Summarized below, are some details on what makes a Dogue de Bordeaux.  But what they don’t tell you in standards and classifications, is the very special personality that usually accompanies this magnificent dog.

 

We lovingly call our dogues such pet names as Baby Boy, Big Teddy Bear and Pumpkin.  You can’t help but cuddle them and hold their beautiful squishy faces.  Talk silly to them and they turn themselves inside out trying to be cute and playful.  Give them a squeaky toy and they will walk around the house chomping it in their mouth making as much noise as they can.  Emily loves to “suckle” on her stuffed toy, holding it in her mouth and padding the teddy with her front paws.  Ripley runs to you and then puts her little face up to yours, wanting to hold her nose against your face

 

They seem to crave human attention, preferring to be inside with you on the couch rather than outside with other dogs.   We feel that if the Dogue is kept outside permanently, without human companionship, you won’t see the true nature of their personality.  Instead, the dogue may be withdrawn and appear sad.  At the very least, the company of another dog should be considered if you are unable to devote most of your day to them.

 

Our dogues never cease to amaze me.  The latest surprise was when I had run a lovely warm bath one evening.  Leaving the bathroom to get a drink, I returned to find one of our dogues, Chewie, happily relaxing in my bathtub.  I felt almost guilty having to remove him.

 

Having a Dogue de Bordeaux will give you experiences you’ll never forget. 

 

General

 

Appearance

The Dogue is classified as Molossoidae Brachycephalus.  The FCI standard is quoted as saying "It is a powerful dog with a muscular body, while retaining a harmonious outline. They are built close to the ground...They are stocky, athletic, imposing and has a very dissuasive aspect."   Most males average around 60-65kg when mature, bitches less.

 

The Dogue comes in varying shades of red, ranging from the lighter fawn colour to dark mahogany red.  White is accepted on the chest and feet, however, any other occurance of white such as on the face or continuing up the legs, is considered a fault.  Breeders recognize the red, black, and no mask varieties. 

 

Temperament

The Dogue is sweet and even tempered, it protects what is theirs, including their owners.  They have a high tolerance threshold so it can take alot to make a dogue annoyed or angry.  The Dogue is devoted to its family and friends.  They can be stubborn, and arrogant, yet once they learn a command or task, they rarely forget it.   They often possess a dominant nature.  We must always remember the Dogue's original purpose was to protect.   It is very important to socialize the Dogue in its early stages of life.   They have a keen sense of smell and hearing and are intelligent and balanced.  They are also a product of their environment.

 

Puppies, Feeding & Care

The Dogue de Bordeaux is a fast growing dog, puppies can gain 1-2 kgs a week at average.

 

Even though the body is large, the mind is still young. It is common for a 7 month old puppy to knock over people while playing.

 

The Dogue pup needs exercise to develop its muscle structure, but must not be over exercised or engage in high impact activities.  Young pups get a lot of their exercise from play, but should never be allowed to climb stairs or jump off furniture etc.  Impacts can injure their joints and lead to problems in bone development.  I really can’t stress enough how important it is to avoid jumping and excessive running as a puppy, it might seem a bit hard on the puppy, but it is better for them in the long term.  It does not take much for a heavy pup to hurt itself when jumping of the bed, or to bang into something or trip over when running full speed around the house or yard.  Swimming is great exercise, and normal playtime should be sufficient for them to develop the muscle tone they need.

 

As the Dogue gets older, it is very important that they receive the proper amount of exercise to keep up their muscle tone and avoid them becoming overweight.  Again, swimming is great, walking in the cool of the morning or evening is ideal, avoiding exercise in the heat of the day.

 

When purchasing a puppy, like most breeders should, we provide an information pack containing instructions regarding feeding, worming, vaccinations and various other important information. 

 

Food plays an important part in their development, so be sure to seek the advice of your breeder with regards to feeding.  A high quality premium dry dog food is a good start, I personally use Nutrience Junior Large Breed for my youngsters until they are about 12 months old, and then I start to mix in Adult formula.  Rather than just give them dry food, I mix in wet food like mince, pasta, veggies, left overs, or even a little tinned food.  They also get raw bones on a regular basis like chicken carcasses, turkey necks, lamb necks and lamb breasts/flaps.  Never feed cooked bones.  

 

When young or during any illness or injury, I supplement them with Vitamin C.  Starting with about 500mgs of normal human Ester C powder, and then increasing to 1000mgs.  Vitamin C is a natural antibiotic and helps boost the dogs immune system during any times of illness.  It is also said to promote optimum development of bone and muscle structure.  Some people have also mentioned a reduction in the general condition of their females during season, so that’s another time when using Vitamin C might be helpful.

 

General Breed Info & Care

We feed our Dogues Nutrience Large Breed and Active formulas