DOGUE DE BORDEAUX HISTORY

The Dogue de Bordeaux is one of the oldest French Breeds. It's actual origins are obscure but it probably descended from one of the strains of Mastiff type dogs that accompanied Macedonian and Roman armies through Asia, Europe & Britain. A 14th century writer describing the Alaunt Veuteres, a probable ancestor of the Dogue de Bordeaux, wrote that this dog 'holds his bite stronger than three sight hounds'. By the middle of the 19th Century, the Dogue de Bordeaux was little known outside of Aquitaine. In France the Dogues were bred depending upon the region and jobs they were required to do.

LARGE AND GIANT BREEDS

Large and Giant Breeds: Nature has not Kept up with Selection, so the Food must Compensate

Large-breed fanciers must acknowledge that while large and giant dogs are magnificent, nature often has not had time to catch up with selective breeding by humans; thus, they have some natural weaknesses.

These dogs have a very long and intense growth period, are less precocious than smaller dogs and have a relatively smaller digestive tract as well as a reduced life expectancy, which means that old age sets in earlier.

Different digestive capacities
The digestive tract of a large dog is smaller in proportion to its overall size than that of a small dog. Therefore, proportionately, a large dog has a lesser digestive capacity than a small dog.

Special Food

The fact that selection improves performance and appearance while making an organism more delicate and sensitive is also known from other species, such as cattle and swine. The organism is like a magnificent Formula 1 car, which takes a long time to make, is sturdy and offers high performance, but which can be stopped by one tiny missing part or by low-quality fuel. While a dog cannot be compared to a machine, this metaphor is nonetheless revealing, because like Formula 1 cars, large dogs require very specific and carefully-formulated "fuel" to function.

- It is important to closely watch a large-breed or giant-breed puppy's growth rate to prevent development of bone and joint problems, as well as hip dysplasia. To help control daily weight gain, the food should not be too rich in fats and should be served in moderate portions. Protein content, however, has no effect on growth rate. Uncontrolled calcium supplementation is particularly dangerous in these puppies.- An adult large-breed or giant-breed dog has relatively low digestive tolerance and requires particularly digestible food with sufficient energy content so that the meals are not too large.

- Choosing a highly digestible food with a high energy content can help prevent gastric dilatation and torsion.

- Adding natural antioxidants (vitamins C and E) to the food and reducing the phosphorus content (thus helping prevent kidney troubles due to ageing) are the first steps to take to help a dog enter its mature years under the best possible conditions.

- After the age of six, large and giant dogs become more delicate. To keep them in good health, the owner should offer a very appetizing, well-balanced food made with high-quality ingredients: milk, egg and fish proteins; borage oil; chelated trace minerals; etc.

Such a diet, in conjunction with regular veterinary examinations, will improve the dog's quality of life and increase its longevity.

The digestive tract of a large dog is smaller in proportion to its overall size than that of a small dog. Therefore, proportionately, a large dog has a lesser digestive capacity than a small dog.



	NUTRITIONAL NEEDS OF WORKING AND SPORTING DOGS: KEY POINTS 1. Good nutrition plays an important role in optimizing physical performance, as does genetic selection and training. 2. To maintain optimal weight in an active dog, the number of calories consumed per day must be adapted to the dogs needs. A sled dog running a long-distance race may need 8.5 times more calories than normal to stay in peak condition. 3. Food rich in fat improves performance for sprints as well as over long distances. Feeding fat-rich food to provide energy allows a dog to conserve the glycogen in his muscles and delay the onset of fatigue. However, the dog must be conditioned to the new diet for one month prior to the beginning of training so that his body and muscles can adapt and use the fats most efficiently. 4. When feeding an active dog, some fats are better than others: - coconut oil provides fatty acids that are quickly available to the muscles; - fish oil provides fatty acids that reduce inflammation often caused by strain and physical effort. 5. Food containing carnitine promotes efficient use of fats and conserves the body's energy reserves. Vitamin E and C supplements help protect a dog's body against increased production of free radicals released during physical activity. 6. Intense physical activity and its associated stress increase a dog's need for protein. A protein-rich diet reduces the risk of injury and improves performance by promoting muscular oxygenation. 7. Not only working and sporting dogs need high-calorie diets. Such a diet is appropriate for dogs that live outdoors in winter, lactating bitches, dogs preparing for competition, those with sensitive digestive systems, those recovering from injury or illness, etc.

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

Alternative Medicine and Dogs

Some believe in it, others do not. No matter what the case may be, alternative medicine is practiced on dogs just like it is on humans, sometimes successfully, according to the specialists. To rule it out, therefore, could seem unfair or at the very least, subjective. Moreover, veterinarians who are interested and specialized in these different fields have come together to form national and international institutions that provide the appropriate training.



	All these techniques, rightly or wrongly called "alternative medicine", are only of interest when they are practiced: - by a person skilled in the art (veterinarian), and not by quacks who do not have a scientific education, - as a perfect complement to the more classic medical and surgical medicine, - with a true sense of honesty as to their limitations (traumology, cancerology and infectious diseases cannot be treated with alternative medicine alone).

Homeopathy

The basic principle of homeopathic medicine ("simili similibus curant") is well known. It consists in treating the evil with an evil. A product or substance that causes a given disease is diluted to obtain an infinitesimally smaller dosage that then helps fight against the disease. In fact, the concept of "hahnemannian treatment" - named for its creator - has spread somewhat and although the substances and molecules in question are always diluted several hundred times, they are not always involved in the treated disease. Homeopathic medicines come in the form of drops or pills and are diluted in a centesimal (CH) or decimal (DH) manner. They are normally given at times other than mealtimes and are given several times per day. There are now several levels of homeopathic treatment available to the canine veterinarian.

Phytotherapy

Although not very developed in canine medicine, phytotherapy is beginning to take its place in alternative medicine especially as certain plants truly have medicinal qualities. Certain forms of quackery that have at times been developed or promoted by well-known personalities in the media or arts world, have led us to forget that most allopathic medicines have their origins in the plant kingdom. What could be more normal, as long as a rigorous, scientific approach is maintained and the underlying principle is not that plants can heal everything but that rather the healing properties of certain plants should be used to a benefit? These plants can be used as a whole (referred to as "simple"), in the form of essential oil extracts ("aromatherapy") or, certain parts of the plant that have higher concentrations of the active ingredient can be used (buds, roots, sprouts, etc. This is called "germinotherapy").

The same logic behind natural healing is seen in the use of certain clays such as smectite to treat simple diarrhea.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is derived directly from traditional Chinese medicine. It is based on the use of needles placed on perfectly defined anatomical spots on the body. It is also used on dogs. Here again, some veterinarians have specialized in this field and have obtained good results, normally in relation to certain forms of chronic lameness. The veterinarian school in Beijing even offers a complete training program in this field for its students since in certain cases, surgical anesthesia is only performed in conjunction with acupuncture.

