Kassi McLaughlin | El Remate Dogos Argentinos

Interview with Kassi McLaughlin, Breeder of El Remate Dogos Argentinos

Where do I live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a breeder?

Kassi McLaughlin: I live in San Antonio, Texas. I have been in dogs as a breeder for 25-plus years.

What is my kennel name? How many dogs do I currently keep?

Kassi McLaughlin: My kennel name is El Remate. I currently keep three Dogos Argentinos.

Which show dogs from the past have been my noteworthy winners?

Kassi McLaughlin: GCH Atahualpa de El Remate CM and his sister GCH CH Aguada de El Remate CM; they were two of the first five AKC Grand Champions for the breed, and “Atahualpa” was the first of the breed to win Best of Breed at Westminster.

Which have been my most influential sires and dams?

Kassi McLaughlin: The most influential have been Cazador Criollo Huaina and Cazador Criollo Karlito.

Can I talk a bit about my facilities? Where are my puppies whelped? How are they raised?

Kassi McLaughlin: My dogs are kennel and house raised. They are whelped inside my home and raised with a modified version of Puppy Culture, in the home as a family member. I believe in letting my dams do most of the raising and I overseeas needed.

What is my “process” for selecting Show Puppies? Performance Puppies?

Kassi McLaughlin: There is no difference for me between show and function. The Dogo Argentino should never differentiate between a “show dog” vs. a true Dogo Argentino. Form and Function should be ever present in the breed.

Do I compete in Performance Events? In Parent Club Tests & Trials?

Kassi McLaughlin: Yes, we run in Fast CAT. It’s fun, the dogs love it, and their innate prey drive gets to kick in; plus, we like to compete against our own personal bests. Prodigy from my stock compete in all Performance Events, from Rally Obedience to Dock Diving and Fast CAT. Tests and trials for our breed are out in the woods hunting, doing what the breed was created to do.

Is “performance” part of my decision-making when it comes to breeding?

Kassi McLaughlin: Functionality plays a large part in all my decisions when it comes to breeding. A Dogo Argentino breeder should always put functionality first and foremost.

How would I define “conditioning” as it relates to my breed?

Kassi McLaughlin: Conditioning a Dogo means they need to have the ability to run long distances and still have the strength and stamina to fight something 4-5 times their body weight.

Are there any health-related concerns in my breed? Any special nutritional needs?

Kassi McLaughlin: The first health concern is congenital deafness. Every Dogo should have a BAER test showing full hearing. We also recommend testing hips, heart, eyes, and thyroid. A high-protein diet for working Dogos is recommended.

Do I think my breed is supported by a sufficient number of preservation breeders?

Kassi McLaughlin: Unfortunately, like most breeds, they are becoming more and more popular, and most people are breeding for financial gain.

Is my breed well suited to be a family dog? Who are the best candidates to own my breed?

Kassi McLaughlin: A well-bred Dogo, when it receives the appropriate amount of exercise and mental stimulation to fulfill its working drive, makes an excellent family companion. The best candidates to own a Dogo are individuals or families with a large amount of time to devote to the physical and mental stimulation they need, preferably those who will embrace the Dogo’s true nature as a hunter and actively hunt them.

What is the biggest misconception about my breed? What is my breed’s best-kept secret?

Kassi McLaughlin: The biggest misconception is that people commonly call them an Argentinian Mastiff when they, in fact, are not mastiffs at all and do not share any mastiff traits. I don’t know if it is a secret to Dogueros who know the breed well, but Dogos are as fiercely loyal and loving to their family as they are a powerful and intense hunter of dangerous game.

If I could share a comment or two with judges of my breed, what would I like to say to them?

Kassi McLaughlin: Form Follows Function: The Dogo Argentino should always look as if it can do the job it is bred to do. Type matters. Find a mentor who not only has over a decade of experience in the breed but someone who has experience using the breed for its intended purpose.

Do I have any words of wisdom to pass along to newer breeders?

Kassi McLaughlin: I would say the same as above; find a good mentor. Own multiple Dogos, spend time in the breed, with the breed, and using the breed in the woods before ever breeding.

For a bit of fun, what’s the most amusing thing I’ve ever experienced with a Working Dog?

Kassi McLaughlin: As the intense and serious breed that they are, daily life with Dogos provides constant amusement and entertainment. A very special Dogo that belonged to a friend of mine would sit and demand a slice of pizza from me whenever I made pizza—by yelling at me in a way only a Dogo can.