Dogue De Bordeaux
Temperament:
The Dogue de Bordeaux (Dogue de Bordeaux) is an old breed of dog from France. It is a breed recognized by the FCI and is included in Group 2, Section 2. This gentle, calm and balanced dog is always loyal to his family. Its calm nature makes it a good playmate for children.
Characteristics
The Dogue de Bordeaux has a strong build. The broad head matches the stocky body. Other features are the deep skin folds and the triangular hanging ears. The short nose completes the picture. The Great Dane has a semi-long and slightly curved tail.
The coat is short and smooth. Mostly the soft coat is unicolored. The reddish-brown coat color can vary between mahogany and isabelline. White patches on the chest and paw area are recognized by the breed standard. Some specimens have a brown or black mask.
The males have a height at withers between 60 and 68 cm and a body weight of at least 50 kg. The bitches are slightly smaller. For them, the height at the withers is between 58 and 66 cm and they should have a minimum weight of 45 kg. The physique is compact. There is a minimum difference between body length and height at withers.
The whole appearance of the Dogue de Bordeaux demands a certain respect from you. At the same time, his nature is exactly the opposite. This sensitive dog is cuddly and gentle. Nothing can upset him so quickly. Even noisy children are accepted with stoic calm.
The Dogue de Bordeaux is intelligent. With a certain consistency well trainable. The innate thick skull partly prevents the immediate execution of commands. They are executed in the end. This breed is easy to handle with love and consistent behavior.
The innate qualities to protect and guard are not a problem. The young and impetuous Dogue de Bordeaux learns quickly. She learns to regulate her strength and protective instinct. In this imprinting phase it is easy to accustom her to other pets.
Towards strangers Bordeaux Great Dane is suspicious. She decides when this "stranger" is accepted. At the same time she remains completely sovereign. She is neither aggressive nor fearful.
The behavior of the Dogue de Bordeaux is not boring. She is a reliable partner for your family. Sometimes adult dogs can "freak out". That means they just run off at times. They spin in circles and roll around in the grass. Afterwards, they come back beaming with joy and panting heavily. Master or mistress should cuddle him.
Representatives of this breed of dogs are not sportsmen. Walks in the countryside and short bike rides are fun. Obedience and dogdancing are suitable as dog sports, but as fun and not for trophies.
The Dogue de Bordeaux is listed dog in some countries. Due to their positive characteristics and their strong nerves, the official hurdles can be mastered. The Dogue de Bordeaux needs family connection. A kennel attitude is not suitable for this sensitive dog.
Coat care:
Shedding:
Energy level:
Trainability:
Children suitable:
The right food
Nutrition is very important for the Dogue de Bordeaux breed. Already in puppy age you should pay attention to it. A high-quality food supports the formation of joints and cartilage. For this massive dog, a balanced diet is vital.
In any case, he should not have too many kilos on the ribs. The standard weight is already enough stress for the joints. He is not a top athlete. He does not burn enough calories. As the owner, you have to pay attention to that.
Dog training includes treats. Use "healthy" treats with few calories. The "training food" and the "reward food" must be included in the daily food ration. Quickly add weight, even if it's just a few "treats" a week.
Divide the feed ration into two (morning and evening). When choosing a suitable ready-made food, pay attention to the ingredients. The feed should contain few proteins. This means that the crude protein content must be less than 26 % of the feed mass.
A ready-made food should not contain preservatives, additives and sugar, if possible. The comparison of different dog foods is useful.
Barfing is a good alternative for a dog breed with weight problems. This complete food is with cooked or raw meat. There are different types of meat. You can combine them with vegetables, flakes and minerals. This feeding method is more time consuming.
You can alternate with ready-made food and meat feeding. In the morning, time is usually short. Here the ready-made food (dry or wet) is a good solution. In the evening, meat (raw or cooked) with vegetables is the varied option.
Dogue De Bordeaux Care
In general, the care of the Dogue de Bordeaux is not costly. The short soft coat is sufficiently taken care of with regular brushing. The control of the claws is not more elaborate than in other dog breeds.
The pronounced skin folds can become more of a problem. You should check this area regularly. Quick help with small skin irritations or inflammations can minimize the problem.
This breed is more prone to diseases in the eye area. This refers especially to the eyelids. Possible are drooping eyelids (ectropion) and rolled eyelids (entropion).
The Dogue de Bordeaux can tolerate physical stress and great heat worse. The reason is the short nose. With anesthesia it can also come to problems.
A Dogue de Bordeaux drools. The drool is not so much on the dog as on its surroundings. This is where your tolerance as a dog owner is needed.
Many large and heavy dogs have problems with the joints. The Great Dane is no exception. Hip dysplasia (HD), elbow dysplasia and calcification of the spine (spondylosis) can occur.
You can counteract the susceptibility to joint problems. The Great Dane should not climb stairs in puppy and young dog age. For the adult animals a ground level home with a garden is good. If kept in an apartment, there should definitely be an elevator in the apartment building.
In the growth phase and in adult life, the joints should not be overstressed. No overweight, no jumping exercises and no stair climbing are important. This will help your Great Dane.
The risk of the dreaded gastric distortion can be reduced. The division of the feed ration into at least two portions. No "sporting" activities after feeding.
Unfortunately, the life expectancy is generally not high. The data in the various sources are different. They vary between 5 and 10 years of life expectancy. Accidents are also included in the statistics.
Suitable accessories
The basic equipment for the dog accessories includes a collar or chest harness. In addition, the matching dog leash is a matter of course. For the dark season should be purchased luminous collars.
A Dogue de Bordeaux should not be on the couch. As a place to lie down and sleep, there are suitable dog baskets with dog mattresses. Or would you rather have a dog bed without an edge? There are numerous variants for indoors and outdoors.
Suitable dog bowls for food and water are available in various designs. You can choose between the floor or stand variant.
Sporting accessories are less likely for a Dogue de Bordeaux. But still there are many ways to keep this intelligent dog busy. The manufacturers of dog accessories have numerous intelligence games on offer.
Origin & History
Dogue de Bordeaux belongs to the group of Molossians. The ancestors of this dog breed were already mentioned in the 14th century. The "Alaner" and the "Saupacker" were hunting dogs. They were used in France for hunting wild boar and other large game.
During the French Revolution (1789) these dogs were almost exterminated. The French nobility used the Dogue de Bordeaux as a hunting dog. This circumstance almost became her undoing.
The first dog show was in Paris in 1863. In the Jardin d'Acclimatation the Dogue de Bordeaux was shown for the first time. The dog breed was presented under its name.
The name of this breed comes from the French city of Bordeaux. According to tradition, this dog breed was especially popular with the local butchers.
In 1883, the male "Bataille" was awarded in Paris. The breed standard of the Dogue de Bordeaux was different at that time. They were wrinkle-free, lighter and smaller. Moreover, the breeding standard did not require solid color. The awarded male had a black mask.
Pierre Megnin fixed the breed standard in 1896 in the book "Vom Wesen der waren Doggen".
During the two world wars, the population of the Dogue de Bordeaux declined sharply. It was on the verge of extinction. The German Dogue de Bordeaux Club (founded in 1908) tried to revive the breed from 1947. In the 60s, the popularity increased again.
The FCI breed standard was published in 1971. Raymond Triquet and Maurice Luquet established the criteria. This was the basis for today's Standard No. 116.
