Last Updated on October 22, 2022 by Pets Feed
The dogue de bordeaux is a strong and powerful dog from France, which is part of the mastiff family. It is a breed of dog generally chosen to keep houses because of its size and personality, firm and determined, well trained to perform this function effectively.
This large dog is admired for its great power and its strong and imposing appearance. The Dogue de Bordeaux is known for its tranquility and for its great patience when it comes to living with children and with other more active dogs.
This breed is one of the oldest in France and today they are still very popular and well-known dogs. If you are thinking of adopting an adult Dogue de Bordeaux dog, it will be very important to be well informed in advance for the adoption to take place correctly.
| Breed name | Dogue de Bordeaux |
| Country of origin | France |
| Weight | 50 – 60 kg |
| Height (at the withers) | 60 – 68 cm |
| Life expectancy | 12 years |
| Size | Giant |
Dogue de Bordeaux photos
Breed standard
It can measure up to 68 centimeters at the withers in the case of male specimens, and a female dogue de Bordeaux measures between 58 and 66 centimeters in height. As for the weight of the dogue de bordeaux, the males easily weigh more than 50 kilos and the females more than 45 kilos.
- Head: The head is large, voluminous, almost square. The muzzle is broad. The upper lip hangs down. Throughout the muzzle there are skin folds that change position depending on the mood of the animal.
- Jaws: Scissor bite. Big teeth, full set.
- Ears: The ears are triangular, small, set high. When the dog is calm, they hang down without going beyond the line of the eyes.
- Eyes: The eyes are oval, set far apart. Colour: yellow-brown to black.
- Framework: The body is muscular, strong. The chest is voluminous. The belly is well proportioned. The back is straight, strong.
- Limbs: The legs are muscular, parallel to each other. Shoulders and hips are well developed. The legs are oval, compressed into a tight ball. The claws are strong.
- Coat: The coat is short and soft. Color: all shades of red, brownish. On the muzzle, the mask is reddish or black. There may be white spots on the chest and limbs.
Behavior and character
The Dogues de Bordeaux are intimidating, but the dog is not at all dangerous. These dogs are friendly and reserved and will never show aggression unless provoked.
They make excellent watchdogs. Okay, who dares to enter the house if he sees a fearsome dog. At the same time, the Dogue de Bordeaux is very welcoming to its guests.
The Dogue de Bordeaux gets along well with children, he likes to play with them without being a threat. With other animals, especially smaller ones, these dogs get along well.
They can play with them and will take care of them as if they were their little brothers. But when a dog sees someone else’s cat on the street, he can chase it. Representatives of the breed have a hunting instinct inherited from their ancestors.
Note
Representatives of the breed are lazy, they like to lie on the couch. Such a way of life will negatively affect the health of the pet, so the owner should organize an active hobby. You cannot leave the Dogue de Bordeaux alone for long, he will miss his owner.
Health
The dogue de bordeaux is a dog of great physical strength. However, his health is fragile and he can get sick quite easily. It is advisable to go to the vet frequently, about every six months, to keep your best friend healthy.
Among the most common conditions in the dogue de bordeaux:
- Joint problems, such as hip or elbow dysplasia, which generally affect all large breeds.
- Skin problems, such as allergies, fungi or ocular conjunctivitis.
- Heart problems, such as dilated cardiomyopathy or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
- The other common problems with this breed are gastric torsion or heat stroke, so you need to be very careful with the amount of food your dog eats and with the spaces where he will spend the hottest days of the year.
Life expectancy
The average lifespan of these animals is between 10 and 12 years, although it may be slightly longer depending on the type of life they lead and current medical progress.
Basic care
- The Dogue de Bordeaux has a soft, short coat. It does not require special care.
- The animal’s coat should be brushed once a week. During the molting period, this procedure should be carried out more often.
- Bathing pets is quite difficult due to their large size. This procedure is carried out 2-3 times a year. Folds of skin on the face of the animal should be wiped daily with a damp towel, then wiped dry.
- The pads should be regularly lubricated with cream, thereby protecting them from drying out. The nails of the Dogue de Bordeaux should be trimmed once a month.
- Inspect dogs’ ears, paws, eyes, claws daily and clean them as they get dirty.
- The dog’s face should be wiped with towels after eating and drinking.
Note
It is advisable to keep the dogue de Bordeaux in large houses with personal plots. Living in apartments for such an animal is not particularly suitable, given its large size.
Exercise
This breed of dog doesn’t need much exercise as it may seem: about an hour a day is usually enough for an adult.
A few walks during the day, letting him run and play freely for a few minutes, is enough for this dog, because if he exercises too much when he is young, he can suffer from bone and joint problems when he is old.
Dogue de Bordeaux Fun Facts
To supplement the information of this dog breed, here are some very interesting curiosities about this particular breed that you surely did not know:
- In many countries, the dogue de bordeaux is considered a dog of dangerous breed, the use of the muzzle and the leash in public spaces is therefore compulsory.
- This dog tends to be very sensitive to anesthesia, so a veterinarian should always be careful about this.
- An adult male Dogue de Bordeaux can eat about a kilo of food a day and will require attention for several hours a day. Therefore, any future owner must make a rough estimate of the investment in time and money that an animal of this breed involves before deciding to have it.
- The type of lips of the dogue de bordeaux, fallen on both sides of the muzzle, make it a fairly “viscous” dog. It is recommended to define the space it will need to move freely, in order to avoid transforming certain spaces such as the bed or the sofa into a swimming pool.
- These animals do not respond well to physical or psychological punishment, so it is always better to bet on positive reinforcement to get them to obey any order.
- Despite their strong and firm appearance, they are characterized by endless patience with children. It is very rare that a dogue de bordeaux shows aggressiveness towards people, and it will calmly resist children’s games, even if they disguise it or pull on its tail and ears.
- The breed’s popularity increased sharply after the release of the movie “Turner and Hooch”, where one of the main roles was played by a dog of the specified type.
- According to ancient chronicles, the bite of one dogue de bordeaux is stronger than the bite of three borzoi dogs.
Origin
The Dogue de Bordeaux is an old French breed, even if it is supposed to come down directly from the mastiff dog of Rome. In the 12th century, it was used in French reserves for hunting pig, wild boar, wolf and bear. In the Middle Ages, his function was to drive cattle.
These dogs have also been used in the war to protect livestock and even to harass other animals and in dogfights. The breed has lost its popularity in the 20th century, but today it seems that its numbers are increasing.
