Dogue de Bordeaux

The Dogue de Bordeaux is gentle, calm and affectionate. Naturally protective, he will only become agressive if he is certain that the danger is real. Otherwise, he will be friendly and very sociable. This magnificent dog can hardly bear to be separated from his master whom he adores and will defend if required.

Height 58 to 68 cm
Weight 40 to 80 kg
Life expectancy 8 to 10 years
Hair Loss Medium
Excercise Need High
Home country France

Quick Overview of the Dogue de Bordeaux

Temperament

  • Very calm and balanced
  • Sociable and friendly
  • Affectionate and attentive
  • Curious and brave

Appearance

  • Very powerful
  • Quite muscular
  • Impressive silhouette

Health

  • Robust and powerful
  • Excellent health
  • Rarely ill
  • No particular disease

Temperament of the Dogue de Bordeaux

His reputation as a defense or a guard dog is well established, but it does not define the true character of this magnificent hound.

With a calm, even temperament, the Dogue de Bordeaux is sociable and friendly. Affectionate, attentive, curious and courageous, this magnificent specimen is very devoted to his family.

He will obviously seek to protect them from danger but he is also an excellent playmate for all, young and old, and will only bark when necessary or in case of great danger.

Generally gentle but protective in temperament, he will be distrustful at first, but once the master has shown his approval, any visitor will be welcomed.

He sometimes tends to be dominant towards other dogs.  Multiple and positive experiences during his growth will help him develop a balanced and very pleasant temperament. Despite his protective instinct, he is rarely aggressive.

However, education must be adequate in order to control his natural protective instincts. Once he has decided that the danger is real, he will be hard to control if his education was not firm and consistent.

dogue de bordeaux personnalité

Breed Appearance

burgundy mastiff

This very powerful, but not giant, dog is rather harmonious and quite muscular. With a very impressive silhouette, the Dogue de Bordeaux conveys a great impression of power and robustness. There are many athletic characteristics in the Dogue de Bordeaux's physique.

Height

Between 60 and 68 cm (23.62 to 26.77 inches) for the male
Between 58 and 66 cm (22.83 to 25.98 inches) for the female

Weight

Between 60 and 80 kg (132.28 to 176.37 pounds) for the male
Between 40 and 70 kg (88.18 to 154.32 pounds) for the female

Color

His coat is uniform and mahogany or fawn color.

Hair

His coat is very soft, short and fine.

Morphology

His head is massive and wrinkled at the nose with very drooping chops. His eyes are hazelnut or yellow. His ears are drooping. His nose is in harmony with the color of his coat. His tail is j-shaped like a hook, and drooping.

According to the FCI breeds nomenclature, this breed belongs to group 2, section 2 and is #116

Characteristics of the Dogue de Bordeaux

Does this dog suit your lifestyle?

Every dog breed has its own characteristics. However, the actual character of a dog can vary from one to another within the same breed.

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Life in an apartment
Good first dog
Tolerates solitude
Tolerates cold weather
Tolerates hot weather
Affectionate
Friendly with children
Friendly with strangers
Friendly with other animals
Hair loss
Drooling level
Easy to care for
Robust health
Easy to train
Intelligent
Tendency to bark
Tendency to nibble
Protective
Instinct to hunt
Adventurous spirit
Energy level
Level of intensity
Need for exercise
Playful

Price and monthly budget

Price you can expect to pay for a Dogue de Bordeaux puppy: between 1000 € / $ 1 / £1 and 1500 € / $ 1 / £1
These prices are indicative and may vary from breeder to breeder
Average monthly budget for a Dogue de Bordeaux: 150 € / $ 1 / £1
The monthly budget includes the average expenses for food and hygiene products (grooming, anti-parasite...)

Dogue de Bordeaux pictures

Tips About this breed

The great outdoors is very beneficial to this big hound but he must still benefit from regular human presence because he needs to be close to his master.

He will prefer the garden, but frequent visits in the house will make him totally happy.

As he is not very athletic, a sedentary master or one who prefers quiet walks to daily jogging will suit him perfectly.

He is very hardy but his endurance is limited and the garden will be perfect for him to thrive. He does not need large spaces to satisfy his need for exercise, that is not very intensive.


He will be happy as long as he can benefit from an outdoor space close to his master.

Health of the Dogue de Bordeaux

This robust and powerful dog has excellent health and is rarely ill. No genetic defect is present in his pedigree.

Like all large dogs, his growth should benefit from a good diet rich in protein to promote his development, but no particular disease affects the Dogue de Bordeaux.

Like all big dogs, he must be protected from intense heat and avoid too intensive exercise.

GROOMING

The shorthaired coat of the Dogue de Bordeaux may benefit from a light brushing from time to time to remove superfluous hairs.

History of this breed

This hound of French origins would have arrived in the country with Asian warriors at the time of the great invasions.

Multiple crossings would be at the origin of the current result of the Dogue de Bordeaux. Even if he was born in 1926, the breed was threatened with extinction in the 20th century to came back in force around 1972.

Initially used to guard livestock, bring back game, guard the surroundings and participate in the famous dog fights of the time, the Dogue de Bordeaux was also the faithful companion of war soldiers.

Like most European dogs of Asian origin that were bred in Europe, the Dogue de Bordeaux is no exception.

This very old breed dates back at least to the Middle Ages, the first evidence relates to the image of a Gothic tower on the church of Carcassonne, decorated with the head of a Dogue, erected in the 14th century.

The writings recount the exploits of the Aquitaine Dog, of which the three types are said to be from Bordeaux, Paris and Toulouse. Today's Dogue de Bordeaux is apparently descended from the Bordeaux breed of that era.

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