Osteopathy

The term osteopathy is undoubtedly not the best term to designate a medical practice, which is without a doubt highly effective when practiced by a person with an educational background in biology and medicine - a veterinarian in the case of a dog. The spinal column is the basic framework of the living organism. All nerves start here and radiate out to all points of the body. Intelligent manipulation of these vertebrae and sometimes the limbs will, in many cases (pain, lameness, neuralgia, etc.), help restore good order in cases where more traditional treatment has failed.



	COMPARATIVE INTEREST OF ANIMAL PATHOLOGY FOR THE STUDY OF HUMAN MYOPATHIES Studies of animal diseases have shown that some of them are very similar to human diseases, both in terms of symptoms and lesions and the causes. For instance, canine muscular pathology involves certain diseases that are similar to human myopathies. This observation provides hope that in-depth study of animal diseases will promote better understanding of the underlying mechanisms in human myopathies and will bring about more effective treatments. This is all the more true as dogs are large enough that it is easy to implement treatments that can ultimately be used on humans, whereas in smaller species, such as mice, transposing these treatments is much more difficult. Two examples will better illustrate the interest in comparative pathology in order to increase knowledge of human myopathies. Duchenne-type muscular dystrophy is a rather common hereditary disease, affecting 1 out of every 3,500 boys. It is a dramatic disease because starting from age four or five, it causes progressive loss of muscular strength due to deterioration of all the muscles. The young patients are therefore confined to a wheelchair and often die before the age of twenty-one. This disease is transmitted through a sex-related chromosome. It is caused by a defective gene that normally governs the production of a protein, dystrophine, which is necessary for stability of muscle cells and consequently, for repairing the interior and exterior environment of the muscle cells. This complex disease, however, is not fully understood, nor treated effectively. In dogs, there is a myopathy that is caused by a lack of dystrophine and which is sex-related and a recessive trait. Therefore, this disease is very close to the human disease and needs to be studied further in order to better understand the human disease. Experiments in treatments can be systematically given to canines, either by using certain medications, or by implementing genetic treatment. This would entail transferring the genes that are able to correct the dystrophine deficiency and consequently, reestablish normal membrane permeability in the muscle cells. Another very interesting disease is myasthenia (Myasthenia gravis), which is characterized both in humans and in canines by the inability to properly transmit nerve impulses to neuromuscular functions. This is due to an insufficiency in, or the destruction of, receptors that carry acetylcholine, in other words, the neuromediator that is able to transmit nerve motor impulses to the muscle cells. Like the human version, the canine version of the disease can be congenital or acquired. Once again, experimental treatments carried out on canines could provide precious information for treating the human disease. Examples like those from the field of myopathy can be found in most other medical disciplines. Spontaneous pathology is therefore a very important source for animal models that promote medical progress. There is no doubt that progress in veterinary medicine will benefit human medicine, which in turn, increases our knowledge of animal diseases.

FEEDING GREEN TRIPE

Green tripe is just unbleached tripe, it's not the colour

Several years ago I started looking into natural methods of reducing the flea & tick population. Chemicals may help control a small area, but anything larger than one acre is a problem. The most effective chemicals are also environmentally dangerous and toxic to both humans and animals.

So the search began for the perfect natural way of keeping these pests under control. Many of the books I read suggested certain plants and grasses that helped repel fleas or ticks. There were also many herbal sprays that would help. The philosophy here was to keep the problem under control.. .not to annihilate them, although I don�t think you will find anyone heartbroken to see fleas or ticks on the endangered species list!

What I found interesting, in almost all of the books I read, was the belief that a truly healthy dog will not be bothered by these parasites. So what did this mean? Natural Rearing. Almost all of the books recommended feeding raw meats, vegetables and grains, raw bones, herbal supplements, fasting one day per week, fresh water supply and plenty of fresh air and exercise.

Our dogs always have plenty of fresh water, fresh air and-exercise.. .a �run with a view�, what more could an Afghan ask for? Raw meats were the next thing to try. At first, I would buy meat from the grocery store.. .ground beef, beef heart, lamb and chicken. With the chicken, I would soak it in a grapefruit seed extract and water mixture to kill any salmonella. I did see some improvement over the cooked meat I had been feeding.

Not long after switching to raw meats I heard about feeding green tripe. In Europe it had been used for years and many of the old time breeders swore by it. Problem was finding green (raw, uncleaned) tripe here in the US. The USDA has strict rules about that sort of stuff. One slaughter house, several hours away, required I sign a USDA release form before I could buy it from them.

Luckily, I found a local �butcher� that did custom slaughtering. If they did a cow that day, I got the phone call in the evening to come get my tripe.. .one could not help but feel like Dr. Frankenstein awaiting phone calls for new body parts!

In retrospect, I was very thankful. There is no way I would have survived a 2-3 hour trip, especially in the middle of summer, with several cow stomachs in the back of the truck... no matter how they packaged them!

I always heard people talk about how bad the smell was, but until you experience it, you could never imagine how bad it actually is. The first tripe we brought home was in an old cooler in the back of the truck.

Even with windows open, in the back of an open truck, it was still horrible. Ten seconds after we pulled into the driveway, the howling began. I have never seen my dogs in such a frenzy.

When I first started using the GREEN TRIPE, I had to open, drain and rinse the excess hay and grass out myself and then of course, cut it up. It was really disgusting, but the dogs loved it and thrived on it.

My attire and equipment usually consisted of a heavy duty butcher�s apron, latex gloves, several buckets, a hose and one of the biggest knives I could find. I looked like something out of a horror movie!

There are suppliers now that do provide GREEN TRIPE ground and frozen in small packages. It can, however, be expensive. The advantage, of course, is the convenience and the fact that you don�t even need gloves to handle it... just a good hand soap! I have found that Dial antibacterial hand soap works the best.

I have tried the frozen/ground form, but I�m back to the �real thing� - fresh from the cow. I prefer to cut it myself because I like to give bigger pieces to the dogs so they can really work those jaw muscles and it also allows me distribute the fat better to those dogs that need it more. Fat is a concentrated energy source and very important in the diet of hard working and sporting dogs.

Was all of this torture worth it? YES.

Within a couple of weeks of when I first started feeding green tripe, I noticed drastic improvements in coat, skin, energy, teeth and stools... less in number, small and hard.. a good sign that the canine is efficiently utilizing his food.

The most noticeable improvement was on a very old rescue Aafghan. When she was turned into the shelter, her age was given as 6 yrs old. It wasn�t until I was shaving down her mats, that I found a collar with a rabies tag. When I called the vet clinic, they informed me she was 12. Her teeth were terrible. She could not eat kibble and she could barely walk across the backyard. On January 12th, 2000 she turned 17!

She has been eating tripe for almost 5 years and can still run with the pack, discipline the �young and restless� and has the most beautiful set of white teeth without ever having dental cleaning done.

We have not been the only ones to notice the benefits of the green tripe diet. In the past couple of years, several other people have been trying it with very pleasant results. They have all noticed better coats.. .more luster and shine, no more flaky skin, richer colors, etc. Many comments have been made regarding how white their dogs teeth have become.. without dental work! Everyone seems happier about the better stools, but they are more impressed by the increased energy level.

