Dogue de Bordeaux
AKC Dogue de Bordeaux Breed Standard
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.
Approved October 9, 2007
Effective date July 1, 2008
FCI Breed Standard
Standards - DOGUE DE BORDEAUX:
DOGUE DE BORDEAUX
TRANSLATION : Tim Taylor and Raymond Triquet.
ORIGIN : France.
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE VALID ORIGINAL STANDARD : 14.04.1995.
UTILIZATION : Guard, defence and dissuasion.
FCI CLASSIFICATION : Group 2 (Pinscher and Schnauzer type, Molossian and Swiss mountain and cattledogs)
Section 2.1.(Mastiff type)
Without working trial.
BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY : The dogue de Bordeaux is one of the most ancient French breeds, probably a descendant of the Alans and, in particular, the alan vautre of which Gaston Phebus (or Febus), Count of Foix, said in the 14th century, in his Livre de Chasse that " he holds his bite stronger than three sighthounds". The word "dogue" first appeared at the end of the 14th century. In the middle of the 19th century these ancient dogues were hardly renowned outside the region of Aquitaine. They were used for hunting large animals such as boar, for fighting (often codified), for the guarding of houses and cattle and in the service of butchers. In 1863 the first French dog show took place in Paris in the Jardin d'Acclimatation. The dogues de Bordeaux were entered under their present name. There have been different types : The Toulouse type, the Paris type and the Bordeaux type, which is the origin of today's dogue.
The breed, which had suffered greatly during the two world wars, to the point of being threatened with extinction after the second world war, got off to a fresh start in the 1960's.
1st standard (Caractère des vrais dogues) in Pierre Megnin, Le Dogue de Bordeaux, 1896.
2nd standard in J. Kunstler, Etude critique du Dogue de Bordeaux, 1910.
3rd standard by Raymond Triquet, with the collaboration of Vet. Dr. Maurice Luquet, 1971.
4th standard reformulated according to Jerusalem model (F.C.I.) by Raymond Triquet, with the collaboration of Philippe Serouil, President of the French Dogue de Bordeaux Club and its Committee, 1993.
GENERAL APPEARANCE : Typical concave lined brachycephalic molossoid. The Dogue de Bordeaux is a very powerful dog, with a very muscular body yet retaining a harmonious general outline. He is built rather close to the ground, the distance sternum-ground being slightly less than the depth of the chest.
Stocky, athletic, imposing, he has a very dissuasive aspect.
IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS : The length of the body, measured from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttock, is superior to 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.
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.
BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : An ancient fighting dog, the dogue de Bordeaux is gifted for guarding, which he assumes with vigilance and great courage but without aggressiveness. A good companion, very attached to his master and very affectionate. Calm, balanced with a high stimulus threshold.
The male normally has a dominant character.
HEAD :
Voluminous, angular, broad, rather short, trapezoid when viewed from above and in front.
CRANIAL REGION :
- In the male : the perimeter of the skull measured at the level 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 consequences of the very important development of the temporals, supra-orbital arches, zygomatic arches and the spacing of the branches of the lower jaw. The upper region of the skull is slightly convex from one side to the other.
Fronto-nasal depression or stop is very pronounced, almost forming a right angle with the muzzle (95o to 100o).
The frontal groove is deep, diminishing towards the posterior end of the head. The forehead dominates the face. However it is still wider than high.
The head is furrowed with symmetrical wrinkles, each side of the median groove. These deep ropes of wrinkle are mobile depending on whether the dog is attentive or not.
FACIAL REGION :
Nose : Broad, well opened nostrils, well pigmented according to the mask. Upturned nose (snubbed) permissible but not if it is set back towards the face.
