided to preach elsewhere.

What a dog?

Me thinks Dogo has good instincts. Good news about Claude; and sorry about Hotrod but he won't be forgotten. Larry, a rookie you're not, and please keep the stories of fun adventures coming.

Matt

congratulations for you and your dogo ,congratulations.Juan

Thank you Juan, I thought I post a picture of the man..er dog of the hour.

Great story, Larry! Great dog! Thank you for sharing it with us! You must be proud!

Thanks Marko, I appreciate your kind remarks. I'm very proud of Dogo, he's really the first dog I've had since I was 7. Of course my wife has 3, but never me, if you know what I mean. It's been pretty tough hunting suddenly, after that unprecidented start. We've lost some key dogs, and our best hunting spot which a new leasee took over and for whatever reason doesn't want us hunting on it. I'll keep you posted, I'm sure things will pick up later.

Regards,

Larry

You are a lucky man, my friend. A good story and a wonderful dog. I really like his photo, he remind me very much of Jaun Pozzi's Dogos.
Not sure what "Je me souviens aussi," but I am guessing it means "I'n gonna kick ass with this dog."

I definitely think you fit in the lucky man catagory as well, since you've hunted with Juan. That would be a dream come true for me if I could ever swing it.

I learned of the Dogo breed from reading Juan's post and set about trying to locate one of my own. Comparing my dog to Juan's will get you on my "most favored list" for sure. Thank you for your response.

A frenchman would say that Je me souviens aussi has something to do with remembering something, but you and I know it means " I'm gonna kick ass with this dog" bien sur.

Regards,
Larry

Larry thanks for the kind words ,your DOGO is beautifull ,i love it .I now have only 2 dogos and next year ill have one more .Dont buy another male or you will have a lot of figths .Ill make later a post just for you .LARRY YOU CAN CAME HERE A COUPLE OF DAYS AND HUNT HOGS AND ANOTHER GAME FREE .

Larry, if I were you, I would be on the first plane to Argentina!

quote:

Originally posted by juanpozzi:
Larry thanks for the kind words ,your DOGO is beautifull ,i love it .I now have only 2 dogos and next year ill have one more .Dont buy another male or you will have a lot of figths .Ill make later a post just for you .LARRY YOU CAN CAME HERE A COUPLE OF DAYS AND HUNT HOGS AND ANOTHER GAME FREE .

Juan, I am flabergasted (sp) I don't know what to say except I intend to take you up on your kind offer and thank you truly. To hunt with you would indeed be a dream come true. Not only for the hunt and the chance to see your beautiful country but to meet you in person.

I already have my vacations lined up for this year, but if you can give me a year my friend I will vist and hunt with you. Again I am humbled by your kind offer and am looking forward to the day we share what I know will be the hunting experience of a lifetime for me.

Regards,
Larry

PS I'll be looking for your post.

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:
Larry, if I were you, I would be on the first plane to Argentina!

Boy, I wish I could, but I have a trip to Mexico lined up and a motorcyle trip to the Grand Canyon lined up. To messed with any one of those to go hunting might make me homeless.

Have you convince you wife yet that you need to come to Arkansas for health reasons?