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The Dogue de Bordeaux
By Andrea Switzer-Bialoblocki
Originally published in The Rare Mastiff, 1997.
Authors Note The purpose of this piece is to combine information
on the Dogue de Bordeaux to give the reader a clearer view of the
origins and the animal behind the Dogue. As we await the translation
from French to English of Prof. Triquet's La Saga du Dogue de
Bordeaux, the most comprehensive modern book on the breed, we
continue to speculate and pass on information from breeder to
breeder, or as some of us are doing, learning French very quickly!
The Dogue de Bordeaux, also known as the French Mastiff, French
Fighting Dog, or the Bordeaux Mastiff; and in France, the "National
Guard Dog of France," is one of the most ancient breeds among
today's existing purebred dogs.
History
The Dogue's history is believed to predate the Bullmastiff and
the Bulldog. It is said that the Dogue can be found in the
background of the Bullmastiff, and others claim that the Dogue and
Mastiff breeds were both being accomplished at the same time. Some
believe that the Bulldog is the building block of the Dogue, and
again, another group believes that the Bulldog was used in breeding
programs further down the line. Another theory is the Dogue de
Bordeaux originates from the Tibetan Mastiff.
"It is often been said that the common stem of all European
dogues was a big dog coming from the confines of India and China,
more than 3000 years ago, and by stages would have gone from Thibet
to Mesopotamia, there, where begins the history of men; then to
Epire, small kingdom of ancient Greece, founded by a mythological
king; Molosse; then to Rome and from there to Gaule. He would have
made this long journey by the side of conquerors, warriors and
merchants. It is possible that this prestigious connection is in
part true, but let us not forget the fact, maybe preponderant that
archeologists have found in the land that would become France, bones
of dogs dating from prehistory, bones that were those of a Dogue."1
This notion ties in with the debate that the Dogue comes from the
Alano Dog, a dog of smaller size from Spain. The Alano, also known
as the Black Dogue, is a non-FCI recognized dog that exists sparsely
today, while others insist that the breed is extinct and fanciers
are "rebuilding" the breed. A theory is that the Dogue was brought
to Europe by the Alans, an Oriental tribe that settled north of the
Gironde estuary.2 The Alano is described in a quote (roughly
translated) from Martinez del Espinar, year 1644, as having a "wide
and lifted forehead, sunken and bloodshot eyes, an expansive look,
and a neck short and wide."3 The Alano weighs between 35-45 kg and
stands 62-63 cm for males and 57-60 cm for females. It has
triangular ears, small vanilla colored eyes, a head shaped like two
cubes, and a short, wide muscular neck, with loose skin to protect
it against the razor teeth of its enemies. The Alano also has wide
round ribs to hold its powerful heart and lungs.4 To see the Alano,
one would notice that the Alano looks strikingly similar to the
Dogue de Bordeaux.
It is also said that the Dogue is related to the GrecoRoman
mollosoids used for war, as there was a breed similar to the Dogue
de Bordeaux in Rome at the time of Emperor Julius Caesar's reign.
This would make the Dogue de Bordeaux a cousin of the Neapolitan
Mastiff.
Another theory suggests that the Dogue de Bordeaux is a
descendent of a breed which existed in France a long time ago. "In
the mid 19th century, these French dogues had disappeared from
almost everywhere, with the exception of Aquitaine, where at all
times, they had been numerous and famous. From Avnis and from
Saintongue to the Pyrenees, these dogues from Aquitaine were not all
naturally similar."5 The Dogues were bred depending on the region
and the jobs they were required to do. The general appearance and
prognathism6 were inconsistent. The Dogue had various coat colors
and varieties They had scissors bites in some regions, underbites in
others, but they had a general type similar to today's Dogues.
"These were the dogues and doguins7 of Aquitaine, probable
descendants of the 'Asans,' known since the 14th century by the
"Book of Hunting" of Gaston Phoebus, Count of Foix-Bearn."8
Another article goes further into this history:
"As early as the fourteenth century, Gaston Phoebus, Comte de
Foix," a French writer, "described the great French Molossus, or
Alant, doubtless the ancestor of the modern Dogue de Bordeaux, and
in the distinction he drew between the Alant Gentil and Alant de
Bourcherie may be recognized the difference we draw today between
the large fighting dog of the South of France and the smaller kind
with shorter muzzle known as the Bouledogue du Midi...Even then,
stress was laid upon points we now ask for in the French Dogue —the
wrinkles, the light, small eye, the liver colored nose, the absence
of dark shadings on the face, and the red mask which is so much
preferred...indicating Mastiff blood."9
The best summary on all the various origins of the Dogue de
Bordeaux could be credited to Dr. Carl Semencic, Ph.D., in his
article "The Dogue de Bordeaux." Dr. Semencic states that although
there are these differences in option over the "specific origin of
the dog, it is clear that the breed is one expression of the ancient
Mastiff type and this breed's specific physical characteristics are
as typical of the pure Western Mastiff from those of any of toady's
Mastiff."10
We do know that the Dogue de Bordeaux was used as a guardian, a
hunter, and a fighter. They were trained to bait bulls, bears, and
jaguars, hunt boars, heard cattle, and protect the homes,
butchershops, and vineyards of their masters. The Dogue de Bordeaux
was prized as protectors and were often found in the homes of the
noble and wealthy of France. A set back in the breed may have come
in 1789, during the French Revolution, when many of the Dogues may
have perished with their wealthy masters during the uprising of the
French against the wealthy and nobility. But the Dogues of the
common man must have thrived. These became the champions in the
arena, and were powerful dogs bred to do their jobs and do them
well.
