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NAVIGATION
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THE DOGUE DE BORDEAUX
The Dogue De Bordeaux is sometimes called the Bordeaux, The Dogue, or the French Mastiff. It is a large dog of the Mastiff type. The Dogue's body is massive although it is not an especially tall breed. It's ears hang in typical Mastiff fashion but they should not appear to be large in proportion to the tremendous skull of the animal. The head is broad and short and its circumference is approximately the same as the height at the withers in males. The tail is very thick at the root and it does not further than the hocks of the dog as it is carried low. There is quite a range in size among the Bordeauxs. Any male that is more than 23 inches tall at the withers and 100 lbs. lean is large enough to be shown. Most modern male Bordeauxs are larger than this however and males as large as 150 lbs. can be highly prized specimens, (all other qualities being equal.) Bitches are proportionately smaller, but should be at least 88 lbs. lean body weight.
Acceptable coat colors are mahogany (red), fawn and golden. Black masked Dogues are common, but the red mask is more historically correct.HISTORY
The Bordeaux is among the most ancient of today's purebred dogs. It has existed in its current form for centuries. Although breed historians throughout Europe differ in opinion over the specific origin of the Dogue, it is clear that the breed is one expression of the ancient Mastiff type and that this breed's specific physical characteristics are as typical of the pure Western Mastiff form as are those of any of today's Mastiffs.TEMPERAMENT
The Dogue De Bordeaux is normally a very even tempered dog that enjoys the company of people. It is a quiet and subdued animal that does not display a very high energy level on a 24 hour basis making it easier to live with as a pet, than many dogs only a fraction of its size. This is also a very quiet dog that reserves it's bark for situations which call for the sounding of an alarm.Typically these dogs become very devoted to their human family and are welcomed to the home and it is common to hear friends question the Dogues ability as a guardian in response to it's generally congenial nature. In contrast to it's congeniality toward friends this is among the world's most determined of guardian breeds. Intruders to the home which contains a Dogue will undoubtedly encounter a package of strength, size and a fiercely protective nature that is unexcelled in the world of dogs.
TRAINING
There are no training problems that are specific to the Bordeaux with the possible exception of training these dogs to be tractable around other dogs. Due to the fighting history of the Dogue, other dogs, particularly strange dogs may be viewed as adversaries and this can lead to dog fights. Such fights may well lead to serious injury of the other dog and as such they must be avoided at all costs. Bordeauxs are often raised to be sociable around other dogs but prospective owners must be aware of the fact that such sociability may not come naturally.Training the Dogue De Bordeaux for guard duty is often a very easy matter as a dominate temperament, and a suspicion of strangers are two of the breeds most definitive characteristics. Dog shows in France now include a testing of the Dogue's temperament, and no championship is awarded to any Dogue that does not show the the courage that is typical of its ancestry.
The Bordeaux has proven it's ability to accept advanced training on many occasion in Europe, both in obedience trials and in protection trials. Due to the extreme rarity of the breed in the United States and Canada, no such trials including these dogs have been conducted.
HOUSING
Due to the calm disposition and the short coat of this breed, the Dogue De Bordeaux is best maintained as an indoor dog, in spite of it's relatively large size. In Europe, these dogs are very commonly kept in apartments from the South of France to Berlin with no undue difficulty. These are large dogs however, and apartment life is not highly recommended for the prospective owners.
Undoubtedly these dogs are best maintained as indoor dogs in medium to large private homes with a good fence in the back yard. In such an environment the lack of hyperactivity among these dogs keep the excessive shedding commonly found among dogs with longer coats, make the Dogue quite acceptable as housemates, especially in suburban or rural areas.
EXERCISE
Due to the physical similarity between the two breeds the Dogue is often likened to the Bullmastiff in areas of the world where the former breed is not as well known. In terms of the amount of exercise necessary to maintain the Dogue in good, athletic condition we may again draw upon this similarity. An exercise program which is suitable for the Bullmastiff or any other large, powerful pure bred is also adequate for the maintenance of the Dogue. A brisk walk, two or three times a day (totaling approx. 2-3 miles,) will maintain the Dogue in fine, trim condition. As with any breed of dog, such walks should never take place in the heat of a summer day, but should be reserved for the cooler mornings and evenings during the warmer months. Such a program will benefit the Dogue's owner as well!
