Dogue de Bordeaux
(Bordeaux Dogue, Bordeaux Dog,
French Mastiff, Bordeaux Bulldog)
Origins and history of the Dogue de Bordeaux
The Dogue de Bordeaux's origin dates back to the time when English Kings ruled over Aquitaine between 1203 and 1453 (the year when Aquitaine was finally annexed to France). The Dogue de Bordeaux is said to be the result of crossbreeding the English Mastiff with large Aquitainian guard dogs. Later on Spanish mastiff blood was probably infused to give the breed a more ferocious look.
In his book The history of fighting dogs Dieter Fleig explains how precisely valuable fighting dogs found their way into new regions and complemented the local stocks as gifts between royal courts.
According to another theory it would be an ancient Roman breed and a close cousin of the Neapolitan Mastiff.
There is evidence of the presence in the region of Bordeaux of molossers which were very similar to the Dogue de Bordeaux as far back as the 14th century as proven by the sculptures on the tower of Saint-Nazaire in Carcassonne showing dogs very similar to the present-day Dogue de Bordeaux.
was a bitch called Magentas and became known as the 'Dogue from Bordeaux' (Dogue de Bordeaux, in French).
Originally, they served a dual purpose as war dogs and by guarding flocks from wolves and bears. In the early history of the breed there were two varieties, the slightly smaller Doguin specialized in bull-baiting and donkey-baiting, which has since vanished into nothing but a sentence in reference books, and the Dogue, or butcher's dog, which is the ancestor of the Dogue de Bordeaux.
This was followed by the "glory" of combat with bears and bulls, or battles of Dogue against Dogue. When fighting was outlawed the breed served for personal protection.
The breed suffered two severe setbacks in its history. The first during the French Revolution, when his majestic presence decorated many estates of nobility, the second during both World Wars.
In the 1890's mastiff blood was infused into the breed to improve the weight and height. The subsequent appearance of the black mask and coffee color coat first started a vivid polemic amongst defenders of the breed, but are now accepted by the standard.
At least three types could be distinguished: the Toulouse type or 'dogue du Midi', the Paris type and de Bordeaux type. The Toulouse type had a big head but medium-sized muzzle, a fawn or brindle coat with big variations in colors. It was heavier than the average of the breed but less muscular and more ressembled a Great Dane. The Paris type was very similar to a Mastiff but with a bite varying from scissors bite to 2,5 cm undershot. The Bordeaux type had a marked stop and was very similar to the ancient Dogue de Bordeaux.
During this period there was lack of consensus about the Bordeaux-type, many breeders claiming they were the only ones breeding the correct type. Actually, the size of the head, bite and body were different from breeder to breeder with no single type appearing as more important than another one.
© by C. Marien-de Luca for Bulldog Information 2003-2009. All rights reserved.
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More information:
Dogue de Bordeaux
Joseph Janish
Dogue de Bordeaux Roumba de L'Etang sur la Touze
own: Kennel La Tour Gelée, France
Roman copy of a Hellenistic original.
The British Museum.
Photo: T. Clark
In The Hunting Book of Gaston Phébus 'dogues' were highly sought after and recommended for hunting boars and bears. These large powerful dogs had their ears
Marble statue of the Molossian type.
clipped into points. Because they were very strong with a ferocious nature and terrible bite, they were kept muzzled when not out hunting.
Yet another theory states that it
The word "dogue" first appeared in 1392 and referred to a dogger-type of dogs used for various functions. Out of these different uses evolved most of the molosser breeds we know today. The name "Dogue de Bordeaux" however, only appears in 1863 at the first dog show which took place in Paris in the Jardin d' Acclimatation. The winner of the show
Rabka de la Tour Gelée
Kennel La Tour Gelée
Taube de la Tour Gelée, 11 months
Many of these property guards of aristocratic estates were slaughtered along with their noble masters. At that time the Dogue de Bordeaux had nearly disappeared from the region of Bordeaux.
Dogues de Bordeaux - Beauté & Buffalo,
H. Räber, Enzyklopädie der Rassehunde, 2 Bde., Bd. I, Franckh-Kosmos Verlag, 2001
Los Perros de Pelea
Umberto Cuomo
Dogs in Antiquity
Anubis to Cerberus
The Origins of the Domestic Dog
Douglas Brewer,
Terence Clark & Adrian Phillips
Trema de la Tour Gelée
female of 4 months
UNESSE du Pays Glazick
2 months (Female)
Oresme de la Tour Gelée
2 weeks (male)