Many of the older sighthounds have been revitalizing their running careers and have been very successful in competition over the younger dogs. As an example, a few years ago at the ASFA Region 2 Invitational our then 7 year old veteran, sire of our first litter, beat his 2 year old sons for the BOB (his second BOB title at the Region 2 Invitational) and then ran very competitively in the Best In Field run. He had been eating GREEN TRIPE for at least 1 year at that point in time.

I�m not quite sure if it is related, but we also noticed a change in the two litters we bred. The first litter was before we were using the tripe. As a matter of fact, we started using a muscle meatltripe mix when the pups from that litter were 3 months old. With the second litter, both sire and dam had been on the tripe for at least 2 years before the breeding. It was a more robust litter than the first. The pups had been on tripe essentially since conception and are far superior, in many ways, to the first litter.

So what makes GREEN TRIPE the perfect food for the canine. Recently, an analysis of a simple of the packaged frozen tripe was performed by Woodson-Tenent Laboratories, Inc. in Georgia. The results were what many people had speculated but were never proven with scientific fact.

The calcium:phosphorous ratio is indeed 1:1, the overall pH is on the acidic side which is better for digestion, protein is 15.1, fat 11.7 and of course it contained the essential fatty acids, Linoleic and Linolenic, in their recommended proportions.

What was surprising to find, was the presence of Lactic Acid Bacteria. Lactic Acid Bacteria, also known as Lactobacillus Acidophilus, is the good intestinal bacteria. It is the main ingredient in probiotics.

GREEN TRIPE is also loaded with gastric enzymes, amino acids, and other gastric juices . The gastric enzymes not only help the cow in digestion, but also aid the canine in digesting and efficiently utilizing his food. The amino acids are necessary for muscular deveIopment and, the other gastric juices, I believe, are the best cleaner for their teeth! Because of it�s rubbery texture, serving it in large chunks also aids the canine in strengthening it�s jaw muscles and has an added benefit as a form of canine dental floss.

Cooking, bleaching or scalding the tripe destroys almost all of the enzymes and amino acids. Freezing it destroys some too, but certainly not as many and still manages to keep most of the nutritional content intact. It is also more convenient than burying raw meat underground.

It has been my observation that people, in general, are afraid to feed their dogs raw meat, especially green tripe, because of the ecoli scare. Don�t forget, a canine�s system can handle much more than we can.

After all, when they bring down prey, they usually go for the innards first. If you don�t care to think about the hunt scenario, picture the loose neighborhood dog rummaging through everyone�s garbage pails.

I know this is all really �hard to stomach�, but they really do thrive on it. From couch potato to sport and working dogs, they all will benefit from GREEN TRIPE.

In conclusion, there is nothing tripe about GREEN TRIPE!

CRATE TRAINING

CRATE TRAINING

Crate training is not cruel nor should it be punishment for Puppy. A crate the proper size for Puppy is: a safe place to be while sleeping; safety when you are not around to watch him; a place to eat uninterrupted; a place to go to get away from it all. Dogs are den animals and many like a place they can curl up in and feel secure.

WHY USE A CRATE?

You can leave Puppy or Doggy home alone with peace of mind. He is comfortable and not forming bad or destructive habits. He also is not going to be confused by your reactions to bad behavior when you return. Remember, dogs do not have the reasoning humans do. When we return and see the garbage rooted through and then punish Puppy, chances are he will not realize what you are punishing him for. He may think you are punishing him for something completely different. Crates also make house training easier. Puppies and dogs generally will not soil their sleeping and eating area. Used with a consistent schedule, a crate can be your best ally with house training. Crates offer safety when traveling. A dog in a crate is far less likely to be injured in an accident. A crate keeps your dog from bouncing around, getting on your lap, blocking your view or even getting under the driver's feet! If crating while driving is not possible, at least train Puppy to lie quietly in the back seat or use a doggy seat belt available at many pet supply places.

WHAT A CRATE IS NOT!

A crate is not a substitute for human companionship. Use of a crate should be limited to no more than eight hours, less for a younger animal. If your work schedule is longer than that, consider getting a dog walker to exercise Puppy or Doggy for you midday. There are also Dog Day Care centers cropping up! Crates are not to be used for punishment. The crate must be viewed by Puppy as a safe place to be. Do not allow your children to torment Puppy while crated. Make sure he has fresh water, a sturdy bed and safe toys (rotate toys daily so he always has different ones and a different combination).

HOW TO MEASURE A CRATE.

If buying for an adult dog, get a crate big enough that he can fit in from tip of nose to base of tail (a few inches longer in each direction). He should be able to stand up, sit, turn and lie down on his side stretched out comfortably. If buying for a puppy, get one that will fit him as an adult. Some manufacturers even make crate dividers so you can expand the crate area as Puppy grows. If in doubt of size, I opt for the next size up. A crate slightly too large is better than one too small!

WHERE TO PUT THE CRATE.

Put the crate in a people area such as family room, kitchen or even the bedroom. You do not want your dog to feel banished when crated so the cellar or garage is no good.

INTRODUCING THE CRATE

First remove your dog's collar so he will not get caught. It happens rarely, by why take the risk. NEVER crate a dog with a choke collar on. Choke collars should NEVER be used for everyday use - they are for training and walks only, then should be removed. The same for a pinch collar! Set up the crate in the place you wish to keep it. Encourage your dog or puppy to enter the crate by enticing him with bits of food. Use something he cannot resist like cooked chicken or hot dog slices. Praise as he enters. Let him walk in and out a few times. Now start to encourage him to lie down quietly and relax. Give him a couple safe toys and close the door. Sit with him and talk softly. Let him out. Now start to leave for a short time. Even if he cries and whines, do not weaken. He should adjust to the crate eventually. Just keep making it a positive experience.

HOW LONG TO USE THE CRATE.

Some dogs can never be trusted with run of the house unattended. Some dogs are fine. If you think your dog is able to behave uncrated, begin testing by leaving his loose for five minutes while you walk outside. If that works, increase to ten, fifteen and so on. Should he begin to misbehave, continue using the crate. It is safer for Doggy and saner for you!

CRATES AS A HOUSE TRAINING AIDE.

Always have a feeding and potty schedule for your puppy or adult dog. This makes house training much easier. If you are not able to be with Puppy, put him in the crate. Take him out on lead and encourage him to go potty. Once he does, praise lavishly and bring back inside. Should he not go, put him back in the crate and try again in a little bit. Dogs do not like to soil their beds as a rule. Should he soil the crate, take him out while someone cleans the crate. Do not punish for eliminating in the house unless you catch him in the act. DO NOT rub his nose in it or hit him. Just give a loud, firm, growly "AAAAAH! NO!!!" and get him out immediately. Try to get him to potty outside and then praise lavishly when he goes. Remember, the younger the Puppy, the smaller the bladder capacity. It is unreasonable to ask a young puppy to hold an eight-hour day. Consider a dog walker for a midday potty break. Also, sometimes older dogs have bladder control issues. Sudden house soiling in a dog without problems could be a sign of an underlying problem such as a bladder infection. Unaltered or spayed dogs are also more apt to soil in the house. Males if not neutered have a greater chance of wanting to mark their territory and may do so inside. I also know females who mark. Do not paper train or use those pads designed for puppy to eliminate on. This only teaches Puppy it is OK to potty in the house. Paper training could actually delay house training.

