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Information on AKC Dogue de Bordeaux Puppies
Dogue de Bordeaux Breed Standard
Working Group
General Appearance
The Dogue de Bordeaux is one of the most ancient French breeds.
He is a typical brachycephalic molossoid type. He is a very powerful
dog, with a very muscular body yet retaining a harmonious general
outline. Built rather close to the ground, the distance from the
deepest point of the chest to the ground is slightly less than the
depth of the chest. A massive head with proper proportions and
features is an important characteristic of the breed. His serious
expression, stocky and athletic build, and self assurance make him
very imposing. Bitches have identical characteristics, but less
prominent.
Size, Proportion, Substance
The length of the body, measured from the point of the shoulder to
the point of the buttock, is greater than the height at the withers, in
the proportion of 11/10. The depth of the chest is more than half the
height at the withers. Size: Dogs: 23.5-27 inches at the withers -
Bitches: 23-26 inches at the withers. Weight: Dogs at least 110 lbs. -
Bitches at least 99 lbs.
Head
The head is large, angular, broad, and rather short. It is trapezium
shaped when viewed from above and in front. Eyes-Oval and set
wide apart. The space between the eyes is equal to about twice the
length of the eye (eye opening). Frank expression. The haw should
not be visible. Color: hazel to dark brown for a dog with a black
mask, lighter color tolerated but not sought after in dogs with either a
brown mask or without a mask. Fault: Protruding eyes. Ears-The ear
is small in proportion to the skull and of a slightly darker color than
the coat. The front of the ears’ base is slightly raised. They should
fall back, but not hang limply. The front edge of the ear is close to the
cheek when the dog is attentive. The tip is slightly rounded, and
should not reach beyond the eye. Set rather high, at the level of the
upper line of the skull, thus emphasizing the skull width even more.
Skull-Back Skull in the male: The perimeter of the skull measured at
the point of its greatest width corresponds roughly to the height at
the withers. In bitches it may be slightly less. Its volume and shape
are the result of the spacing of the lower jaw bones, and the very
well developed temporal area, upper-orbital area, and zygomatic
arches. The cheeks are prominent due to the very strong
development of the muscles. The skull is slightly rounded from one
side to the other. The frontal groove is deep. The forehead,
characterized by well developed eyebrows, dominates the face.
However the skull is still wider than high. The head is furrowed with
symmetrical wrinkles on each side of the median groove. These deep
ropes of wrinkle are mobile depending on whether the dog is
attentive or not. Stop-The stop is very pronounced, almost forming a
right angle with the muzzle (95 to 100 degrees). Fault: Extreme
characteristics such as a very short muzzle, flat skull and a swollen
fold behind the nose. Muzzle-Powerful, broad, thick, and rather short.
Should not be fleshy below the eyes. When viewed in profile, the
foreface is very slightly concave with moderately obvious folds. Its
width decreases only slightly from the root of the muzzle to the tip.
When viewed from above it has the general shape of a square.
When viewed from the side, the top lines of the skull and muzzle form
an angle that converges at, or near the end of the muzzle. When the
head is held horizontally, the end of the muzzle, which is truncated,
thick and broad at the base, is in front of a vertical tangent to the
front of the nose (The nose is slightly set back from the front of the
muzzle.). Its perimeter is almost two thirds of that of the head. Its
length varies between one third and one quarter of the total length of
the head, measured from the nose to the occipital crest. The ideal
length of the muzzle is between these two extremes. Nose-Broad,
with well opened nostrils. Self colored according to the color of the
mask. Slightly upturned permissible. Upper lip-Thick, moderately
pendulous yet retractile. When viewed in profile it shows a rounded
lower line and covers the lower jaw on the sides. When viewed from
the front, the edge of the upper lip is in contact with the lower lip, and
drops on either side thus forming an inverse, wide V. Jaws-Very
powerful, and broad. Undershot so that there is no contact between
the upper and lower incisors. The lower jaw curves upwards. The
chin is very pronounced and should neither overlap the upper lip
exaggeratedly nor be covered by it. Disqualification: Mouth not
undershot; wry jaw. Bite-Undershot. Fault: Incisors constantly visible
when the mouth is closed. Severe Fault: Canines constantly visible
when the mouth is closed. Teeth-Strong, particularly the canines.
Lower, canines set wide apart and slightly curved. Incisors well
aligned especially in the lower jaw where they form a straight line.
Severe Fault: Long narrow head with insufficiently pronounced stop,
with a muzzle measuring more than a third of the total length of the
head (lack of type in head).
