French Mastiff

General: The Dogue de Bordeaux is highly regarded for his balanced temperament and imposing presence. The Dogue de Bordeaux, also known as the French Mastiff, Bordeaux dog, Bulldogue Francais, or most commonly among fanciers, as the DDB, is a fearless, powerful dog who excels at both guard dog work and companionship to his family. With a head that may well be the largest in the canine world, the Bordeaux is unmistakable in appearance. Though the breed did not gain significant notoriety until 1989 with the release of the Tom Hanks movie, Turner and Hooch, the DDB has always had a fiercely loyal following here in the United States.

Origin: France.

History: In France, the Dogues were bred depending on the region and jobs they were required to do. The general appearance was inconsistent, the Dogue had various colors and varieties of coat, they had scissors bites in some regions, undershot in others, but they all had a general type similar to today's Dogues. We do know the Dogue de Bordeaux was used as a guardian, a hunter, and a fighter. They were trained to bait bulls, bears, and jaguars; hunt boars; heard cattle; and protect the homes, butcher shops and vineyards of their masters. The Dogue de Bordeaux were prized as protectors and were often found in the home of the noble and wealthy of France. During the French Revolution, many of the Dogues are thought to have perished with their wealthy masters during the uprising of the classes, but the Dogues of the common man must have thrived. These Dogues became the champions of the arena, and were powerful dogs bred to do their jobs and do them well. It was in 1863 when the first reference of the Dogue can be found, at the first canine exhibition at the Jardin d'Acclimatation in Paris, France. It was more of an inventory of breeds than a conformation event. The winner was a bitch named Magentas, and the Dogue de Bordeaux was given the name of the capital of their region of origin. There is not other known reference to the Dogue until the year 1883. There was such diversity in the breed at this time, and much controversy over this. They had big heads and small heads, some were exceptionally large in body, while others very small. Some breeders preferred the scissors bite, others the undershot. The mask color was the subject of many debates and discussions. There were three styles of Dogue at this time, the Toulouse, the Paris, and the Bordeaux. Our modern Dogue is a mixture of these different types, but is primarily Bordeaux. The Toulouse was a Dogue that had almost every color in its coat, a fawnish tiger (a light brindle perhaps), with a longer body and smaller bones. Dogues in Paris had a scissors bite, while others had a undershot of almost one inch. Finally the breeders came together and decided upon the undershot, which is today's standard.

Temperament: The French Mastiff is a devoted family dog who is extremely affectionate. Very adaptable with a high stimulus threshold, the Dogue de Bordeaux is sweet and even tempered. 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. They are very attuned to their environment and respond to a threat instinctively. They are the very symbol of loyalty and courage.

Size: 80-150 pounds.

Today's Uses: Protection of family and home. DDB's do well in protection work. Some Dogue's could do well if properly trained to pull.

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