It was in 186311 when we see the first reference to the Dogue
that is the basis of our modern Dogue. The first canine exhibition
was held at the "Jardin d'Acclimatation" in Paris, France. It was
more like an inventory of the types of breeds living in France at
the time than a conformation competition. The winner was a bitch
named Magentas who won 150 francs. The Dogue de Bordeaux was then
given the name of the capital of their region of origin. This marked
the day and showed the superiority over the other French dogs.12
There is no other known reference to the Dogue de Bordeaux until
the year 1883. There was a diverse difference in the breed at the
time, which created much controversy. Dogues still varied as having
big heads, small heads, their bodies were exceptionally large, while
others were very small. Some breeders preferred an underbite, others
a level scissors bite. Also, the mask color was a subject of many
debates and discussions; red mask, black mask, or without. There
were also three different types of Dogue de Bordeaux adding to the
controversy. There were the Toulouse, the Paris, and the Bordeaux.
Our modern day Dogue de Bordeaux is a mixture of these different
types, but the breed is primarily Bordeaux. The Toulouse was a Dogue
that had almost every color in its coat, like a fawnish tiger color
(light brindle perhaps) with a longer body and smaller bones. The
bite was the biggest controversy of the time. Dogues in Paris had a
scissors bite, while others had an undershot bite of almost one
inch, until a group of breeders came to a mid point and agreed on a
bite type, the undershot, which is the bite we see in today's Dogue.
These Dogues also had cropped ears, where the current Dogues have
ears in their natural state.
Today we can be surprised by a Dogue that comes up every now and
then that is different from other Dogues in a very unique way. When
breeding, we need to remember that there were these other types in
the Dogue's background, and they are very defined and strong. These
dogs are said "not to breed true to how they look like"13 which is
their phenotypes14, but they are actually breeding true to what they
carry, the genotypes15. The genotype is what we cannot see, but is
carried in the genes and will appear occasionally. This is from the
various backgrounds of the Dogue, the Paris, the Toulouse, and the
Bordeaux.
In 1895, a few well known Bulldog breeders tried to establish the
Dogue de Bordeaux in England. Also that year, John Proctor of
Antwerp, who had judged the Dogue de Bordeaux at a show, published
an account of his experiences with the "fighting dogs of the South
of France"16 in the magazine The Stock Keeper. This sparked the
quest of Sam Woodiwiss and H.C. Brooke to search France for
specimens of the Dogue de Bordeaux. Mr. Woodiwiss obtained a dog
that had won first prize in Brodeau, "a warrior renowned in the
arena, whose forequarters were one mass of scars received from dogs
he had fought with or from bears he had baited." He also brought
home a bitch named Cora; Mr. Brooke purchased a red bitch, Dragonne,
later known as Amazone de Bordeaux (who later died from blood
poisoning from a wasp sting), and a black masked dog called Tristan.
Brooke went on to own many Dogues such as Sans-Peur, Diane, Bart,
and Brutus.17 Mr. Brooke wanted to own a dog from a real fighting
strain. So he imported a young fawn colored dog, Matador du Midi,
from gladiatorial lineage. Among his ancestors was Caporal, Megere,
and Hercules. Caporal was the champion of the Pyrenees for seven
years. He weighed 108 pounds, stood 25 inches at the shoulder, and
had a skull circumference of 26 inches. Megere was pitted against
hyena, wolf and bear and Hercules was killed by a jaguar in a battle
in San Francisco. Brooke pitted Matador du Midi against a large,
older Russian bear when the Dogue was 18 months old. Brooke noted:
"The dog showed great science in keeping his body as much sideways
as possible, to avoid the bear's hug, and threw the bear fairly and
squarely on the grass three times."18 Today, we see this in our
Dogues when they are at play with their littermates or companions,
and when they are engaged in a fight.
In 1896, Pierre Meguin, a veterinarian and chief editor of the
journal "L'Eleveur" (The Breeder) put together a synthesis of the
best Dogue de Bordeaux shown and known from 1863-1895. He published
a book, "Le Dogue de Bordeaux" that features a description and
characteristics to the true Dogue. This effort, put forward by Mr.
Brooke, Mr. Meguin, Dr. Wiart and a group of other authorities in
France, was the first standard for the Dogue de Bordeaux. This is
the basis of our standard today. In 1897, Henry de Bylandt's work
"The Breeds of Dogs" introduced the breed standard to the world of
cynophilia J. Kunstler, Professor of Comparative Anatomy of the
Science Facility of Bordeaux, studied the Dogues in 1907 and in 1910
published "A Critique Etude du Dogue de Bordeaux" (A Critical Study
of the Dogue de Bordeaux) with a precise standard of the Dogue.19
The popularly of the Dogue de Bordeaux in England came to an
abrupt end when the Kennel Club put in place their anti-cropping
rule. "A Dogue de Bordeaux with his natural ears is not to be
admired."20 Turc, Cora and Amazone were dead, Mr. Brooke and
Mr.Woodiwiss sold their remaining dogs to a Canadian man, "So ended
the history of the Dogue de Bordeaux in England."21 The Dogue de
Bordeaux suffered greatly with the onset of World War I and II, to
the point of almost being extinct. Dogue historians tell us that
Adolf Hitler ordered that all Dogue de Bordeaux be killed on sight
because of their guarding devotion to their families, and that there
were three breeding pairs left after World War II.
In France, the region of Aquitaine was were a majority of the
Dogue de Bordeaux could now be found. Here is where we can attribute
the actual type of the Dogue de Bordeaux, the work of two breeders,
Mr. Barnes and Mr. Deland. They worked to produce and keep toady's
classic Dogue de Bordeaux head, a head that is not too bull-doggy,
at the same time not being long, without losing the macro-morfous
characteristic of the cranial region.22 During the 1960's, Dr.