HOUSE TRAINING

HOUSE TRAINING

Puppies housebreak at different rates. Some breeds are tougher to teach to go potty outside than others. Your crate and a consistent schedule are two key ingredients to teaching puppy to potty outside. Even if you have an adult dog, you can adapt the puppy schedule�

Schedule

Depending on the age of your puppy will depend on how many meals he eats a day. Puppies up to about six months should be getting three meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Feed Puppy at the same time each meal and use a potty schedule that corresponds to eating. Here is an example:

6:30 a.m. - wake up and take Puppy to go potty.

6:45 a.m. - feed Puppy in crate and give him water.

7:15 a.m. - take Puppy to go potty.

Young puppies have small bladders and less capacity. They may need to go out every couple of hours during the day.

11:30 a.m. - take Puppy potty

11:45 a.m. - feed Puppy in crate

12:30 p.m. - take Puppy potty

Puppies, like children, benefit from naps after play. Put Puppy in his crate with a drink and a few safe toys and let him "go sleepies" for an hour or so.

4:30 p.m. - take Puppy potty

5:00 p.m. - feed Puppy supper in crate

5:30 p.m. - take Puppy potty

Evenings, especially in the summer when it is cooler, are a great time to take Puppy for walks and socialize him. Plus, this will help tire him out for the evening.

8:00 p.m. - pick up water for evening

9:00 p.m. - take Puppy potty

9:30 p.m. - put Puppy in crate for bed

Note: young puppies cannot be expected to hold all night. It can be months until they have enough bladder control so be patient.

Look for signals between scheduled potty times that Puppy needs to go out: sniffing around the ground, circling, etc. When you see him start this, say a sharp "AAAAH! NO" to stop the action and then say in a happy tone some thing like "Want to go out?" Take Puppy outside immediately to his potty area and encourage him to go. I use "Go Kennel!" You can use "Get Busy", "Go Potty" or whatever you like - just use the same command each time and praise as soon as the action happens. My dogs will stand by the door to signal they have to go out. I know people who have taught dogs to rings bells hanging from the doorknob.

Along with a solid schedule, puppy needs to be with you and not roaming the house unsupervised. Use baby gates or if you are walking about, umbilical cord the puppy to you with a leash. This way, puppy is never out of your sight. The best redirection (correction) is the one that happens the instant the behavior of pottying inside happens. If puppy is wandering the house and gets to realize there are times he can potty inside, he will continue to do so. Also, a correction after the fact is a correction that is lost. If you are going to be in a position where you cannot watch him (napping, going out) crate him. And NEVER leave the leash on puppy when he is crated or when he is not tied to you. A dragging leash can get tangled and puppy could get hurt.

Should Puppy have an accident in the house, you must catch him in the act for discipline to be effective - why in the above paragraph the use of gates and a leash was brought up. If puppy has pottied five minutes ago on your best rug and you just see it, the correction is totally lost. Puppies and dogs forget faster and will interpret the discipline not being done because he pottied in the house but for something different. Clean up the spot well and with something that will neutralize the odor. Use one of the commercially made products or white vinegar and water.

I am against paper training or using those special pads that "encourage" Puppy to go potty on them. This teaches Puppy it is fine to potty in the house. Now you want to teach him he cannot do something once fine for him to do. It is confusing. Unless you are disabled or for some reason MUST paper train, I encourage people to avoid it.

Bear in mind that should a housebroken puppy or dog begin having accidents, there could be an underlying physical reason such as a bladder infection. Should this not be the case, there could be a behavioral issue such as submission urination or stress. Should you start having problems with a dog not prone to problems, seek medical assistance first. Also, as a dog ages, accidents may happen. Accidents also happen with fully trained dogs. Dogs not neutered or spayed have a higher incidence of eliminating in the house as well.

Refreshing Housetraining in Older Pups and Adult Dogs:

It takes time and effort to housetrain a dog reliably. Some will housetrain very fast while others may take months or more. Often, housetraining issues are a direct result of the human. The owner must have reasonable expectations based on age and ability. Younger pups will not and senior dogs may not be able to hold as long as a healthy, adult dog. If you notice accidents starting up in a reliably housetrained dog (one that had gone months or longer and is reliably signaling and holding when in the house), first rule out medical. Bladder infections, urine crystals or bladder stones, being on certain medications, certain diseases that cause an increase in thirst and etc., can all cause accidents to occur in a reliably housetrained dog. Stresses in a dog's life can cause a regression in housetraining (a move, new baby, new dog, divorce, new neighbors, etc). Even reliably housetrained dogs may occasionally "slip up" for one reason or another. If there is no medical reason (and you have ruled it out), then you need to get back to basics with housetraining. Regressions often will not go away on their own nor should they be ignored. If you see a non-medical regression starting, address it immediately by treating the dog as if it is not housetrained.

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CHEWING AND BITEING

CHEWING AND BITEING

CHEWING

Dogs chew for many reasons. Puppies explore with their mouths. Everything and anything will go in. When they begin teething, chewing eases discomfort and helps puppy teeth work their way out. Adults chew for fun, to alleviate boredom, because it feels good. Chewing is natural and to be expected. Your job it to teach your dog to chew only appropriate items.

Make certain you use items approved for dog use. Make certain the items you give your puppy or dog to chew are sturdy and will not be ingested rapidly. Rawhide flips and chips, cow/pigs ears (I give these occasionally as treats but not as regular chews), latex toys (the cute squeaky newspapers and such) are not the best choices. They can be eaten fast, offer no nutritional value and do not give a long lasting, satisfying chew. Some squeaky toys have squeakers that may pull out and choke a puppy. Some dogs are fine with the rolled rawhide bones (also called knotted bones) and retriever rolls (rawhide rolled into rolls with no knots at the end). It all depends on how aggressively your dog chews. Old shoes, socks, old stuffed animals are also a bad choice. Your dog will not know the difference between your �180 running shoes and that old tennis shoe you gave him. Children's toys will not hold up to a vigorous chewer. Plus, button eyes and noses can be eaten and cause choking or obstruction. I keep all my dog toys in a specific box. The dogs learn that if something is in the box or came from the box it may be played with.

I use pressed rawhide bones (the rawhide is compressed under high pressure into a sturdy bone), the sterilized bones made for dogs (watch Puppy, I have one dog that can break off chunks of these bones so I never let him have one unattended) and rope toys. I also use the fleece chew men (other shapes available) made specifically for dogs. Know your dog and watch how he reacts to various chew toys. Should he shatter a bone or shred a fleece toy, you may wish to change to a different chew or try a different bone or fleece toy. Sometimes, there may be a weakness you did not see. Not every toy is safe for every dog! Choose toys appropriately sized for your dog. I would never think of using a four-inch bone with my Australian Shepherd-Newfoundland cross. It is just too small and he could choke. However, that giant, four-foot rawhide bone may dwarf my Sheltie's mouth!