Neck, Topline and Body
Neck-Very strong and muscular, almost cylindrical. The skin is
supple, ample and loose. The average circumference almost equals
that of the head. There is a noticeable, slightly convex, furrow at the
junction of the head and neck. The well-defined dewlap starts at the
level of the throat forming folds down to the chest, without hanging
exaggeratedly. The neck is very broad at its base, merging smoothly
with the shoulders. Topline-Solid with a broad and muscular back,
withers well marked, broad loin, rather short and solid. Chest-
Powerful, long, deep, broad, and let down lower than the elbows.
The forechest is broad and powerful with a lower line that is convex
towards the bottom. The ribcage is deep and well sprung, but not
barrel shaped. The circumference of the chest should be between 10
and 12 inches greater than the height at the withers. Underline-
Curved, from the deep brisket to the firm abdomen. Slight to
moderate tuck-up. Should be neither pendulous nor extreme. Croup-
Moderately sloping down to the root of the tail. Tail-Very thick at the
base. The tip preferably reaches the hock but not below. Carried low,
it is neither broken nor kinked but supple. Hanging when the dog is in
repose; generally carried level with the back or slightly above the
level of the back when the dog is in action, without curving over the
back or being curled. Fault: Fused vertebrae but not kinked.
Disqualification: An atrophied tail or a tail that is knotted and laterally
deviated or twisted.
Forequarters
Strong bone structure, legs very muscular. Shoulders-Powerful,
prominent muscles. Slant of shoulder-blade is medium (about 45
degrees to the horizontal), with the angle of the scapular-humeral
articulation being a little more than 90 degrees. Arms-Very muscular.
Elbows-In line with the body. Should be neither too close to the chest
nor turned out. Forearms-When viewed from the front, straight or
inclining slightly inwards, especially in dogs with a very broad chest.
When viewed in profile, vertical. Pasterns-Powerful. Slightly sloping
when viewed in profile. When viewed from the front, may bend
slightly outwards, thus compensating for the slight inclination of the
forearm inwards. Feet-Strong. Toes should be tight, nails curved and
strong, and pads well developed and supple; the Dogue is well up on
his toes despite his weight.
Hindquarters
Powerful legs with strong bone structure; well angulated. When
viewed from behind, the hindquarters are parallel and vertical thus
giving an impression of power. The hindquarters are not quite as
broad as the forequarters. Thigh-Well developed and thick with
visible muscles. Stifle-In a parallel plane to the median plane or
slightly out. Second Thigh-Relatively short, well muscled. Hock Joint-
Short and sinewy, with the angle of the hock joint moderately open.
Hock-Strong, no dewclaws. Hind feet-Slightly longer than the front
feet, toes should be tight.
Coat
Fine, short and soft to the touch. Skin-Thick and sufficiently loose
fitting.
Color
Coat-Self-colored, in all shades of fawn, from a dark red fawn to a
light fawn. A rich coat color is considered desirable. Limited white
patches are permissible on the chest and the extremities of the limbs.
Fault: White on the tip of the tail, or on the front part of the forelegs
above the carpus and the tarsus. Disqualification: White on the head
or body, or any coat color other than shades of fawn. Black Mask:
The mask is often only slightly spread out and should not invade the
cranial region. There may be slight black shading on the skull, ears,
neck and back. Pigmentation of the nose will be black. Brown Mask:
Pigmentation of the nose and eye rims will also be brown. No Mask:
The coat is fawn: the skin appears red (also formerly called "red
mask"). The nose is then reddish or pink.
Gait
The gait is quite supple for a molossoid. In open walking the
movement is free, supple, close to the ground. Good drive from the
hindquarters, good extension of the forelegs, especially at the trot,
which is the preferred gait. As the trot quickens, the head tends to
drop, the topline inclines towards the front, and the front feet get
closer to the median plane while striding out with a long reaching
movement. Vertical movement while in a short gallop is rather
important. He is capable of great speed over short distances by
bolting along close to the ground.
Temperament
Dogue de Bordeaux is gifted for guarding, which he assumes with
vigilance and great courage but without aggressiveness. He is a very
good companion, being attached to and affectionate toward his
master. He is calm and balanced with a high stimulus threshold. The
male normally has a dominant character.
The foregoing is a description of the ideal Dogue de Bordeaux. Any
deviation should be penalized in direct proportion to the extent of that
deviation. Extreme deviation in any part should be penalized to the
extent that the dog is effectively eliminated from competition.
Disqualifications
- Mouth not undershot; wry jaw.
- An atrophied tail or a tail that is knotted and laterally deviated or
twisted.
- White on the head or body, or any coat color other than shades of
fawn.