Raymond Triquet headed the rebuilding of the breed, and in 1970, Dr.
Triquet wrote the new standard for the Dogue de Bordeaux.23 Dr.
Triquet wrote in "A Word from the President" from The Society of
Amateurs of the Dogues de Bordeaux, dated February 4, 1980: "When
writing in 1970 the new standard of the Dogue de Bordeaux, I wanted,
describing an archetype, to give a working tool to our breeders,
very few of them existing at that time. I have tried, while staying
faithful to the works of two illustrious amateurs of the Dogue de
Bordeaux: Professor Kunstler and Veterinarian Pierre Meguin, to
establish a text sufficiently scientific and a the same time clear
enough for all amateurs. I know in my profession, the importance of
the proverb: A standard poorly expressed and badly drafted can lead
to grave errors and to the creation of teratological creatures. I
have thus used caution to avoid certain dangerous formulae, in this,
that they propose exaggerated forms as models...We were a handful of
amateurs, we are now 500 members, and the year 1979 has seen the
births of approximately 240 Dogues de Bordeaux"24
The Dogue is also credited to taking part in the breeding
programs of two other mastiffs, the Argentine Dogo and the Tosa. Dr.
Martinez, who bred "The Fighting Dogs of Cordoba" now known as the
Argentine Dogo, used a menagerie of breeds to produce the Dogo. He
used the Harlequin Great Dane for height and coloring, the Pyrenean
Mastiff for size, the English Pointer for the sense of smell, and
the Dogue de Bordeaux to increase the head size and to accentuate
the Dogos overall courage, strength and jaw strength.29 During the
1930's, Japanese fighting enthusiasts were importing Dogue de
Bordeaux stock from France to cross with the Tosa (The fighting dog
of Japan).30 The result of this was a larger Tosa with a massive
head.
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Dogue de Bordeaux in the US
It is said that Dr. Phillip Todd who first brought the
Dogue de Bordeaux into the United States in the 1960's, but
as historians of the breed in the USA, we ignore the
statements of Megere's dog Hercules fighting in the ring in
San Francisco in the late 1890's. There are also reports of
individuals seeing evidence in dated photos of dogues in the
USA in the 1902's. In "La Saga du Dogue de Bordeaux" Prof
Triquet notes the first dog recorded to be exported to the
USA was Fidelle de Fenelon, to Merle Campbell in 1959, and
the second dog was Rugby de la Maison des Arbres, to Dr.
Todd in 1968. Eventually Dr. Todd moved to Holland and took
his Dogue de Bordeaux with him, no record can be found of
Merle Campbell and his dog.
Recently, the son of Merle
Campbell wrote to the DDBS in 2006 with some interesting
history to add on Fidelle:
"Franklin "Merle" Campbell Sr. was my father. Dad was
probably the longest living breeder of Old English Mastiff's
at the time of his death in 1987. My mother Henrietta B.
Campbell was also very much involved in the breeding and
cared of Mastiff's, both for their entire adult lives.
Dad brought the female bitch dogue in 1959 from France.
There is not a Old English Mastiff in the world today that
is NOT a descendant from this bitch. She was rather smallish
by Old English Mastiff's standards but well with in the the
breed standards of size and weight. Her confirmation was
near perfect and she resembled a Brindle Mastiff/BullMastiff
cross to some degree. My father conferred with the Mastiff
Kennel Club before introducing her to the Old English
Mastiff Breed. After the fact a great degree of controversy
developed. Mrs Moore, a later friend of my fathers and a
DuPont, wrote a book on the Old English Breed. She later
thought that the introduction of the Dogue of Bordeaux to
Mastiff line actually improved the Breed.
An interesting side note was that she was an adult dogue and
did not understand English. It took her several months to
learn English command. She was a beautiful dog. We loved
her."
- Merle Campbell Jr.
Steve and Wendy Norris, with the help of Dr. Todd, began
to import Dogue de Bordeaux into the US sometime between
1969 and 1980 - various stories and documentation have
various dates. They traveled throughout France and worked
very closely with Raymond Triquet and others to establish
the breed properly in the US. Their breeding stock was
imported from France and in the words of Raymond Triquet
"was among the very finest available." The Norris' worked
hard to improve the breed, they were very devoted to their
work, eager to discuss their coveted breed, and held the
highest ethical standards. The legacy of Norris Place goes
on today, with many of the Dogues coming from their lines.
Today, Norris Place is not publicly involved in the Dogue
de Bordeaux, they had stopped advertising in 1990-91, but
their name and legacy goes on today some of the top winning
dogs of our time, such as Gibson of Avalon Norris, a red
mask owned by John Allen of Connecticut winning the 1995
USBC National Specialty, and Mr. Nicki Tembo, owned and bred
by Nancy Kent of MA, Mr. Niki Tembo won the United States
Bordeaux Corporation National specialty in 1997 under Madame
Ann Marie Class.
Another well known Dogue de Bordeaux name in the United
States was Peter Curley - TNT Kennels. Around the 1981, he
purchased his first Dogue de Bordeaux in France. Peter
Curley took some dogs back to France to compete in the
French Club Nationals, but they were not American bred dogs,
and also has the first Dogue de Bordeaux to have gained OFA
certification on hips, Vigor du Bois Trousse Chemise. Peter
Curley is most noted as being the person to import the
Dogues used in the 1989 Touchstone film, "Turner and Hooch."
