Dogue de Bordeaux

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Dogue de Bordeaux

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Dogue de Bordeaux is one of the oldest French dog breeds – and a large French mastiff breed. They are typical brachycephalic molossoid types, with a short and broad skull, massive head, serious expression, and powerful build. Loyal, independent, and protective, the dog also needs a lot of training and socialization.

Other Names Bordeaux Bulldog, Bordeaux Dog, Bordeaux Mastiff, BordeauxDogge, Dogo De BurDeos, French Mastiff
Color Fawn, Isabella, Mahogany, Red
Height Males: 23-27 inches. Females: 22-26 inches.
Weight Males: 110-0 pounds. Females: 99-0 pounds.
Life Span 5-8 years
Personality Affectionate, Loyal, Courageous
Exercise Regular Exercise
Origin
Popularity #68
Groom Needs Occasional
Kids Friendly Yes with supervision
Dog Friendly No
Watch Dog
Family Dog
Litter Size 7-8

Dogue de Bordeaux Pictures

Dogue de Bordeaux Video

Introduction

Isn’t he gorgeous, this big, muscular, well-balanced dog with a gentle demeanor? – The Dogue de Bordeaux. He is also known as a French Mastiff. In France, ‘Dogue” means mastiff in French. He might look a bit intimidating, with his stocky, powerful body, thick skins which is loose and folded in wrinkles. He makes a very loyal pet, so that makes him a wonderful guard dog and companion. He stands 27 inches at the shoulders and weighs in at around 110 pounds. They have short coats that come in various shades of light fawn to dark red in color and occasionally there might even be patches of white – just occasional use of a grooming mitt should be sufficient to look after his coat. Who can forget that wonderful old movie, “Turner & Hooch”? Well, the dog in the movie is a much-loved Dogue. He has numerous skin folds, and these need cleaning to avoid infection and irritation of his skin. He might be vigilant and a fearless protector, but he is not considered an aggressive breed at all; in fact, if treated well, he is a gentle and docile giant, requiring the right training program and socialization to make him a loveable part of the family. He is energetic for his size and needs adequate exercise.

Living with Dogue de Bordeaux

Dogue de Bordeaux is well-known for how much they drool, and they have wrinkles that need special care. To reduce the risk of infection, clean the wrinkles on your dog’s face once a day with a damp cloth and dry them completely. Also, the owner can carry a hand towel for wiping his wrinkled face after every meal or drink of water. The coat of Dogue de Bordeaux doesn’t need much maintenance, he just needs brushing once or twice a week and bathing once every month, or as needed. 

Check and clean your dog’s ears at least once a week for debris or signs of infection. Besides, brush the dog’s teeth as often as possible and trim the nails regularly to prevent cracking.

The young Bordeaux should be limited to low-impact exercise until at least 18 months of age, this is because too early exercise may cause the dog bones and joints problems. The dogs should not be overexerted and shouldn’t be allowed to run up and down stairs or jump off the surface higher than their back. As a large dog breed, it requires a long walk to ensure the dog gets the daily exercise, also, regular exercise can benefit the dog’s both body and spirit. Swimming is an excellent exercise for Bordeaux of any age.

Generally, it is required to feed a Dogue de Bordeaux with approximately four to five cups of high-quality dog food every day, divided into two meals. More importantly, the food amount should depend on the dog’s weight, size, age, and activity level. There should be fresh and clean water at all times. 

Some dogs are easy to get overweight, so you need to watch their calorie consumption and weight level all the time. Treats may be an important aid in training, but excessive intake can lead to obesity. Also, owners need to distinguish which human food is safe for dogs and which are not. If you have any problems with your dog’s weight or diet, just consult from your veterinarian.

The Dogue de Bordeaux is prone to the following health conditions: heart disease, orthopedic issues (such as hips and elbows), epilepsy, infection in the face folds, ectropion, bloat, or gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV), etc.

Major concerns: elbow dysplasia, CHD

Minor concerns: ectropion, entropion, brachycephalic syndrome

Occasionally seen: DCM, aortic stenosis

Suggested tests:

Cardiac Exam

Elbow Evaluation

Hip Evaluation

Shoulder Evaluation

Total Annual Cost: $3536

Cost is estimated for the first year and may vary depending on many factors, such as dog food, health care, leash, collar, licensing, possible fencing, crates, training and obedience classes, dog-walking, grooming, treats, toys, flea, tick, and heart-worm meds, microchips, etc.

The Dogues de Bordeaux is intelligent and can learn quickly, but they are stubborn and this can slow down their education. Socialization and early obedience training are an absolute must for them. Importantly, this dog breed is a sensitive breed that requires trust, and it is not suggested to use a heavy-handed approach. 

Besides, Dogues are possible to take more advanced training. They enjoy participating in cart-pulling, agility, rally, and advanced obedience training and competitions with their families.

History

The Dogue de Bordeaux originates from France. Actually, the history of the Dogue de Bordeaux is shrouded in mystery. The American Kennel Club (AKC) though, says it’s indisputable that this dog shares the same common link that all the modern Molossus dogs do. They are descendants of the Molossus, a dog that lived around the time of 700 BC. 

Once this dog was classified into three varieties, the Toulouse, the Parisian, and the Bordeaux. This classification was based on the part of France the dog was from as well as what their primary jobs were. They were either guard dogs, fighting dogs, or hunting dogs. 

As guard dogs, they protected wealthy French people’s homes. But this proved to be a setback to the Dogue de Bordeaux, because a lot of them died in the French Revolution along with the rich owners. And during World War II, even more of them disappeared because Adolph Hitler, it is told, demanded that these dogs all be executed during World War II because of their devotion and loyalty which was shown to their owners. 

Some breeders from France under Dr. Raymond Trique, an expert breeder, tried to rebuild this dog breed.  In 1970 a breed standard was written for the Dogue de Bordeaux. This standard was the basis for the AKC standard which was written in 2005.

Helpful Information

Breed Club: DOGUE DE BORDEAUX SOCIETY OF AMERICA

Breed Club Link: http://www.ddbsa.org/

Breed Club Rescue: 

Breed Club Rescue Link: http://www.ddbsa.org/rescue-oversight-committee