Dogue de Bordeaux Breed Standard
Working Group
General Appearance
The Dogue de Bordeaux is one of the most ancient French breeds.
He is a typical brachycephalic molossoid type. He is a very powerful
dog, with a very muscular body yet retaining a harmonious general
outline. Built rather close to the ground, the distance from the
deepest point of the chest to the ground is slightly less than the
depth of the chest. A massive head with proper proportions and
features is an important characteristic of the breed. His serious
expression, stocky and athletic build, and self assurance make him
very imposing. Bitches have identical characteristics, but less
prominent.
Size, Proportion, Substance
The length of the body, measured from the point of the shoulder to
the point of the buttock, is greater than the height at the withers, in
the proportion of 11/10. The depth of the chest is more than half the
height at the withers. Size: Dogs: 23.5-27 inches at the withers -
Bitches: 23-26 inches at the withers. Weight: Dogs at least 110 lbs. -
Bitches at least 99 lbs.
Head
The head is large, angular, broad, and rather short. It is trapezium
shaped when viewed from above and in front. Eyes-Oval and set
wide apart. The space between the eyes is equal to about twice the
length of the eye (eye opening). Frank expression. The haw should
not be visible. Color: hazel to dark brown for a dog with a black
mask, lighter color tolerated but not sought after in dogs with either a
brown mask or without a mask. Fault: Protruding eyes. Ears-The ear
is small in proportion to the skull and of a slightly darker color than
the coat. The front of the ears’ base is slightly raised. They should
fall back, but not hang limply. The front edge of the ear is close to the
cheek when the dog is attentive. The tip is slightly rounded, and
should not reach beyond the eye. Set rather high, at the level of the
upper line of the skull, thus emphasizing the skull width even more.
Skull-Back Skull in the male: The perimeter of the skull measured at
the point of its greatest width corresponds roughly to the height at
the withers. In bitches it may be slightly less. Its volume and shape
are the result of the spacing of the lower jaw bones, and the very
well developed temporal area, upper-orbital area, and zygomatic
arches. The cheeks are prominent due to the very strong
development of the muscles. The skull is slightly rounded from one
side to the other. The frontal groove is deep. The forehead,
characterized by well developed eyebrows, dominates the face.
However the skull is still wider than high. The head is furrowed with
symmetrical wrinkles on each side of the median groove. These deep
ropes of wrinkle are mobile depending on whether the dog is
attentive or not. Stop-The stop is very pronounced, almost forming a
right angle with the muzzle (95 to 100 degrees). Fault: Extreme
characteristics such as a very short muzzle, flat skull and a swollen
fold behind the nose. Muzzle-Powerful, broad, thick, and rather short.
Should not be fleshy below the eyes. When viewed in profile, the
foreface is very slightly concave with moderately obvious folds. Its
width decreases only slightly from the root of the muzzle to the tip.
When viewed from above it has the general shape of a square.
When viewed from the side, the top lines of the skull and muzzle form
an angle that converges at, or near the end of the muzzle. When the
head is held horizontally, the end of the muzzle, which is truncated,
thick and broad at the base, is in front of a vertical tangent to the
front of the nose (The nose is slightly set back from the front of the
muzzle.). Its perimeter is almost two thirds of that of the head. Its
length varies between one third and one quarter of the total length of
the head, measured from the nose to the occipital crest. The ideal
length of the muzzle is between these two extremes. Nose-Broad,
with well opened nostrils. Self colored according to the color of the
mask. Slightly upturned permissible. Upper lip-Thick, moderately
pendulous yet retractile. When viewed in profile it shows a rounded
lower line and covers the lower jaw on the sides. When viewed from
the front, the edge of the upper lip is in contact with the lower lip, and
drops on either side thus forming an inverse, wide V. Jaws-Very
powerful, and broad. Undershot so that there is no contact between
the upper and lower incisors. The lower jaw curves upwards. The
chin is very pronounced and should neither overlap the upper lip
exaggeratedly nor be covered by it. Disqualification: Mouth not
undershot; wry jaw. Bite-Undershot. Fault: Incisors constantly visible
when the mouth is closed. Severe Fault: Canines constantly visible
when the mouth is closed. Teeth-Strong, particularly the canines.
Lower, canines set wide apart and slightly curved. Incisors well
aligned especially in the lower jaw where they form a straight line.
Severe Fault: Long narrow head with insufficiently pronounced stop,
with a muzzle measuring more than a third of the total length of the
head (lack of type in head).