Here, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. America saw the Dogue
de Bordeaux. Even today, a majority of the people do not
know exactly what breed Hooch was. Many believe it was a
Bullmastiff or big Bulldog. Mr. Curley imported and sold the
Dogues Barry, Beasly, Vigor, and Cristo to Disney.31
One of the pups used at the end of the movie was JoJo,
owned by John and Ricki Toole of Martel Dogue de Bordeaux,
California. The Tooles also own Leigh, who was also used to
film the end scenes also, but did not make the final cut.
Originally, the end scene was filmed with Bullmastiff pups,
but the new director, Roger Spottiswoode made sure that
Dogue de Bordeaux pups were used for accuracy. Beasly went
on to do a brief series called "Turner and Hooch" which went
off the air soon after it went on, and later the Dogues were
performing in Disneyland, California. Today, Beasley is the
one of the last survivors and lives with his owner/trainer
Clint Roe in California. JoJo was still alive in 1997 when I
visited the Tooles in CA, but Leigh had passed away in 1996.
In 1997 a red mask Dogue, Foster, has been seen on the
daytime soap, General Hospital on ABC. Dice, owned by the
Tooles (Martel Dogue de Bordeaux, CA) was Foster's stunt
double. This character is no longer on General Hospital, but
was the inspiration for new Dogue de Bordeaux owners and
breeders. In 1999, a film titled "Payback" staring Mel
Gibson was released with a Dogue de Bordeaux in the movie.
Breeders of the Dogue worry about the impact this will have
on the breed because the dog is portrayed as a guard dog for
a prostitute. The effects of this film are yet to be seen on
the breed.
Today, there are many breeders of Dogue de Bordeaux in
the Untied States. They stretch out from New Jersey to
California. Many Dogues today (not including imports)
originate from Norris and TNT, although these names are now
found further back in pedigrees and less French origins can
be found on a basic three generation pedigree. Many owners
would be quite happily surprised if they went back to a
fourth or fifth generation to find such kennel names as El
Siscar, De la Font de Peppignon, Demons Noir, De Mirloup, ,
Bodscav, de la Maison des Arbres, Fenelon, and Domain de
Sources in their dogs. |
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Top
Dogues
In the 1980's in France a Dogue called N'Hems du Domain
des Sources (a black mask), was one of the top producers
along with another dog, Borg de la Gaie Maisonnete, and in
Spain, Idem del Matachin25. Meanwhile, the breed had also
gained popularity in Holland. These three countries made a
common effort to open their breeding lines and share their
best dogs for the fear of losing type, heads, and to fight
against hip dysplasia.
In Germany, a dog was bred, called Belmondo the Red
Powerpack, by a Mr. Wackermann. Belmondo was called "The
Best Dogue In Holland" in 1992 and gained his world
championship in 1994 26. He is known as "The Phenomena
Belmondo" in Europe, and in Holland, 350 out of 800 Dogue de
Bordeaux pups born in 1993, were sired by Belmondo27.
The World Show has been a show case for Dogue de
Bordeaux, in 1991, Basco de L'Etang de Mirloup, a Spanish
breed Dogue was World Champion, and in 1992, Hada del
Matachin also of Spain was the World Champion.23. Other
world champions have included, (1993 unknown) , 1994 -
Belmondo the Red Powerpack, 1995 - Idem del Matchin, 1996 -
Belmondo the Red Powerpack, 1997 - Park Ave. Rosie Van
Valkenburg, an American bred bitch, and 1998 - Kerika. In
France, champions of the French Bordeaux Club (SADB and its
predicesors) have been recorded consecutively since 1966,
with only notes from 1910 and 1965 of top dogs.
The TAN (Test d'Aptitudes Naturelles), a character test
specifically for the Dogue de Bordeaux, was developed in
1984, following the start of this test, a dog must win the
Best of Breed at the French club match, pass the TAN, and
met a minimum requirement of other wins (FCI) to qualify as
a French Champion. Please note where NONE is after a year,
indicates that the winner of the club match may have not met
all criteria to be named a French Champion. The champions of
France have been Miarka de la Maison des Arbres (1966),
Mirka de Fenelon (1967), Omega du Lupango D'Ostrevent
(1968), Porthos de la Maison des Arbres (1969), Amar von der
Rombach (1970), Rock (1971), Titus de la Maison des Arbres
(1972), Ursule de la Maison des Arbres (1973), 1974 - none,
Valet de Fenelon (1975), Assan von der Weidelsburg (1976),
Vamba (1977), Jika du Bois des Canelles (1978), Lord de las
Maison des Arbres (1979), 1980 - none, N'Agor de la Maison
des Coqs (1981), Noisette (1982), 1983 - none, Rhee (1984),
Princesse du Domain des Sources (1985), Saiga de la Lande de
Kerigan (1986), Victoire de la Tenacite (1987), Uguette du
Domain des Sources (1988), Vanille de Petrucia aux Tamarins
(1989), Casanova de la Huguerie (1990), Cassiopee du Bois de
Canelles (1991), 1992, none, 1993, none, Idem del Matachin
(1994), 1995 - none, Schuylkill Hola (1996), Eidi de el
Siscar (1997), Lucciano du Domain des Rauchbruy (1998) (this
list was taken from La Saga du Dogue de Bordeaux by Prof
Raymond Triquet, it lists on the Best of Breed winners who
qualify for French champions, the list in the book also
gives Best of Opposite who have also earned French Club
championships which are not recorded in this article)
In the United States, the top ranking Dogue de Bordeaux
were not closely watched until 1998 by the DDBS. In 1997 and
1998 ARBA's top Dogue de Bordeaux was Matuszak, a dog from
California. In 1997 the Dogue de Bordeaux Society started
ranking dogs, and for two consecutive years, Matuszak has
been the top ranked dog in the DDBS as well as the number
one Dogue de Bordeaux of ARBA. In Canada, Canadian Rarities
number one Dogue de Bordeaux for 1998 was Mister Niki Tembo
of Massachusetts. Another notable accomplishment for
American Dogue de Bordeaux was the second place open male
placing of an American Dogue de Bordeaux at the French
Nationals. In 1998 Matuszak, bred by Jodi Walls and Nancy
Reese, placed second open male in St. Tropez France.