Get a variety of toys and rotate every day or two so there are always "new" toys out. This way, Puppy has a variety of toys and you do not have to buy dozens of toys to keep Puppy entertained.

Should you see Puppy chewing something inappropriate, use a loud, firm, growly "NO! LEAVE IT!" and take the item away. Now IMMEDIATELY get a good chew and encourage Puppy to take it. Once he does praise lavishly. Remember, you must catch Puppy in the act so the correction will be effective. A good thing to have on hand is one of the no chewing products. There are a variety of sprays and ointments to deter chewing. Find one your puppy really hates and spray items if necessary. Do not spray it directly into Puppy's mouth. That is cruel. Follow the directions on the product.

Teaching appropriate items to chew can save a life. Puppies will chew electrical cords, bottles of poison, plants, objects that can cause intestinal obstructions. They have to learn what is good and bad. The safest things are prevention. Keep poisons out of reach. Hide cords (some home improvement places even carry cord cover as do places that sell baby proofing items) and check to see if your plants are nontoxic. Many garden centers have lists of toxic plants. Basically, puppy-proof (and doggy-proof) as if you had a precocious toddler around! It is far better to prevent an incident than to treat one!

Should you think Puppy ingested a poison or ate something that could either cause a blockage or intestinal damage (pins, needles, nails, nylons, fishing line, coins, rocks, antifreeze, household cleaners, plants, etc.) call your vet immediately.

PUPPY BITING

It is never a good idea to let Puppy play with your hands or feet � no matter how cute it seems. This teaches Puppy it is OK to bite skin. Even though tiny puppies playing tug-of-war with your big finger is cute, it is teaching a very bad habit! Never let a puppy do something once that you do not want him to repeat. It is far easier to prevent bad habits from developing that it is to retrain an older puppy or adult dog. However, this can be used for adult dogs as well.

A good NILIF program can also manage nipping in play and for attention as Nothing In Life Is Free is described earlier in the manual. However, it has to be done consistently and by all who play with the pup or dog. Puppies are very oral � it is how they explore and learn.

First, teach pup that it's mouth has strength and they can control it. Let puppy at first apply a bit of pressure when he puts mouth on you. He needs to learn he has jaw control and how hard is too hard. This is in case puppy forgets manners and accidentally gets his mouth on you he will have learned that humans need gentle. Then he needs to learn that if his mouth gets on you, all play stops and he gets nothing. Puppies are very social creatures and refusing to engage in play can be an effective training technique. As soon as puppy starts to bite or nip, give a loud, yelping "OUCH!!!" Follow with a low, growling "No Bite." Glare at the pup, get up and move away. After a minute or so, get a toy and return to puppy. Encourage the puppy to play with the toy. If he goes for you with a nip, repeat yelping and walking away. If the pup persists in this behavior (nipping), he may need a time out!

If you have yelped and walked away a couple times and pup keeps coming back for more, CALMLY place him in his crate or behind a baby gate where he cannot get to you. NEVER punish as you confine pup, as this will make the confinement area a negative place. Basically, as soon as that next nip comes, tell pup it is time out time and confine him. Puppies and dogs may become nippier as they get tired, over-stimulated, etc and a bit of quiet time and even a nap may help.

Never play games that teach pup it is cute to put his mouth on humans. It is far easier to teach good manners from the beginning than it is to retrain an adult dog that thinks it is good to put him mouth on people in play, for attention, etc., and has for months or years. However, the same concept applies to adult dogs. Again, play nipping and attention nipping can be worked with a good NILIF program as well.

Should your dog continue to bite and not respond or if the biting is accompanied with aggression, growling or anything you do not like, contact a behaviorist. Also, have your dog examined by a vet. There could be an underlying factor for the biting. A dog that is sore or not feeling well may bite. It is his way of saying something is not right. Also, a poorly socialized or scared dog is more prone to bite, as is a startled one. Teach your children NEVER EVER touch a dog, even one they know, without the owner's permission. Teach them never to handle a stray or loose animal, even if they know it. Children should contact a grown-up instead. Teach children not to tease or hurt dogs. Even the most tolerant dog can be pushed past his limit and retaliate. Even if the children are plainly at fault, it will be the dog that suffers. Prevention is the key.

BRIEF HISTORICAL HISTORY

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY:
The dogue de Bordeaux is one of the most ancient French breeds, probably a descendant of the Alans and, in particular, the alan vautre of which Gaston Phebus (or Febus), Count of Foix, said in the 14th century, in his Livre de Chasse that " he holds his bite stronger than three sighthounds". The word "dogue" first appeared at the end of the 14th century. In the middle of the 19th century these ancient dogues were hardly renowned outside the region of Aquitaine. They were used for hunting large animals such as boar, for fighting (often codified), for the guarding of houses and cattle and in the service of butchers. In 1863 the first French dog show took place in Paris in the Jardin d'Acclimatation. The dogues de Bordeaux were entered under their present name. There have been different types : The Toulouse type, the Paris type and the Bordeaux type, which is the origin of today's dogue. The breed, which had suffered greatly during the two world wars, to the point of being threatened with extinction after the second world war, got off to a fresh start in the 1960's.

*1st standard*	(Caractere des vrais dogues) in Pierre Megnin, Le Dogue de Bordeaux, 1896
*2nd standard*	in: J. Kunstler, Etude critique du Dogue de Bordeaux, 1910
*3rd standard*	by Raymond Triquet, with the collaboration of Vet. Dr. Maurice Luquet, 1971
*4th standard*	reformulated according to Jerusalem model (F.C.I.) by Raymond Triquet, with the collaboration of Philippe Serouil, President of the French Dogue de Bordeaux Club and its Committee, 1993

General Appearance

The Dogue De Bordeaux is a well-balanced, massive, powerfully-built dog with a very muscular body and a short coat. The Dogue is somewhat low in stature with a huge head, furrowed by wrinkles, topped with small, pendant ears. The tail is thick at the base and tapering to the tip and is set and carried low. The breed is presented in a completely natural condition and should be evaluated equally for correct conformation, temperament, gait, and structural soundness.

Disqualifications: Any identifiable, disabling defect.

Characteristics

Careful breeding has modified the formerly aggressive temperament of this breed. Today, the Dogue De Bordeaux is a natural guardian, vigilant and courageous without being aggressive. The Dogue De Bordeaux is very affectionate, devoted to its master, and excellent with children.

Faults: Overly aggressive; timid.

Disqualifications: Viciousness, marked shyness or cowardliness.

Head

The massive head of the Dogue De Bordeaux is an essential breed characteristic. In males, the circumference of the skull taken at the widest point is roughly equal to the dog's height at the withers. In females, the circumference may be slightly less. Viewed from the front and from above, the head forms a trapezoid. The longer top line of the skull and the shorter line of the under jaw form the parallel sides of the trapezoid.

Faults: Short, round head; "Bulldog" head, i.e., flat skull & muzzle shorter than one-quarter of the head length.

Disqualification: Long, narrow head with insufficiently pronounced stop.

