They might look a little intimidating with their massive body and the imposing head with its folds. Yet a Dogue de Bordeaux is a gentle giant. Nevertheless, there are some things to consider before you decide to buy a Dogue de Bordeaux.
About the Dogue de Bordeaux
The Dogue de Bordeaux belongs to the FCI Group 2 of Pinscher, Schnauzer, Molossian and Swiss Mountain and Cattle Dogs. The breed itself belongs to the category of Molossians.
A dog with history
Molossians were already known in ancient times. The massive and strong dogs with their imposing head became war dogs for the Babylonians. According to the descriptions, the appearance has remained almost the same even during all this time.
In the 14th century, the ancestors of the Dogue de Bordeaux were used in France for hunting large and able-bodied animals such as wild boars, sometimes they were also used as fighting dogs.
The Dogue de Bordeaux was already represented as a breed at the first French dog show. After the two world wars their existence had shrunk.
Preferably a big apartment at ground level
Dogues de Bordeaux are used today as family and guard dogs.
Since the Dogue de Bordeaux drools a lot, it is not so suitable for particularly hygiene-conscious creatures.
Because of the size of the dog it needs a certain amount of space. Perfect would be a ground floor apartment with garden. Stairs are not recommended because of their joint problems - and you can't carry a dog of this weight very easily.
In any case, you should be prepared to spend a lot of money on high quality food and the many veterinary bills.
The list dog - what else to consider
Note that the Dogue de Bordeaux is on the list of dangerous breeds in some German states (Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Brandenburg, Hamburg) and in Austria in Vorarlberg and in Switzerland in the canton of Geneva and Ticino. This can bring strong restrictions when walking and keeping dogs, and can also become really expensive due to a clearly increased dog tax. Before buying a Dogue de Bordeaux, make sure you find out whether there are any restrictions in your community and if so, which ones there are!