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The Breed Clubs &
Registries
With the Dogue de Bordeaux coming to the US, a few clubs
were formed along the way to help the progress of the breed,
and police the actions of breeders, such as trying to keep
the Dogue out of the puppy mills. The Dogue de Bordeaux
Association of America was started by the Norris' in the
80's, it had a few members but never quite got off the
ground. The Bordeaux Club of America was another ill-fated
club. The United States Dogue de Bordeaux Club (USBC)
started around the mid 80's by Peter Curley.
At the same time Mr. Curley started a registry for Dogue
de Bordeaux. The first Dogue registered was Valence du Bois
de Trousee Chemise, a red mask bitch breed by Nouge Henri
owned by Peter Curley.32 At the time of the original writing
this article in 1996, the United States Dogue de Bordeaux
Club was in reorganization and has since become defunct. The
registry was taken over by a few individuals who have
incorporated it to be come the United States Bordeaux
Corporation. This is one of the many registries available to
the Dogue de Bordeaux.
During the wake of the demise of the old United States
Dogue de Bordeaux Club, a new organization arose out of the
flames, the Dogue de Bordeaux Society. Started in 1997 by a
small group of people to bring Dogue de Bordeaux owners
together, this organization has blossomed to boast 342
members at the end of 1998. The DDBS hosts a large national
show each April for the breed, in 1997, their first show had
a record breaking entry in the USA of 69 Dogues de Bordeaux.
They also encourage education, health screening, working
ability, temperament testing, and are pursuing AKC
recognition of the breed.
Counties such as France, Spain, Germany, Holland, Japan,
China, Canada, Switzerland, and Australia have their own
national/regional Dogue de Bordeaux clubs. As the breed
gains popularity in other countries, they too organize clubs
and organizations to promote and protect their precious
Dogue de Bordeaux.
There is a fist full of registries for Dogue de Bordeaux
in the USA. Federation of International Canines, United
Kennel Club, United States Bordeaux Corporation, States
Kennel Club, AKC Foundation Stock Service, and American Rare
Breed Association are all registries that accept the Dogue
de Bordeaux. The validity of many registries are still in
debate. The DDBS recommends registration with AKC Foundation
Stock service. There are many other "suspicious" registries
that are not worth the cost of the paper that is used and
has no value in a breeding program. Unfortunately, American
bred Dogue de Bordeaux are ineligible to be registered with
the world wide registry, FCI which leaves American dogs
segregated from the rest of the world and Americans unable
to share bloodlines with the rest of the world.
The United States Dogue de Bordeaux Club, the United
States Bordeaux Corporation, and the Dogue de Bordeaux
Society are also credited with bringing in the top European
judges to the USA for their annual national shows. In 1991
the United States Dogue de Bordeaux Club brought in Mr.
Philippe Serioul of France to Chicago for an entry of 40
dogues, in 1992 Mr. Andre Leblond of France to Chicago for
an entry of 40 dogues, in 1993 Mr. Raymond Triquet of France
to Chicago, entry of 36 dogues, in 1994 Mrs. AnnMarie Class
of France to New Jersey, entry of 36 dogues and in 1995 Mr.
Jacques Becuwe of France entry of 40 dogues. In 1997, the
United States Bordeaux Corporation hosted Mrs. AnnMarie
Class in Pennsylvania to an entry of 24 dogues, and in 1998
Mr. Bas Bosche of the Netherlands to Delaware for an entry
of 13 dogues.
The Dogue de Bordeaux Society has hosted one national
show to date, with it's second being held April 10-11, 1999
in Georgia. Their first show they hosted Mr. Philippe
Serioul of France in New Jersey with an entry of 69 dogues.
The DDBS is hosting Mr. Peter van Montfoort, president of
the Netherlands Molosser Club, in 1999, and Mr. Andre
LeBlond of France in 2000 in Missouri.
The United States Dogue de Bordeaux Club and the United
States Bordeaux Corporation have also hosted Christan and
Serge Porres in Chicago and Delaware to dispense of the TAN
(Test d'Attitudes Naturelles) - the character test of the
breed. Mr.'s Porres are the only qualified individuals to
perform the TAN test.
The Dogue de Bordeaux Society is the first and only
organization in the United States that supports an active
breed rescue for the Dogue de Bordeaux and Bordeaux mixes,
the Dogue de Bordeaux Rescue of the DDBS. To date the rescue
has taken in, fostered, and adopted over 20 dogues since its
beginning in 1997. |
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General Appearance
"...with their thick heads, thick lips and large ears,
they are well suited to hunting bear and pigs, because they
are stubborn. But they are heavy and ugly, and if a wild
boar were to kill them, it would be no great loss. "
Gaston Phoebus 33
When you first see the Dogue de Bordeaux, you should be
amazed by the size of the head, the head being the focal
point of the Dogue. Next, you notice the massive chest, big
boned legs, and the overall enormous size of a dog that is
at the same time low to the ground. It is said to "resemble
a tired aging prize fighter"34. We see the Dogue as
impressive and intimidating, at the same time gentle and
affectionate.
The Dogue, classified as Molossoidae Brachycephalus, is a
typical mastiff type. It is best described in the 1995
standard as "Typical concave line brachycephalic molossoid."