SKULL -- The skull is large, slightly domed, and broad between the ears. The volume and shape of the skull result from the very important development of the temporal bones, the supraorbital ridges, the zygomatic arches, and the spacing of the mandibles. There is a deep median furrow that diminishes in depth from the stop to the occiput. The stop is very deep and abrupt, almost at a right angle with the muzzle. Despite the depth of the stop, the forehead is wider than it is high.

MUZZLE -- The muzzle is broad, thick, and short with moderately obvious folds. There is almost no taper to the muzzle. It is square when viewed from above and the circumference of the muzzle is equal to two-thirds the circumference of the skull. The top line of the muzzle rises slightly from the stop to the nose, forming a very obtuse angle with the line of the forehead. The maximum length of the muzzle is equal to one-third the total length of the head; the minimum length of the muzzle is one-quarter of the length of the head. The ideal is between these two extremes. When the head is held horizontally, the end of the muzzle extends beyond a vertical line drawn from the tip of the nose. The jaws are very broad and powerful. Lips are thick and moderately pendulous. When the mouth is closed, the upper lip hangs over side of the lower jaw. The chin is well defined and must neither overlap the upper lip nor be covered by it.

Disqualifications: Muzzle longer than one-third head length; muzzle parallel to top line of the skull or downfaced.

TEETH -- The Dogue De Bordeaux has a complete set of large, evenly spaced, white teeth. The incisors are well-aligned, particularly the lower incisors which form an apparently straight line. An undershot bite is characteristic of the breed with the inside of the lower incisors extending in front of the upper incisors at least .2 inch and no more than three-quarters inch. Teeth are not visible when the mouth is closed.

Faults: Incisors always visible when mouth is closed.

Disqualifications: Wry mouth; mouth not undershot. Canines always visible when mouth is closed. Tongue always protruding when mouth is closed.

NOSE -- Nose color is black on black-masked dogs; brown on brown-masked dogs; or reddish pink on unmasked dogs. The nose is broad and well-pigmented with well-opened nostrils. An upturned nose is permissible but the tip of the nose must not be set back deeply between the eyes like an English Bulldog.

EYES -- The eyes are large but not protruding, oval, and set well apart-at least twice the length of the eye opening. Color ranges from hazel to dark brown. Lighter eye colors are acceptable but not preferred in dogs without a mask or dogs with red masks. Haw is not visible. Pigment of eye rims matches nose pigment.

Faults: Protruding eyes.

EARS -- The ears are pendant and relatively small. They are set high, level with the upper line of the skull, accentuating the skull's width. At the base, the ear is just slightly raised in front and then hangs along the cheek. The tip is slightly rounded. When pulled toward the eye, the ear should not extend past the inside corner of the eye. The coat on the ears is slightly darker than the body coat.

NECK

The neck is thick, muscular, and almost cylindrical with very little taper from the shoulder to the head. The neck is slightly arched at the crest and blends smoothly into well-laid-back shoulders. There is a slight transverse furrow separating the neck from the head. The average circumference of the neck is almost equal to the circumference of the skull. The well-defined dewlap starts at the level of the throat and forms folds down to the chest.

Faults: Excessive dewlap.

FOREQUARTERS

The shoulders are powerful and heavily muscled. The shoulder blade is well laid back and forms, with the upper arm, an angle just slightly greater than 90 degrees. The forelegs are heavily boned and very muscular. The elbows are set on a plane parallel to the body, neither close to the body nor turned out. Viewed from the front, the forelegs are perpendicular to the ground or may, especially in a dog with a very broad chest, incline slightly inward. The pasterns are short, powerful, and slightly sloping when viewed in profile. Viewed from the front, the pasterns are either straight or may turn slightly outward in compensation where the foreleg inclines inward around a wide chest.

Faults: Toeing inward; extreme toeing outward; fiddle front.

BODY

The chest is deep and broad. The ribs are well sprung from the spine and then flatten to form a deep body extending below the elbows. The topline inclines very slightly downward from well-developed withers to a broad, muscular back. The short, broad loin blends into a moderately sloping croup. The flank is somewhat tucked up and firm.

Faults: Barrel chest; roached back.

HINDQUARTERS

The hindquarters are powerful but slightly less broad than the forequarters. The angulation of the hindquarters is in balance with the angulation of the forequarters. The thighs are well-developed with thick, easily discerned muscles. Stifles may turn slightly outward and hocks may turn slightly inward. The lower thighs are muscular and short. Rear pasterns are sinewy and well let down with the angle of the hock moderately open. Viewed from behind, the rear pasterns are parallel.

Faults: Flat thighs; straight stifles; straight hock, sickle hock, cow hock or barrel hock.

FEET

Feet are large, oval, strong, and tight, with hind feet slightly longer than front feet. Pads are well developed, with strong nails, preferably pigmented. Despite its weight, the Dogue De Bordeaux is well up on its toes. Dewclaws are not removed.

Faults: Splay feet.

TAIL

The tail is uncut, very thick at the base, and tapering to the tip. The tail is set low at the base of the croup. When the dog is relaxed, the tail is carried low, just reaching to the hock. When the dog is moving or excited, the tail is carried level with the back or only slightly above level, but never over the back or curled.

Disqualifications: Kink or screw tail. Atrophied tail.

COAT

The coat is short, fine and soft to the touch.

COLOUR

Solid colour in any shade of fawn, ranging from mahogany to Isabella. Colour on the ears is somewhat darker than the body coat. Limited white patches are permissible on the chest and feet. Good pigmentation is preferred. Dogs may or may not be masked as follows:

Black mask. There may be slight black shading on the ears, neck, top of the body, and on the skull, except that the mask may not extend past the supraorbital ridges to the top skull. Black-masked dogs have black nose pigment.

Brown mask (formerly called "red mask" or "bistre"). Brown shading in the same places as for a black masked dog. Brown-masked dogs have brown nose pigment.

No mask (also formerly called "red mask" or "bistre"). The coat is fawn and the skin appears red. An dog without a mask has a nose that is reddish or pink.

Faults: White on tip of tail or on the front part of the legs above the pasterns.

Disqualifications: White on the head or body. Albinism.

HEIGHT & WEIGHT

Desirable height at maturity, measured at the withers, ranges from 23� to 26� inches for males and 22� to 25� inches for females. Dogs in good condition should weight at least 110 pounds and bitches at least 99. All other things being equal, the larger dog should be given preference over the smaller.

GAIT

The gait of the Dogue De Bordeaux is free, smooth, and powerful. When viewed from the side, reach and drive indicate maximum use of the dog's moderate angulations. As the gait quickens, the head tends to drop and the feet tend to converge toward the center line of balance but do not cross over. The Dogue De Bordeaux is capable of great speed over short distances.

Faults: Stilted movement; serious rolling in the rear.

DISQUALIFICATIONS

Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid. Viciousness, marked shyness or cowardliness. Long, narrow head with insufficiently pronounced stop. Muzzle longer than one-third head length. Muzzle parallel to top line of the skull or down faced. Wry mouth. Mouth not undershot. Canines always visible when mouth is closed. Tongue always protruding when mouth is closed. Kink or screw tail. Atrophied tail. White on the head or body. Any coat colour other than fawn. Albinism. Any identifiable disabling defect.

