Dogue de Bordeaux Information
Dogue de Bordeaux History
The Dogue de Bordeaux is one of the most ancient breeds of French dogs and was used as a hunter, a herding dog, and a guardian. 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 was prized as protectors and was often found in the homes of the wealthy of France. A setback in the breed came during the French Revolution when many of the Dogues de Bordeaux perished with their wealthy masters. During the 1960s, a group of breeders of the Dogue de Bordeaux Club in France, headed by Raymond Triquet, worked on the rebuilding of the foundation of the breed. In 1970 a new standard was written for the breed, with the most recent updated in 1995. The breed was officially recognized by the AKC in 2008.
Dogue de Bordeaux Temperament
The DDB is well known for having an sweet, even temperament, and being extremely extremely loyal and devoted to his master and family. They are very adaptable and have a high stimulus threshold. It is important to socialize your DDB early on as they can become aggressive with other animals and reserved with strangers if not properly trained. A thoroughly socialized DDB is well behaved with children, puppies, and even strangers. Playfulness is another hallmark of this breed. Dogue de Bordeauxs make excellent patrol dogs due to their territorial nature and they respond to danger with great courage, not aggressiveness.
Dogue de Bordeaux Appearance
The DDB is a well muscled, massive dog that usually weighs between 100 to 130 pounds and stand 22 to 26 inches at the withers. They are quite stocky and have very well built, strong legs. Their heads are large, with drop ears and they have short muzzles. Their coats are sleek and smooth and come in colours varying from shades of fawn (light red) to mahogany (deep ultra red) with a black, brown or red mask. White markings are allowed on the tips of the toes and on the chest.
Dogue de Bordeaux Grooming
These dogs are need little brushing, weekly will suffice. The folds of skin on their faces and their ears must be cleaned weekly to prevent infections. DDB's tend to get smelly quickly and bi-monthly bathing is recommended to keep your dog smelling fresh and clean.
Dogue de Bordeaux Life Expectancy and Health Problems
Common diseases seen in this breed are cancer, Hip Dysplaysia, Epilepsy and heart problems. Since this is a deep chested breed, they commonly suffer from a condition called Bloat, which is when the stomach twists over on itself. The lifespan of this breed is relatively short and averages 6 to 10 years.
Famous Dogue de Bordeaux
Hooch from the movie Turner and Hooch.
Dogue de Bordeaux Pros and Cons
This simplified list may help you decide if a Dogue de Bordeaux might be a good fit for your lifestyle.
Do You Want
- a large powerful dog?
- a dog that looks imposing, but is still good with strangers when properly socialized?
- a dog that makes an effective watchdog?
- a dog has an easy care coat?
Do You NOT Want
- a dog that can be aggressive towards other dogs and strangers if not properly socialized?
- a dog that doesn't cope well in warm weather?
- a dog that snorts and snores?
- a dog that has a seriously short lifespan?
- a dog that has an appearance that might frighten some people?
- a dog that drools and slobbers?
Useful Dogue de Bordeaux Links
The Canadian Dogue de Bordeaux Club