The standard goes on to say: "It is a powerful dog with a
muscular body while retaining a harmonious outline. They are
built close to the ground, the distance sternum-ground being
slightly less that the depth of the chest. They are stocky
athletic, imposing, and has a very dissuasive aspect." "The
length of the body is superior to the height at the withers,
in the proportion of 11/10, measured from the point of the
shoulder to the point of the buttock. The depth of the chest
is more than half the height at the withers. The maximum
length of the muzzle is equal to one third of the length of
the head. The minimum length of the muzzle is equal to one
quarter of the length of the head. In the male, the
perimeter of the skull corresponds more or less to the
height at the withers."35
Dr. Carl Semencic puts this in perspective in his article
"The Dogue de Bordeaux," he goes on to describe the Dogue as
massive, although not as tall as a typical mastiff breed.
The ears hang in the Mastiff fashion, but should not appear
to be large in proportion to the enormous skull. The head is
broad and short, the tail is very thick at the root and does
not reach farther than the hock of the dog and is carried
low.
The coat is course and short, and colors are red (various
shades of red, mahogany to Isabella), fawn and golden, with
red shades being the preferred colors. They come with masks
colors of red, black and no mask. White is permissible on
the chest and feet, not extending past the carpus or on the
front of the forelegs. Modern breeders recognize the red
mask, black mask and no mask, but the consensus is that the
red mask is preferred. Some people prefer to breed only red
mask to red masks, with the hopes of producing an all red
litter, thus trying to eliminate the black in their lines.
Here in the States, black masks are the least preferred, but
for some breeders, the goal is to produce a great black mask
along with the red masks. |
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Health
The breed still faces problems such as hip dysplaisa,
skin diseases and heart problems. Because of the limitation
on gene pools and the lines, it is almost impossible to
breed out these problems, although many dedicated breeders
support the process of trying. History repeats itself
though, and breeders still battle over type, although there
is a standard, and it has been updated in 1995.
Today's breeders also the battle of puppy mills and
unethical breeders breeding solely for the profit without
taking the welfare and future of the dog into consideration.
The Dogue de Bordeaux lives on an average of 8-10 years,
although a handful of dogs have lived up to 11-14 years of
age. Hip dysplasia is the most common problem in the breed.
There is a small number (28)of Dogue de Bordeaux that have
been OFA36 certified, 12 Dogues have been PennHip evaluated,
and more and more of the breeders in the US are taking the
extra measure to x-ray their stock, but unfortunately, there
are breeders who will not, thus continue to breed Dogues
with weak rears, and the battle to eliminate this problem
goes on. In Belgium, a breeder in the 80's had almost 0% hip
dysplasia, but the lines were so closed, they began to
develop heart problems37 This is a part of a point of debate
with American breeders, they argue that to concentrate on
the hips, other problems arise, and also, "if we try to
eliminate hip problems (concentrate on the hips) we loose
type, we loose the head."
As breeders, we must take the time to look at the total
Dogue, not pieces of the Dogue. In France at one time, the
Dogue de Bordeaux was tested for hip dysplaisa with the
following: "At two years of age, any Dogue that displays the
physical and temperamental characteristics required for
possible use in a breeding program is made to jump a fence
that stands three feet high. Any Dogue that cannot easily
clear the fence is excluded from any breeding plans."33
Heart murmurs and skin disease are other problems with
the Dogue. Heart murmurs can be attributed to the small gene
pool that composes our Dogues today. These are usually not a
problem for the Dogue, and more than often goes unnoticed.
One skin problem that is not spoke about much among Dogue
owners is Demodex mange, or red manage. This is a mite that
lives naturally on the dog, and flares up when the Dogue is
young, 1-6 months, or if the Dogue is sick or highly
stressed (pregnancy, accidents). Often this is mistaken for
hot spots or staff infection unless skin scrapings are done.
Dips with Mitaban have proven to be successful in most
cases, but sometimes the mites reproduce too fast unnoticed,
and localized mange turns to generalized. There have been
instances where dogs had to be euthanzied because the mange
had gone to far and deteriorated the overall health dog. The
Demodex mange is passed on from the dams lines, but this
information is inconclusive.
The Dogue is a fast growing dog, their bone and growth
rate is enormous from 10 weeks on39, puppies gain around 2
to 4 pounds per week at average and may experience
Eosinphilic Panosteitis, or Pano, a condition also known as
growing pains or wandering lameness. Pano is an acute
lameness unrelated to trauma. It shifts from one location to
another, and is accompanied by fever, eosinophilis in the
white blood count, muscle wasting, unthirftness. An x-ray
will show increased density of the long bone. The dog
recovers spontaneously, but if it is severely affected, it
may never regain its full muscle strengthen This condition
is a hereditary condition, and is passed on from generation
to generation. It is more of a nuisance if anything. The
owners usually have to assist a suffering dog to go out side
or do any normal movements. Often the dog cries in pain, and
will not eat because it feels miserable. This condition
comes and goes, usually in the young stages, adolescence.
Some Dogues also suffer from soft palettes. The palate
does not open and close correctly and can interfere with the
dog when it needs to vomit. The Dogue will "dry heave" until
its throat opens up and allows passage. Sometimes this does
not happen and causes the Dogue to faint. This too is passed
from generation to generation and often the dog grows out of
it. Dogues are also prone to vomiting after drinking cold
water. A word of advice from another breeder was to water
the Dogue with room temperature water rather than cold. This
seems to work more often that not to prevent this problem.
An increasing problem in the last three years has been
epilepsy. Since 1998, six dogues were have known to die from
epileptic seizures. This problem is currently being tracked,
with the increasing usage of DNA profiling there is hope
that enough samples may be taken in the near future to find
the link of epilepsy and lineage.