Mastiffs by Cynthea Cameron

The Mastiff is not a sighthound, but carries an impressive history romanticized throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance. It is one of the few breeds, probably including the Greyhound, that can be traced to a time when nations from the East dominated the world. They are large, powerful dogs which possess the qualities of courage and grandeur yet can be gentle and affectionate. The term "mastiff"describes a group of giant varieties of dog rather than a single breed. Supposedly originating in Asia, the Tibetan Mastiff is thought to be the most direct descendant of the prototype. Next would be today's Old English Mastiff disputed by some to be the main root from which come the other Mastiff groups. Surviving art and literature record how active, massive dogs lived centuries before the Christian era. Drawings on Egyptian monuments of typical Mastiffs date to about 3000bc. In Chinese literature the earliest reference is about 1121bc. Many nations from the Middle East and the Orient--Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Tibet and China--employed Mastiff type dogs in significant numbers for their fighting and hunting qualities. Large numbers of these dogs were kept for hunting various types of big game, mainly wild boar and lions. Besides being used by armies to protect their encampments and their livestock against predators, some armies, especially the Greeks and Romans, trained the dogs for battle and for defense purposes. They were also used for fighting in the Roman arenas against gladiators and defenseless prisoners. Guarding comes naturally to the Mastiff. In the Orient, Mastiffs guarded palaces, monasteries, temples and any property of value.

Records indicate that Mastiffs, or dogs closely resembling the breed, were already established in Britain when the Roman Legions invaded in 43ad. Although they may have been indigenous, it seems more likely the dogs were brought to Britain either by the Celts or by the Phoenicians, known traders of livestock.

In the British Isles, due to their size and strength, Mastiff activities were the same as they had been for centuries. While the Mastiff was always considered a fighting dog, it was as a tiedog (tied by day, loose at night) that it earned its keep. During Anglo-Saxon times the keeping of Mastiffs was compulsory for the peasant. For each two villeins (villagers) there was to be kept at least one Mastiff. By this means wolves and game animals were kept under control and the manor profitable.

That the Mastiff was so numerous in England is evidenced in the English language itself. The ancient word in Anglo-Saxon and kindred languages for a canine is similar to "hound."The modern word "dog"means a mastiff-type dog in all languages except English. In 1066, when the Normans conquered the Anglo-Saxons, Norman-French became the official language and "dogues"(or Mastiffs) were so plentiful that people came to call all canines by that name. The Mastiff was also known by another name, the Alaunt, an Italian-French word, deriving from the Alani or people of Albania, where the dogs were highly regarded in ancient times. In the "Knight's Tale"Chaucer's describes the Mastiff's majesty of size and power:

"About his char ther wenten white Alaunts

Twenty and mo,

as gret as any stere

To hunten at the leon ore the dere."

Forest laws introduced to preserve the monarch's deer in 1016 were not entirely successful. Poachers were punished severely. During the reign of King John, all Mastiffs found poaching in the Crown Forests were ordered to be destroyed. Mastiffs were also used in the sport of bear and bull baiting, popular in the Roman arenas, and introduced to Britain with the arrival of the Legions. This pursuit was very popular in the Tudor dynasty and continued in one form or another until finally banned in 1835 by Queen Victoria. Mastiffs were employed within the English armies through the times of Henry VIII. Due to social changes and improved weapons of the seventeenth century, the fine qualities of these dogs were no longer required and there was a gradual decline. By 1946 the breed had been reduced to less than ten that were safeguarded in the United States after the outbreak of World War II. Luckily, since then the breed has been reestablished.

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MISTAKEN IDEAS AABOUT FEEDING

Mistaken Ideas About Feeding

Dog owners are too often misled by a number of generally accepted ideas that have been handed down through the years. The following paragraphs should set the record straight.

A dog should fast once a week.

This may be convenient for the owner, but has nothing to do with the dog's health.

A fasting dog works better.

This idea persists in certain circles, although it is now widely recognized that for endurance activities (hunting, sledding), it is much better to feed a light meal at least two hours before the activity begins.

My dog eats what I eat.

Many owners anthropomorphize their dogs. They don't know, or they pretend not to know, that dogs have different dietary habits than humans. Dogs are carnivores, although not strict carnivores; they are not omnivores. They digest high-quality vegetable proteins as well as animal proteins, but can also assimilate large quantities of fat, unlike humans. Dogs tolerate starch as an energy source only if it is completely cooked, and in a proportion that takes their physiological limitations into account. A dog's vitamin and mineral needs are also very different from those of its owner (a puppy, for example, needs 400% less vitamin D than a human baby).

A dog needs a varied diet.

Ideally, a dog will eat the same food from the same dish every day at the same time and place exactly the opposite of what its owner would enjoy! In fact, changing the food too frequently changes the habits that contribute to the dog's well-being, as well as exposing it to digestive problems. The intestinal microflora is adapted to a specific type of food, and sudden changes do not allow these "targeted" microorganisms enough time to adapt to the new food. This can result in increased production of certain poorly-tolerated metabolites or toxins. For example, adding meat of indifferent quality to the diet increases the action of proteolytic microbes, which causes an alkaline pH, leading to flatulence and diarrhea of varying severity. Thus, variety in a dog's diet is tolerated only within a range of foods that are similar in composition. Otherwise, when changing foods, the change should be implemented gradually over a period of one week.

Complete foods should be supplemented with meat.

Many breeders and owners are nervous when they cannot identify the meat used in a commercial complete food. Although some brands try to remedy this by adding "with chicken," "with beef," or "with lamb" to their labels, it is still difficult for the owner to concede that these really are the main ingredient in the formulation, and are often of better quality than the "meat for animals" bought at the butcher's. Note that, since complete dry foods sold as kibble have been studied and formulated to be nutritionally balanced for particular physiological conditions (growth, breeding, sport activities) or sizes of dog (small, medium, or large), any addition will unbalance the diet and negatively affect the dog's health.

Proteins overwork the kidneys.

Incorrect application of results from research studies on rats has led to the completely erroneous but widespread idea that, with time, high levels of dietary proteins can lead to premature aging of the kidneys and the loss of their purifying function, leading to chronic kidney failure. Studies on this point have been conducted in France since 1975 (Paquin and Pibot, in collaboration with the �cole V�t�rinaire in Alfort and the Royal Canin Company, published in 1979 and 1986), and in the United States over the last 15 years (Churchill, in collaboration with the Hill's Company, published in 1997), and have now made it abundantly clear that this statement is false, although very persistent in some minds. In fact, the urea produced by protein catabolism is eliminated passively by the kidney, and if the kidney loses its function, it is either simply as the normal result of aging, or as the result of a specific or intercurrent disease. An early and drastic restriction of the protein content of the food, as advocated by some, will only weaken the dog's immune system, and thus the whole dog. Since 1997, the scientific world has been unanimous on this point: dietary protein has no ill effects on the kidneys.

Calcium makes a puppy's ears stand up.