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HEALTH
To date, no health problems have been found to be specific to the Dogue De Bordeaux. As in the case of any of the very large breeds, such problems do arise and preventative measures that will minimize the risk of this malady should be taken. Essentially these measures are to avoid feeding a dog shortly before and after any period of exercise. No extensive studies have been conducted anywhere as yet to determine the relative likelihood of the Dogue to mature with poorly formed hips. The results of one published survey conducted in Germany did suggest that the Dogue De Bordeaux was the most likely of the Mastiff breeds to exhibit symptoms of Dysplasia upon maturity. But in this instance the number of individual Dogues included in this survey was so small (a total of 8) as to render the survey meaningless. This survey is mentioned here purely because these results were published elsewhere.Although the testing of potential Bordeaux breeding stock is by no means as formalized in France as it is in the U.S. at this point, informal testing is conducted by reputable French breeders. In brief, the testing is as follows: At 2 years of age, any Dogue that displays the physical and temperamental characteristics required for possible use in breeding program, is made to jump a fence that stands 3 feet high. Any Dogue that cannot easily clear the fence is excluded from any breeding plans. While the test is admittedly quite informal, it seems that it does serve it's purpose.
American and Canadian fanciers who are interested in obtaining an American bred Bordeaux are in a very fortunate position. Only Dogues that have been x-rayed upon maturity and have been proven to be clear of any evidence of Dysplasia are used in any good breeding program approved by the Bordeaux Dogue Association of America. The chances of purchasing a puppy that will mature with
any serious hip malformation is thus greatly minimized.Anyone who is seriously interested in obtaining a Bordeaux or any member of any large breed should be aware of the fact that these are not very long lived dogs. Mastiff dogs in general (Mastiffs, Great Danes, Irish Wolfhounds, etc.) are very often hard pressed to reach the age of 10, although exceptions to this rule do occur, it would be unfair to any breeder to lead any would-be owner to believe that there is no difference between the longevity of these and most of the much smaller dogs.
OTHER ANIMALS
The Dogue is an exceptionally powerful and temperamentally dominant breed, as one would expect of a breed with fighting ancestry. As a very powerful breed these are not among the best dogs to be kept in a home that includes other dogs, particularly of the same sex. Unless one in prepared to invest a good deal of training and constant caution, it would be a mistake to try to own two male Bordeauxs or a male Bordeaux and a male of another large breed. Bitches can be similarly aggressive toward each other. While the Dogue De Bordeaux Association of America is whole heartedly opposed to the fighting of Dogues in the U.S. or elsewhere, it does recognize the fact that it would be a mistake to attempt to breed Dogues that did not possess the dominant nature that us so typical of this ancient breed. To display dominance over other dogs is among the most definitive characteristics of the breed and to ignore this aspect of the temperament would be to produce atypical and so inferior Dogues.
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AROUND CHILDREN
It is a mistake to fully trust any dog regardless of it's breed, age, sex, size or normal temperament, alone with children. This is not to say that it is a mistake to own a dog if you live with children. Bringing a dog into a home that includes children (or will someday) is a situation that requires some thought and planning. Careful observation of a dog's behavior toward children is a must, and no dog that displays aggressive behavior toward children should ever be trusted around children again. The best situations for the cohabitation of dogs and children are those in which a young puppy is brought into a home that already includes children. (Even so, some breeds are more suitable than others.) The even temperament and steady disposition of the Dogue make this breed among the more suitable for a home with children. Many much smaller breeds are not nearly as temperamentally suited for the sometimes annoying antics of kids. One should take into consideration, however, the fact that such a large breed may simply be too much dog for a very small child. It is often wise to wait until the children are a bit older before bringing home any of the very large dogs. |
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