Morocho La Cocha
For anyone that doubts the love and protective instinct that a Dogo has for its family members, take a few minutes to read the wonderful and heart-warming story of Morocho La Cocha. Dr. Antonio Nores Martinez was the creator of the Dogo Argentino and this story is about his grandson, Ulises and his daughter, Sofia.
Ulises had gone to the family’s farm to catch up on some much-needed chores and was working with the manager of the farm, Tomás. Sofia, aged 10, was playing with Yoli, the manager’s daughter when the girls asked permission to go and pick figs from a tree about 700 metres from the house.
The girls ran across the field to the tree and Yoli being much faster than Sofia reached the tree first and started climbing up the thick branches. When Sofia arrived Yoli was already a couple of metres up the tree. All of a sudden the leaves above Sofia rustled and the girls started hearing noises from higher up the tree.
As they looked up fearing a snake might be above them a huge puma leaped out of the tree knocking Yoli to the ground with its paw as it jumped. The puma had leapt down in the direction of Sofia.
Nobody has noticed Morocho; one of Ulises’ top Dogos had followed the girls out towards the fig tree. As the puma leapt down Morocho used his powerful muscles to meet the puma in mid-air and closed his strong jaws round the puma’s neck. Hearing the girls screaming Ulises and Tomás raced towards the tree.
When they arrived Morocho had got the puma pinned to the ground. Ulises quickly pulled out his knife and swiftly killed the puma.
Sofia escaped from the terrifying ordeal unhurt and Yoli had some bruising but apart from that the two friends had a very lucky escape. Morocho suffered cuts and bruising from the battle but recovered with a few scars to show for his heroic efforts.
The puma had been responsible for killing several horses on the farm and despite the men always on the lookout for the beast throughout the surrounding mountains it had never been seen. They never dreamed the puma would be living so close to the house.
Morocho has become a legend in his own lifetime for saving the children from the puma.
Bombón: El Perro
Another side to the Dogo Argentino can be seen in the 2004 film Bombón: El Perro. This lovely film is about an unemployed man whose luck changes after being given a pedigree Dogo Argentino. Set in Patagonia the film is the collaboration between Spanish and Argentinian directors and writers.
Coco is the main character; the recently unemployed mechanic is down on his luck. Although he is a skilled craftsman he just never manages to sell any of his superbly made knives. At the age of 52 he is desperate to find more work to support his daughter and her children with whom he shares a home.
Good natured and always wanting to help Coco comes to the aid of a stranded female motorist. In thanks she gives him a dog telling him it is a pedigree and giving him the papers as well. The dog is called Bombón and from then on Coco’s luck changes.
He is asked to guard buildings with his faithful dog and then when Bombón wins a prize at a dog show he is put out to stud. The duo is helped along the road of canine beauty pageants and shows by a dog trainer named Walter and two become three as the unlikely trio hit the road together.
The film is a comedy drama with touches of sadness and shows that the breed is not just about hunting and killing. It portrays the Dogo Argentino as a companion dog that will defend its master and family but still be loving.
The Dogo that played Bombón is aka Gregorio and the scenes in the film show an extremely well-trained Dogo Argentino. Anyone that imagines these dogs are all about fighting only has to watch this to see a completely different side to the dog’s nature.