In dogs with prick ears (in particular the German Shepherd), drooping ears and a slight change of stance can be observed between the ages of four and six months, when the milk teeth fall out. At that moment, the owner often hurries to supply nutritional supplements rich in calcium and vitamins, and then notices that things return to normal in a few weeks. In fact, the calcium and extra vitamins have no effect, since the ears are composed of cartilage, which of course does not fix calcium or it would turn into bone. No scientific data have ever shown that diet affects the position of the ears, and this practice can only harm the puppy when it throws the diet out of balance.

All the vitamins are in the vegetables.

Vegetables are not the only source of vitamins for a dog. In fact, the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) are stored in animal fat or certain storage organs. The liver, for example, contains a great deal of vitamin A-so much, in fact, that it would be dangerous for a dog to eat liver every day. Water-soluble vitamins (B complex) occur in both animal and vegetable matter. There is as much vitamin B1 in powdered milk as there is in green beans. In any case, prepared foods contain vitamins added separately to balance the food. The dehydrated vegetables found in certain dry foods with multiple ingredients are never a significant source of vitamins.

Vitamin D needs to be added to puppy food.

Puppies require relatively little vitamin D, so their needs can easily be met by a balanced food. Vitamin D overdose caused by unnecessary or excessive nutritional supplementation can in fact be dangerous and cause serious bone problems.

Nutritional Requirements According to Physiological Status

Good nutrition plays an important role in optimizing physical performance, as does genetic selection and training.

To maintain optimal weight in an active dog, the number of calories consumed per day must be adapted to the dogs needs. A sled dog running a long-distance race may need 8.5 times more calories than normal to stay in peak condition.

Food rich in oils improves performance for sprints as well as over long distances. Feeding oil-rich food to provide energy allows a dog to conserve the glycogen in his muscles and delay the onset of fatigue. However, the dog must be conditioned to the new diet for one month prior to the beginning of training so that his body and muscles can adapt and use the oils most efficiently.

When feeding an active dog, some oils are better than others:
- coconut oil provides fatty acids that are quickly available to the muscles;
- fish oil provides fatty acids that reduce inflammation often caused by strain and physical effort.

Food containing carnitine promotes efficient use of oils and conserves the body's energy reserves. Vitamin E and C supplements help protect a dog's body against increased production of free radicals released during physical activity.

Intense physical activity and its associated stress increase a dog's need for protein. A protein-rich diet reduces the risk of injury and improves performance by promoting muscular oxygenation.

Not only working and sporting dogs need high-calorie diets. Such a diet is appropriate for dogs that live outdoors in winter, lactating bitches, dogs preparing for competition, those with sensitive digestive systems, those recovering from injury or illness, etc.

Nutrition for Pregnant Dogs

Given the same number of fetuses, pregnancy is much harder on small-breed bitches than on large-breed bitches. To be convinced of this, one need only compare the birth weight of the puppies to the mother's weight. This ratio is four times greater in the Yorkshire Terrier than in the Saint Bernard!

Birth weight is a good indicator of the fetal-maternal exchanges that occur during gestation. In humans, slowing of growth in utero is linked to maternal causes such as hypertension or malnutrition. Similarly, a study of 1848 piglets at the Guern�vez pig farm (Caugant and Gu�blez, 1993) showed that the viability of piglets prior to weaning was significantly related to their birth weights. In dogs, comparable observations have been made, and puppies that have grown slowly (for any reason) are often abandoned by their mother.

When feeding a pregnant bitch, both the quality and the quantity of the food ration should be adjusted to meet gestational needs, which are estimated according to the number of puppies in the litter and their daily weight gain.

NUTRITION AND INFERTILITY

While food does not affect fertility much, litter size, or the beginning of gestation in bitches, it becomes a primary factor in the health of the puppies at the end of gestation, and particularly afterwards during lactation.

No nutritional deficiency has ever been directly implicated in infertility in dogs, when the bitch is in apparent good health.

The technique of "flushing" consists of increasing the energy content of a bitch's food during the period preceding ovulation to stimulate release of oocytes. This method is widespread in commercial livestock (sheep, cattle), but its effectiveness has never been proven in dogs.

Nevertheless, it is recommended that during this period, the diet should be adapted to the hormonal changes characteristic of this stage of the sexual cycle (cholesterol, iodine, vitamins A and E, zinc, etc.). Commercial foods generally contain a generous supply.

In contrast, infertility problems are frequently observed in bitches that are obviously too thin or fat.

In this case, the owner should take advantage of anestrus to adjust the diet and allow the dog to return to her healthy weight before being bred. Practically speaking, an underweight bitch should be given about ten percent extra food during the month preceding estrus, and an overweight bitch's diet should be reduced by ten percent during the same period, by reducing the energy content (number of calories) of the food.

ENERGY NEEDS

Even though a bitch's appetite increases beginning with the third week of pregnancy, her qualitative and quantitative nutritional needs remain relatively stable during the first five weeks. The fetuses are not growing much, mineralization of their skeletons has not yet begun, and their development has not yet compressed the mother's stomach.

At about the fifth week, a temporary reduction in appetite is sometimes observed, and is often considered to be a confirmation of pregnancy. At this time, the weight and skeletal development of the fetuses begins to increase exponentially, leading to a gradual increase in the protein, energy (and to a lesser extent, mineral) requirements of the mother, at the same time her appetite and stomach capacity are decreasing.

The food's energy content must therefore take into account the reduced stomach volume near the end of gestation and allow the creation of glycogen reserves in the puppies, without causing fat deposits in the mother's birth canal. In order for glycogen reserves to be created in the puppies'livers at the end of gestation, the proportion of glucides in the mother's food must be increased, or the puppies may be hypoglycemic at birth. Although it is theoretically possible to feed a dog food containing no glucides (which are not essential, since carnivores can synthesize them from lipids or proteins), experimentally feeding pregnant bitches such a diet has led to an increase in the mortality rate of the puppies due to hypoglycemia in the days following birth.

The total energy needs of a pregnant bitch include the energy needed for her own maintenance plus the energy needed for fetal growth and maintenance. For example, the energy needs of a medium-sized bitch, such as a Cocker Spaniel weighing twelve kilograms and carrying six puppies, will increase by about forty percent at the end of pregnancy.

At the end of gestation, a bitch should be given an appetizing food (to compensate for loss of appetite) with a high energy content and good digestibility, preferably in the form of several small meals spread throughout the day. Free access to food is not recommended except for underweight bitches.

A very old breed, these dogs were used for boar and bear hunting and then for driving cattle. It was not until this breed appeared in an American film in 1989 that it has attained any recognition outside of France. Dogues possess formidable traits such as relentless strength, wariness of strangers and an inclination to intimidate unknown people. They have a calm temperament and are loyal, devoted family dogs. Firm handling and strong socialization is required at puppy hood. Grooming needs are minimal. Desirable height at maturity, measured at the withers, ranges from 23 1/2 to 26 1/2 inches for males and 22 1/2 to 25 1/2 inches for females. Dogs in Good condition should weight at least 110 lbs. and bitches at least 99 lbs. All other things being equal, the larger dog should be given preference over the smaller.

BARNFARMBORDEAUX

DOGUE DE BORDEAUX BREEDERS

DOGUE DE BORDEAUX HISTORY