ABOUT THE BREED

The Dogue de Bordeaux, also known as French Mastiff, originated in France around 600 years ago. It is one of the oldest French dog breeds. They were originally bred for hunting, guarding and herding. They are historically known for protecting the inhabitants of castles and of the homes of the French's most elite. They were first shown in America in the 1890's. Their average life expectancy is between 8 and 12 years.

The average Dogue de Bordeaux will reach of weight of 80-120 lbs and a height of 23-27" up to shoulder. Their coat is short, fine, soft and a shade of fawn with tones of red, copper or black mask. They have muscular, stocky bodies that are low to the ground with a massive head and oval eyes that set far apart. Proportionally, they have the largest head in the canine kingdom! They have prominent wrinkles on their face and thick, loose skin on the rest of their body. They are known to drool due to their sagging jaws. 

Despite their massive size, Dogue de Bordeaux has been nicknamed "The Gentle Giant". They enjoy being around people of all age groups. They are affectionate, docile, even-tempered and make excellent companions. These dogs are quite confident and will protect their family with courage. They are not aggressive but will always be on the lookout for threats. Dogue de Bordeaux will notify you of threats but will usually react in a calm and level-headed manner in almost all situations. Because these dogs have a natural instinct to belong to and look over a family, they do not do well left alone for long periods of time. 

Dogue de Bordeaux will require moderate exercise. A daily walk is enough to meet his needs or a home with a small yard. These dogs will adapt to any environment so be careful not to allow them to become too lazy or they can easily become overweight. They likely will not move around much while indoors and instead enjoy cuddling with family and relaxing. Outdoors is when they tend to be a little active and get their bursts of energy out. 

They are actually quite agile for their size and enjoy physical activity, several sports and even pulling sleds or weights for competitions. They are one of the strongest breeds in the world and excel at most any activity you train them for. Although they are only moderately active, their eagerness to please their owners make them adapt well to obedience and be suitable for training in search and rescue and even for use as therapy dogs.