One of the very purests of the ancient
mastiff type, it is similar to the
Bullmastiff yet centuries older. Among its
ancestors are the Tibetan Mastiff and
Molossus of Epirus, now extinct. The Molossus
of Epirus was famous as a dog of war.
Alexander the Great terrified his enemies by
turning these mastiffs loose in battle. The
Boxer and the Great Dane are also members of
the same ancestral family. The breed all but
vanished after the French Revolution except
in the region for which it is
named,"Bordeaux".
There are bones found in France that predate
all of this history and are said to be the
bones of a Dogue de Bordeaux, implying that
this dog existed in France all along. There
are many differences in opinion as to its
specific origins but we do know that it was
used as a utility guard, a war-dog , a hunter
and as a fighter pitted against bulls, bears
and jaguars.
The Dogue de Bordeaux has taken part in the
breeding programs of the Argentine Dogo and
the Tosa Inu. In the 14th century Gaston
Phoebus wrote "...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". By the end of the
Middle Ages the Dogue de Bordeaux was used as
a working dog, driving cattle to market.
Giving it the nickname "the butcher's dog".
The Dogue de Bordeaux is classified as
Molossoidae Brachycephalus. Focal points are
its large head, its massive chest, the
big-boned legs and its overall size. It is
said to resemble an ageing prize fighter.
They are stocky, athletic, imposing and very
dissuasive. It is a powerful dog with a
muscular body while retaining a harmonious
outline. The skull corresponds closely to the
height at the withers. It is recognized for
having the largest head of any dog of its
size. This mastiff is smaller than the
English Mastiff but has comparable strength.
Closer in appearance to the Bullmastiff but
are generally stronger and have a greater
musculature and a larger head with more
wrinkles( a self-defense feature).
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