Dogue de Bordeaux
Group: Working
Size: Large
Coat length: Short
Grooming required: Once a week
Coat sheds: No
Home size: Large House
Garden size: Small/Medium
Lifespan: Over 10 Years
Exercise: Up to 1 hour per day
The Dogue de Bordeaux is also called the French Mastiff and has the typical mastiff look of being stocky with a huge wrinkled head. These mastiffs are quite short legged and have loose-fitting skin. Their coats are short and reddish and they occasionally have white markings on the chest and feet.
They were originally bred as a guard dog, both of people and animals such as sheep and cattle but have been used in baiting and hunting too. They are naturally protective of their family and often good with children but they are essentially a guard dog and need firm training to learn tolerance towards others. The Dogue de Bordeaux tends to snore and drool too.
They can be trained to tolerate strangers and other animals. They are inclined to be inactive indoors so need a good daily walk outside. They are also surprisingly agile and can jump quite well.
Little grooming is needed. They are generally healthy but can be prone to hip dysplasia and the dams often have to have cesareans when giving birth.