Neck, Topline and Body
Neck-Very strong and muscular, almost cylindrical. The skin is
supple, ample and loose. The average circumference almost equals
that of the head. There is a noticeable, slightly convex, furrow at the
junction of the head and neck. The well-defined dewlap starts at the
level of the throat forming folds down to the chest, without hanging
exaggeratedly. The neck is very broad at its base, merging smoothly
with the shoulders. Topline-Solid with a broad and muscular back,
withers well marked, broad loin, rather short and solid. Chest-
Powerful, long, deep, broad, and let down lower than the elbows.
The forechest is broad and powerful with a lower line that is convex
towards the bottom. The ribcage is deep and well sprung, but not
barrel shaped. The circumference of the chest should be between 10
and 12 inches greater than the height at the withers. Underline-
Curved, from the deep brisket to the firm abdomen. Slight to
moderate tuck-up. Should be neither pendulous nor extreme. Croup-
Moderately sloping down to the root of the tail. Tail-Very thick at the
base. The tip preferably reaches the hock but not below. Carried low,
it is neither broken nor kinked but supple. Hanging when the dog is in
repose; generally carried level with the back or slightly above the
level of the back when the dog is in action, without curving over the
back or being curled. Fault: Fused vertebrae but not kinked.
Disqualification: An atrophied tail or a tail that is knotted and laterally
deviated or twisted.
Forequarters
Strong bone structure, legs very muscular. Shoulders-Powerful,
prominent muscles. Slant of shoulder-blade is medium (about 45
degrees to the horizontal), with the angle of the scapular-humeral
articulation being a little more than 90 degrees. Arms-Very muscular.
Elbows-In line with the body. Should be neither too close to the chest
nor turned out. Forearms-When viewed from the front, straight or
inclining slightly inwards, especially in dogs with a very broad chest.
When viewed in profile, vertical. Pasterns-Powerful. Slightly sloping
when viewed in profile. When viewed from the front, may bend
slightly outwards, thus compensating for the slight inclination of the
forearm inwards. Feet-Strong. Toes should be tight, nails curved and
strong, and pads well developed and supple; the Dogue is well up on
his toes despite his weight.
Hindquarters
Powerful legs with strong bone structure; well angulated. When
viewed from behind, the hindquarters are parallel and vertical thus
giving an impression of power. The hindquarters are not quite as
broad as the forequarters. Thigh-Well developed and thick with
visible muscles. Stifle-In a parallel plane to the median plane or
slightly out. Second Thigh-Relatively short, well muscled. Hock Joint-
Short and sinewy, with the angle of the hock joint moderately open.
Hock-Strong, no dewclaws. Hind feet-Slightly longer than the front
feet, toes should be tight.
Coat
Fine, short and soft to the touch. Skin-Thick and sufficiently loose
fitting.
Color
Coat-Self-colored, in all shades of fawn, from a dark red fawn to a
light fawn. A rich coat color is considered desirable. Limited white
patches are permissible on the chest and the extremities of the limbs.
Fault: White on the tip of the tail, or on the front part of the forelegs
above the carpus and the tarsus. Disqualification: White on the head
or body, or any coat color other than shades of fawn. Black Mask:
The mask is often only slightly spread out and should not invade the
cranial region. There may be slight black shading on the skull, ears,
neck and back. Pigmentation of the nose will be black. Brown Mask:
Pigmentation of the nose and eye rims will also be brown. No Mask:
The coat is fawn: the skin appears red (also formerly called "red
mask"). The nose is then reddish or pink.
Gait
The gait is quite supple for a molossoid. In open walking the
movement is free, supple, close to the ground. Good drive from the
hindquarters, good extension of the forelegs, especially at the trot,
which is the preferred gait. As the trot quickens, the head tends to
drop, the topline inclines towards the front, and the front feet get
closer to the median plane while striding out with a long reaching
movement. Vertical movement while in a short gallop is rather
important. He is capable of great speed over short distances by
bolting along close to the ground.
Temperament
Dogue de Bordeaux is gifted for guarding, which he assumes with
vigilance and great courage but without aggressiveness. He is a very
good companion, being attached to and affectionate toward his
master. He is calm and balanced with a high stimulus threshold. The
male normally has a dominant character.
The foregoing is a description of the ideal Dogue de Bordeaux. Any
deviation should be penalized in direct proportion to the extent of that
deviation. Extreme deviation in any part should be penalized to the
extent that the dog is effectively eliminated from competition.
Disqualifications
- Mouth not undershot; wry jaw.
- An atrophied tail or a tail that is knotted and laterally deviated or
twisted.
- White on the head or body, or any coat color other than shades of
fawn.
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