These problems lie directly in the lines of the Dogue de
Bordeaux, and it is almost impossible to breed them out. I
was once told that if we eliminate the carriers (dogs and
bitches that are known to have these hereditary problems) we
would come close to eliminating the breed. This is up to
debate. Not all problems are hereditary though. Some can be
brought on by misguideance, misunderstanding or mistakes.
The adult dog will consume up to 8 cups of dry kibble a
day, but cannot be feed all this at one time. The Dogue de
Bordeaux is prone to bloat, a twisting of the stomach. Bloat
is common in larger breed dogs and is deadly if it goes
unnoticed. Excessive exercise and excitement after eating or
drinking can cause a Dogue to bloat, as well as before
eating. It is advisable to wait half hour or so after
exercising to feed a dog, and water should be moderate. Many
breeders supplement their Dogues with vitamins, calcium,
yogurt, vegetables, the list goes on. Each breeder has their
own program, and many of them are kept secret, but a good,
reputable breeder will share this information with you
because of their desire to improve the breed.
Although many people use calcium as a supplement, calcium
in excess in any dog can produce disastrous effects. A build
up of phosphorous on the kidneys can do un-reversable damage
to the kidneys resulting in early loss of the dog. All
supplements and additives should be used with care and under
the guidance of your veterinarian.
The Dogue needs a lot of exercise to develop its muscle
structure. Young pups get alot of their exercise from
playing with their littermates or themselves, but as the
Dogue gets older and goes on to different homes, it is very
important that they receive the proper amount of exercise.
Daily walks are good exercise for the adult dog. Always be
careful of undue stress on the developing structure of your
dogs, careful exercise is recommended or the growing dog as
well as the aging Dogue. Too often we see overweight Dogues
in the show ring, lacking muscle tone, they seem to be very
different than the ancient fighting Dogues. It is a
disappointment to see frumpy Dogue's, knowing their history,
they should be powerful, toned and athletic.
The Dogue has fine short hair and requires a daily/
weekly brushing to keep the coat in good condition. Basic
dental care, nail grooming and ear cleaning is also
required. Their wrinkles normally do not get dirty unless
they have an eye discharge that has gone unchecked. They are
basically a low maintenance dog as far a grooming is
concerned. A few handlers/breeders will clip the hair on the
Dogues rear legs before showing to give the Dogue a stronger
looking rear. |
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Temperament
"Relentless strength, weariness of strangers, and the
inclination to intimidate."43
When we discuss the temperament of the Dogue de Bordeaux,
we must always remember the original purpose of the Dogue,
to fight and protect. The Dogue de Bordeaux is aggressive by
nature, although breeders have tried to "breed it out"
thorough the years. The Dogue de Bordeaux is a sweet and
even tempered dog that protects what is theirs, including
its owners, home and property.
The Dogue is devoted to its family and friends. It is
very important to socialize the Dogue de Bordeaux early in
life, evenso, the dog may be aggressive which is not a
desired trait, especially in a home with children or in the
show ring. The main types of aggression are fear, dominant,
protective and dog aggression. The Dogue can have all, some
or no aggression. This is a major factor in deciding if the
Dogue de Bordeaux is for you.
The Dogue is very tolerant of children, more so than most
breeds, but a responsible person should never leave any dog
and child unattended. The Dogue is not generally
hyperactive, but as pups and young adults, they are full of
energy. As the body grows, the mind is still young. It is
common for a 7 month puppy weighing 70 plus pounds to easily
knock over the largest man or woman while playing, or
attacking. Although the adult Dogue may seem lofty and
lethargic, don't be fooled by the size, they are quick on
their feet. The Dogues "dominate nature that is so very
typical of this ancient breed. To display dominance...is
among the most definite characteristic of the Dogue de
Bordeaux. To ignore this aspect of this breeds temperament
would be to produce atypical and so inferior Bordeaux
Dogue."43 If the Dogue is raised around other animals, it
usually adapts well to them.
The Dogue follows natures 'pecking order" and the typical
Alpha dog nature. Once again, keep in mind the original
purpose of the Dogue. There will be a chance that the Dogue
may turn and attack other dogs, animals. or people it was
raised with (this is to be taken into consideration with
children also) especially if there is another dog of the
same sex and they are vying for their position in the pack.
The Dogue de Bordeaux adapts to his masters temperament as
well. If the family is outgoing, it is likely the Dogue will
also be that way, the same is true if the family is shy, the
dog also will be shy. The Dogue is sensitive to peoples
moods and events, they notice when change is coming or if
there is stress in the family. When the Dogue is bored, it
will be mischievous. It is recommend that they have safe
toys to chew, instead of your furniture or books. This also
promotes healthy teeth and gums.
The Dogue does adapt well to living on spacious grounds
as well as an apartment, can crate training is highly
recommend for this breed. The Dogue has a keen sense of
hearing and smell and are very intelligent and balanced.
They are a product of their environment. If you force the
dog to fight, it will fight. If you abuse it, it will be shy
aggressive, if you kick it. it may fear shoes, if it is
spooked by flapping bag, it will fear items like the loose
tie of a judge and cower away during an examination by the
judge or veterinarian. They are stubborn and arrogant, yet
once they learn a command or task, they rarely forget it. If
you show your dog love and affection, it will show you the
same back. They will respect you, but only if you give it
the respect it deserves.
Temperament is passed in the Dogues lines, but it is up
to the owner to improve that temperament and correct the
negative parts of it. It is not a guarantee that if you
breed an aggressive dog to an aggressive dog, you will get
aggressiveness. The product of any breeding will be mixed,
or may all favor en aggressive personality ore
non-aggressive personality. We must remember to treat the
dog the way we would like to be treated if we were that dog.
