Dogue de Bordeaux: Demanding but Loyal

Bordeaux mastiffs are classic guard dogs from the princely houses of France, which look confusingly similar to the common ancestor of the mastiff-like dogs, the pig packers. Experience has shown that passers-by avoid the impressive dogs and they already fulfill their function as protection dogs with their imposing appearance. Although keeping the dogs appropriate to their species requires a lot, they are loving companion dogs.

Identifying Features of the Dogue de Bordeaux: Boxy Redheads

Bordeaux mastiffs are broad and strong in all respects, but not exactly sporty. Males reach a height at the withers of 60 to 68 centimeters, bitches are 58 to 66 centimeters tall and they hardly ever weigh less than 50 kilograms (the minimum weight for bitches is 45 kilograms). To strangers, the large dogs usually come across as fierce and frightening, as the corners of their mouths are always drooping and many adult animals have amber-colored, slightly piercing eyes.

Brief breed description from head to tail

• The animal’s mighty head is covered with fine skin folds on the forehead and around the lips. The strong bone structure of the dogs can be seen from the shape of the head, especially the forehead is prominent. The snout is typically short and very wide, and the jaws are visibly strong. According to the FCI breed standard for dogs, the head circumference should be approximately the same as the height at the withers.
• The strong underbite is typical for Dogue de Bordeaux: The lower row of teeth is just in front of the upper incisors. The teeth are large, straight in line, and slightly curved inwards. When viewed from the side, drooping lips cover the lower jaw. The underbite and the easily recognizable wrinkles on the face, on the forehead around the muzzle, and on the larynx give the dogs their fearsome appearance.
• In the past, the high-set folding ears were cropped to emphasize the dogs’ menacing appearance. In Germany, cruelty to animals is strictly forbidden. For animal welfare reasons, you should absolutely refrain from buying docked dogs from abroad.
  The eyes are set wide apart, honestly reflecting the even-tempered guard dogs’ intentions. There is no deviousness in her facial expression. Dark eye colors are preferred, but amber and light brown eyes are also more common.
• The Dogue de Bordeaux has a strikingly strong and broad chest with a large girth. The entire chest and shoulder area is covered with loose skin that does not wrinkle when standing. Shoulders and hips are broad and short. The powerful legs are covered with large muscles that are clearly defined through the skin and smooth coat.
• The tail is set moderately high and is very broad at the base. It narrows slightly towards the tip. Docking is also strictly forbidden here and can be life-threatening for the puppies!

Monotony in breeding: coat structure and colors in Dogue de Bordeaux

The dogs have short, smooth coats that require little grooming. Bordeaux mastiffs have been bred in just one color with different shades of color since they came into existence. Due to the strict selection, the general health of dogs has deteriorated rapidly over the past two centuries. Although breeders are occasionally calling for the breeding conditions to be relaxed or for crossbreeding with similar breeds to help the Bordeaux mastiffs recover, the restricted breed standard remains in place for the time being:

• The base color is always fawn, from light Isabelle to reddish mahogany.
• The nose sponge is usually red, and black in animals with a dark mask.
• Dark masks must not cover the entire face.
• White markings are only allowed on the chest and feet.

Origin of the Dogue de Bordeaux: Saupacker from the west of France

The so-called Saupacker in princely Europe is considered the direct ancestor of today’s Molosser and mastiff-like dogs. Bordeaux mastiffs resemble the strong hunting and slaughter dogs even more than close relatives such as the German Mastiff, the English bulldog, or the Bullmastiff. It is possible that the French mastiffs were created by crossing pig packers with the large and less aggressive English Mastiff or Tibetan Mastiffs. At first, different types and sizes were bred: In addition to the Dogue de Bordeaux, smaller doguins were also used for hunting, which, like the Dogue de Paris and the Dogue de Toulouse, no longer exist today.

Historical tasks of the Dogue de Bordeaux at a glance

• Today, the dogs serve exclusively as companions, guards, and protection dogs after nearly becoming extinct during World War II.
• French mastiffs held animals for slaughter in slaughterhouses until the 19th century.
• As hunting dogs, they were used for chasing and killing wild boar, deer, bear, and badger.
• Up until the 19th century, visits to Hetzgartens were a popular pastime for European city dwellers. These were animal fighting arenas in which Molossians were used for dogfighting and chasing large, sometimes exotic, predators.
• The Roman-Greek fighting dogs, which came to Central Europe in the course of Roman conquests, belong to the ancestors of the European dog fighting breeds and pig packers. They fought in arenas against gladiators and animals or killed enemy soldiers and horses in war.

Nature and Character: Fearless and Yet Gentle

Dogue de Bordeaux conscientiously guards their territory and their pack. They only behave aggressively when the situation absolutely requires it and an attacker has to be fended off. The dogs are good at assessing dangerous situations and have a high threshold – smaller dogs, children, and passers-by have nothing to fear from well-behaved Dogue de Bordeaux. They behave considerately towards smaller ones and simply overlook annoyances.

Not to be disturbed by anything

• Dogue de Bordeaux is very patient and never gets upset unnecessarily.
• They are relatively sluggish and like to be lazy.
• Due to the shortened snout, they are affected by hot temperatures.
• Although they often shy away from training, they are loyal and dependable.
• The guard dogs are very alert – they rarely bark, but rather use their body mass to intimidate.
• They are balanced and, with good socialization, keep their nerves even in stressful situations.
• The stubborn people simply ignore educational measures such as loud warnings or dominant gestures by humans and animals. They can only be persuaded to give orders with positive reinforcement.

Dogue de Bordeaux interacting with people

Dogue de Bordeaux has a wide repertoire of facial expressions and they are open about their emotions. They are reserved towards strangers – visitors to the house are checked carefully before they relax and ask for a pat. The dogs are very affectionate and always want their owner to be close by. Their otherwise relaxed and confident demeanor quickly fades when left alone for long periods of time. After a long absence, you may find general chaos or destroyed furniture.