Dogues de Bordeaux Dog Breed: Info, Pictures & Care

Breed Overview

The Dogues de Bordeaux is a very old and very large breed that’s strong enough to pull a cart and alert enough to work as a guard dog. It has a large head with a serious expression and a muscular body that is extremely imposing. Despite its massive size, it loves to be with its family and will even try to sit on your lap, despite often topping 100 pounds. If you have some extra space for a large dog like the Dogues de Bordeaux and would like to know more about it, keep reading while we look at temperament, grooming, health risks, and more so you can see if it’s right for your home.

Dogues de Bordeaux Characteristics

Dogues de Bordeaux Puppies

These large dogs usually require professional grooming and training to help make them more manageable. They make excellent guard dogs or watchdogs. This brave and loyal pup is very even-tempered.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Dogues de Bordeaux

The Dogues De Bordeaux is a devoted breed that forms strong bonds with all family members and is calm and respectful around babies. Despite its size, it is calm and even-tempered, so it rarely becomes aggressive, especially when properly socialized as a puppy. However, it’s also fearless and will protect your home against any intruder.

The Dogues De Bordeaux is extremely intelligent and is capable of learning complex tasks. However, it’s extremely lazy and will be reluctant to learn new tricks, so it’s better suited to an experienced owner who knows how to keep it motivated.

Are These Dogs Good for Families? 👪

The Dogues De Bordeaux is a fantastic family pet as long as you have space for it. It has a laid-back temperament, and you will usually find it lounging around by a family member. It enjoys playing with children and doesn’t get upset about yelling and screaming, but it could knock over a toddler as it moves from one room to another. It’s alert and makes a great watchdog. Its immense size will deter any robbery attempts.

Does This Breed Get Along with Other Pets?

The Dogues De Bordeaux has a laid-back temperament that hardly notices other pets and rarely gets aggressive, even walking near strange dogs out on the trail. Early socialization can help your dog get along with other pets even better.

Things to Know When Owning a Dogues de Bordeaux:

Food & Diet Requirements 🦴

Your Dogues De Bordeaux is a very large dog that also happens to be lazy. It will resist all efforts to be active and will spend most of the day lounging around. Because of its sedentary lifestyle, we recommend taking extra care to look for high-quality food. We recommend a brand with real meat like turkey, chicken, or lamb that will provide plenty of protein without excess calories. Foods that have corn listed near the top of the list will not have the same high-quality nutrition and will likely lead to weight gain. We also recommend looking for a brand containing omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce inflammation and help create a shiny coat.

Exercise 🐕

As we mentioned earlier, your Dogues De Bordeaux is a lazy breed that will prefer to lounge around under the tree than go for a walk, especially if it’s a warm day. However, staying active is vital to your pet’s health, so we recommend setting aside at least an hour per day to spend getting your dog to exercise, even if your dog spends most of the time walking behind you.

Training 🎾

Training your Dogues De Bordeaux can be challenging because of their laziness, so getting help from a professional breeder is a good idea. However, you might be successful in teaching your dog new tricks if you keep your training sessions short, fun, and at the same time each day. Keeping your sessions consistent will help get your dog into a routine and help it stay focused and ready to learn. Patience is critical, and it can take several weeks for your pet to learn a new trick and commit it to memory. Don’t let a setback throw off your schedule. Persistence is key to success.

Grooming ✂️

The Dogues De Bordeaux has short hair that will only require weekly brushing, but the folds on its face will require special attention every few days to ensure they are clean and dry to prevent skin rashes. The floppy ears can also hold dirt and moisture, leading to ear infections. You won’t need to get the dog trimmed, but we recommend getting the teeth cleaned, and you may also need to get the nails trimmed if you hear them clicking on the floor.

Health and Conditions 🏥

Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy is a condition that can affect your Dogues De Bordeaux, and it causes the muscles in the heart muscles to deteriorate, which results in an enlarged heart. Symptoms of cardiomyopathy include coughing, weakness, weight loss, distended belly, and even sudden death. Your dog may need any number of medications to manage the condition, and they will need constant monitoring.

Hip Dysplasia

One of the biggest concerns for any large dog like the Dogues De Bordeaux Is hip dysplasia. It’s a genetic condition that causes the hip joint to form incorrectly, so the bones don’t move smoothly as your dog walks. As your dog ages, the joint will wear down prematurely and affect your dog’s ability to put weight on the leg. While it can affect any breed, large dogs like the Dogues De Bordeaux and active dogs cause the joint to wear down faster, so they are more at risk. Symptoms include difficulty getting up from the floor and resistance to climb stairs. Your vet will try to slow the progression of hip dysplasia with weight management, medication, and surgery.

Bloat

Bloat is a condition that affects many deep-chested dogs like the Dogues De Bordeaux. Dogs affected by bloat will experience a stomach that rapidly fills with air putting pressure on and cutting off blood flow to several vital organs. The stomach might also flip on itself, causing blood to get trapped inside and possibly damaging the stomach lining. It’s a life-threatening condition, and you will need to seek out a vet if you notice restlessness, salivation, or an enlarged stomach.

Male vs Female

The male Dogues De Bordeaux has a friendlier disposition than the female and is often more sociable. The females tend to have wider mood swings, but the males can try to assert their dominance over you, and they tend to mark their territory frequently, especially if there are other animals around. The females tend to be a little smaller and weigh less.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Dogues de Bordeaux

1. The Dogues de Bordeaux is a French breed that is older than France itself.

2. The Dogues de Bordeaux became famous in the movie Turner and Hooch starring Tom Hanks.

3. The Dogues de Bordeaux is currently in the miscellaneous class of dogs; before 2006 it was classified as a working dog.

Final Thoughts

The Dogues de Bordeaux makes a fantastic pet, but it needs a large area to move around, and it requires an attentive owner who will make sure it gets the activity it needs and keep it from dominating the household. With the right owner, these dogs are fantastic companions and excellent watchdogs.

We hope you have enjoyed our look into this giant breed, and it has helped answer your questions. If we have convinced you to purchase one, please share this guide to the Dogues de Bordeaux on Facebook and Twitter.

See also:

• 16 Types of Giant Dog Breeds (With Pictures)
• Ultimate Mastiff Dog Breed Guide: Info, Pictures, & Care

Featured Image Credit: Jan Steiner, Pixabay