It is strongly recommended that all Dogue de Bordeaux,
regardless if they are being used for breeding or not, be
temperament tested. If a dog is being used for breeding, it
should be tested. Acceptable tests include the American
Temperament Test Society, any organization test derived from
the ATTS and done by an experienced tester, and the TAN.
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Conclusion
The Dogue de Bordeaux is a mighty ancient breed. It is
not the dog for everyone. They are SO ugly, yet they are
beautiful. They are massive, yet gentle.
I close with two quotes, the first from Dr. Pierre
Marcard, dated December 1979, found in The Society of
Amateurs of the Dogue de Bordeaux newsletter:
"For the future, the path is clearly outlined, not
without difficulties; it will be followed by generations of
breeders who since the beginning of the century assure the
continuity and the amelioration of the breed."47
And finally a quote by Dr. Carl Semencic, from Fighting
Dogs of the World, although not written directly about the
Dogue de Bordeaux, but relevant to it, a few words of wisdom
to follow:
"Raise them to be gentle, and they will be gentle.
Raise them to be vicious, and they will be
vicious...Problems lie not in the breed, but in the
people."48
End Notes 1. Triquet,
Prof.. Raymond. "A Word From the President" The Society of
Amateurs of the Dogue de Bordeaux Newsletter. February 4.
1980
2. Semenic.. Dr. Carl.
The World of Fighting Dogs, TFH, Howell, NJ.
3. Camacho. Angel.
Spanish Breeds Homepage.
4. Ibid
5. Triquet, Prof..
Raymond. "A Word From the President" The Society of Amateurs
of the Dogue de Bordeaux Newsletter. February 4. 1980
6. Proganthism: A
prognathous condtion: Prognathous: Having the jaws
projecting beyond the upper part of the face
7. The Doguin de
Bordeaux. a smaller Dogue de Bordeaux was used to hail the
bull or ass, The Doguin is extinct today. There ace theories
that the Chinese Pug is a descendent of the Dogue and
Doguin. it being a miniature version of the Dogue de
Bordeaux.
8. Triquet, Prof..
Raymond. "A Word From the President" The Society of Amateurs
of the Dogue de Bordeaux Newsletter. February 4. 1980
9. Author Unknown Title
Unknown 'Chapter LIX. Larger, Non-Sporting and Utility
Breeds' Publication Unknown
10. Semencic. Dr. Carl.
"The Dogue de Bordeaux." Publication unknown
11. Triquet, Prof..
Raymond. "A Word From the President" The Society of Amateurs
of the Dogue de Bordeaux Newsletter. February 4. 1980
12. Sanchez. Jesus "El
Dogo de Burdeos' Todo Perros. March 1995: pp 7-16
13. Ibid
14. Phenotype: The
visible properties of an organism that are produced he the
interaction of the genotype and the environment.
15. Genotype: The
genetic constitution of an individual or group
16. Author Unknown Title
Unknown 'Chapter LIX. Larger, Non-Sporting and Utility
Breeds' Publication Unknown
17. Ibid
18. Ibid
19. Triquet, Prof..
Raymond. "A Word From the President" The Society of Amateurs
of the Dogue de Bordeaux Newsletter. February 4. 1980
20. Author Unknown Title
Unknown 'Chapter LIX. Larger, Non-Sporting and Utility
Breeds' Publication Unknown "
21. Ibid
22. Sanchez. Jesus "El
Dogo de Burdeos' Todo Perros. March 1995: pp 7-16
23. Ibid
24. Triquet, Prof..
Raymond. "A Word From the President" The Society of Amateurs
of the Dogue de Bordeaux Newsletter. February 4. 1980
25. Sanchez. Jesus "El
Dogo de Burdeos' Todo Perros. March 1995: pp 7-16
26. Ibid
27. Ibid
28. Ibid
29. Semencic. Dr. Carl
Pit Bulls and Tenacious Guard Dogs. TFH Publishers, Howell
NJ. 1991
30. Ibid
31. Author Unknown.
"Dogs" Milwaukee Journal. Tuesday, September 5. 1989
32. United States Dogue
de Bordeaux Club Registration. hard copy of original
registry
33. Sylvester. Patricia.
The Readers Digest Illustrated Book of Does. Random House,
1982
34. Ibid
35. Taylor, Tim and
Triquet. Dr. Raymond. FCI 1995 Breed Standards. The Dogue de
Bordeaux
36. OFA: Institution
that examines and certifies hips in dogs
37. Sanchez. Jesus "El
Dogo de Burdeos' Todo Perros. March 1995: pp 7-16
38. Semencic, Dr. Carl.
"The Dogue de Bordeaux"
39. Gillard, Gary R.
Vesuvio's Rare Breeds Homepage
40. Carlson, Delbert G.
D.V.M. and Griffin, James M. M.D. Dog Owners Home Veterinary
Book. Howell Book House, 1993
41. Gillard, Gary R
Vesuvio's Rare Breed Homepage
42. DePresco, Andrew and
Johnson, James B. Canine Lexicon. TFH Publishers, NJ. 1993
43. Semencic, Dr. Carl.
"The Dogue de Bordeaux."
44. Carbon. Delbert G D
V M. and Griffin.. James M. M D Dog Owners Home Veterinary
Book
45. Walkowicz, Chris and
Wilcox, Bonnie, D.V.M. Successful Dog Breeding .Howell Book
House, 1994
46. Ibid
47. Marcard. Dr. Pierre.
"History of the Dogues de Bordeaux"
48. Semencic. Dr. Carl.
The World of Fighting Dogs, TFH Publications, Neptune, NJ
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