The Dogue de Bordeaux

Appearance

Typical concave lined brachycephalic molossoid. The Dogue de Bordeaux is a very powerful dog, with a very muscular body yet retaining a harmonious general outline. He is built rather close to the ground, the distance sternum-ground being slightly less than the depth of the chest. Stocky, athletic, imposing, he has a very dissuasive aspect

Important proportions : The length of the body, measured from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttock, is superior to the height at the withers, in the proportion of 11/10.
The depth of the chest is more than half the height at the withers.
The maximum length of the muzzle is equal to one third of the length of the head. The minimum length of the muzzle is equal to one quarter of the length of the head.
In the male, the perimeter of the skull corresponds more or less to the height at the withers.
Characteristics : The undershot bite is a characteristic of the breed. Bitches have identical characteristics as males but less pronounced.

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.

The general appearance was inconsistent, the Dogues had various colors and varieties of coat, they had scissor bites in some regions and undershot in others, but they all had a similar type to today's Dogues. We do know that the Dogue was used as a guardian, a hunter and a fighter. They were trained to bait bulls, bears and jaguars: hunt boars, herd cattle and protect the homes, butcher shops and vineyards of their Masters.

The Dogue de Bordeaux were prized as protectors and were found in the homes of the noble and wealthy in France. The Dogue de Bordeaux was entered under it's present name in the first dog show held in France in 1863. The breed narrowly missed extinction during the two world wars but enjoyed resurgence in the 1960's. Sometime in the early 1980's the first Dogue de Bordeaux was imported to the United States. The breed is now used today almost exclusively as a family companion and house guardian.

The Dogue de Bordeaux was first introduced into Australia in the early 1990's. Since then their popularity has slowly grown in numbers, in 1995 Australian National Kennel Council received registrations for 9 Dogue de Bordeaux, in 1997, 45 in 1998 , 120 and in 1999 they registered 144.

The total number in Australia is steadily increasing, but they are still classed as a rare breed. They are scattered through out this huge country of ours and you rarely see them, making it hard to gain recognition for them, both in the Show Ring or by the public.

Temperament

An ancient fighting dog, the dogue de Bordeaux is gifted for guarding, which he assumes with vigilance and great courage but without aggressiveness.

A good companion, very attached to his master and very affectionate. Calm, balanced with a high stimulus threshold. The male normally has a dominant character.

Care / Grooming

The Dogue De Bordeaux is quite an easy breed as far as grooming goes, with a bath once a month or if they become a smelly. Being a breed with a short coat, there is not a lot of grooming, maybe a quick brush once a week. Keep an eye on heavy wrinkles as sometimes during hot weather the wrinkles can get a bit moist, although this is not terribley common.

As a puppy, keep your Bordeaux fairly lean until he or she is around 12 months of age and has stopped their growing, this will make for much healthier joints and bones

Health

As with most large breeds, there are health issues associated with the Dogue de Bordeaux, Hip Dysplasia, an inherited condition affecting the hip joint, being the most common and appearing first during the time of rapid growth.

There are certainly a number of breeders in Australia who have the breed at heart and are hip scoring their animals, however there are also breeders who still refuse to Xray their animals, thus continuing to breed with unsound Dogues. The animals certainly suffer when inflicted with Hip Dysplasia and the veterinary attention required is certainly very costly, often the end result is that the animals may have to be euthanased.

There is also a tendency towards Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) in DDB's. OCD is a disease of the the joint cartilage and is especially common in the shoulder joint, although other joints can be affected. It occurs primarily in young, fast growing dogs and appears to be more common in males. Diagnosis can only be confirmed by X-ray examination.

Other health issues connected with The Dogue de Bordeaux are Heart Murmurs and Skin Diseases. The most prolific skin problem that seems to be prevalent is Demodectic mange. This is a skin problem caused by a tiny parasite called a mite. Diagnosis of demodectic mange is made by a Vet taking scrapings. If mites are present microscopic examination of the skin scrapings provide a diagnosis. It appears that some bloodlines are more susceptible to skin problems than others.

The Dogue de Bordeaux can also be prone to Acute Gastric Dilation , (bloat) . Acute gastric dilation is usually fatal because the owners have little, if any, warnings of an impending attack. In most cases the animal is found dead, usually the next morning, with a greatly distended stomach. Most breeders agree that it is recommended not to feed your dogue immediately before or after exercise .

Something to be VERY aware of when owning this breed is that heat stroke can be a big problem. Please make sure that you do not exercise your Dogue in the heat of the day and always make sure he has plenty of water and shade available at all times. There are several that die from heat related problems each year and sadly this is not often talked about or referred on to new owners.

Find Dogue de Bordeaux Breeders
or
View Dogue de Bordeaux Puppies for Sale | View Dogue de Bordeaux Older Dogs for Sale