Dogue de Bordeaux

Who is it for?

Overview

A powerful, stocky brachycephalic molosser with a large head and a solid fawn coat ranging from mahogany to isabella, the Dogue de Bordeaux is one of the oldest French breeds. Calm, steady and very attached to its family, it guards with vigilance and courage but without aggression, and needs an experienced owner who can channel its strength. It does not fall under any category of France’s 1999 law on so-called dangerous dogs.

History and origins

Probably descended from the Alaunts, and notably from the Alaunt vautre described by Gaston Phébus in the 14th century, the dogue was known almost only in Aquitaine by the mid-19th century, where it was used to hunt wild boar, guard homes and livestock, work for butchers and fight. It appeared under its current name at the first French dog show, at the Jardin d’acclimatation in Paris in 1863, and its first standard was published by Pierre Mégnin in 1896. Threatened with extinction after World War II, the breed revived in the 1960s, thanks in particular to Raymond Triquet, author of the 1971 standard, then gained worldwide fame with the film “Turner & Hooch” (1989). Recognized by the FCI (standard no. 116), the breed had 517 LOF registrations in 2025.

Health

Life expectancy is 5 to 9 years, and the breed is fragile. The most common health problems in the breed:

• Dilated cardiomyopathy and aortic stenosis
• Hip and elbow dysplasia
• Gastric torsion (bloat)
• Cancers (especially lymphoma)
• Heatstroke and breathing difficulties linked to the short muzzle

Choose a breeder who has the parents health-screened for this breed, and ask to see the results.

Coat and care

Short, smooth coat. Moderate shedding, low coat care. Coat colors: mahogany fawn, fawn, Isabella, black, brown or no mask.