Muzzle : Powerful, broad, thick, but not fleshy below the eyes, rather short, upper profile very slightly concave, with moderately obvious folds. Its width hardly decreasing towards the tip of the muzzle, when viewed from above it has the general shape of a square. In relation to the upper region of the skull, the line of the muzzle forms a very obtuse angle upwards. When the head is held horizontally the tip of the muzzle, truncated, thick and broad at the base, is in front of a vertical tangent to the anterior face of the nose. 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, from the nose to the occipital crest. The limits stated (maximum one third and minimum one quarter of the total length of the head) are permissible but not sought after, the ideal length of the muzzle being between these two extremes.
Jaws : Very powerful, broad. Undershot (the undershot condition being a characteristic of the breed).
The back of the lower incisors is in front of and not in contact with the front face of the upper incisors.
The lower jaw curves upwards. The chin is well marked and must neither overlap the upper lip exaggeratedly nor be covered by it.
Teeth : Strong, particularly the canines. Lower canines set wide apart and slightly curved. Incisors well aligned especially in the lower jaw where they form an apparently straight line.
Upper lip : Thick, moderately pendulous, retractile. When viewed in profile it shows a rounded lower line. It covers the lower jaw on the sides. In front the edge of the upper lip is in contact with the lower lip, then drops on either side thus forming a reversed wide V.
Cheeks : Prominent, due to the very strong development of the muscles.
Eyes : Oval, set wide apart. The space between the two inner angles of the eyelids is equal to about twice the length of the eye (eye opening). Frank expression. The haw must not be visible. Colour : hazel to dark brown for a dog with a black mask, lighter colour tolerated but not sought after in dogs with either a brown mask or without a mask.
Ears : Relatively small, of a slightly darker colour than the coat. At its set on the front of the base of the ear is slightly raised. They must fall back, but not hang limply, the front edge being close to the cheek when the dog is attentive. The tip of the ear is slightly rounded; it must not reach beyond the eye. Set rather high, at the level of the upper line of the skull, thus appearing to accentuate its width even more.
Neck : Very strong, muscular, almost cylindrical. The skin is supple, ample and loose. The average circumference almost equals that of the head. It is separated from the head by a slightly accentuated transversal furrow, slightly curved. Its upper edge is slightly convex. The well defined dewlap starts at the level of the throat forming folds down to the chest, without hanging exaggeratedly. The neck, very broad at its base, merges smoothly with the shoulders.
BODY :
Topline : Solid with a broad and muscular back, withers well marked, broad loin, rather short and solid, rump moderately sloping down to the root of the tail.
Chest : Powerful, long, deep, broad, let down lower than the elbows. Broad and powerful breast whose lower line (inter-axillae) is convex towards the bottom. Ribs well let down and well sprung but not barrel shaped. The circumference of the chest must be between 0,25 to 0,30 m greater than the height at the withers.
Underline : Curved, from the deep brisket to the rather tucked up, firm abdomen, being neither pendulous nor whippety.
Tail : Very thick at the base. Its tip preferably reaching the hock and not below. Carried low, it is neither broken nor kinked but supple. Hanging when the dog is in repose, generally rising by 90o to 120o from that position when the dog is in action, without curving over the back or being curled.
LIMBS :
FOREQUARTERS : Strong bone structure, legs very muscular.
Shoulders : Powerful, prominent muscles. Slant of shoulder-blade medium (about 45o to the horizontal), angle of the scapular-humeral articulation a little more than 90o.
Arms : Very muscular.
Elbows : In the axis of the body, neither too close to the thoracic wall nor turned out.
Forearms : Viewed from the front, straight or inclining slightly inwards thus getting closer to the median plane, especially in dogs with a very broad chest. Viewed in profile, vertical.
Metacarpial region : Powerful. Viewed in profile, slightly sloping. Viewed from the front sometimes slightly outwards thus compensating for the slight inclination of the forearm inwards.
Feet : Strong. Toes tight, nails curved and strong, pads well developed and supple : the dogue is well up on his toes despite his weight.
HINDQUARTERS :
Robust legs with strong bone structure; well angulated. When viewed from behind the hindquarters are parallel and vertical thus giving an impression of power even though the hindquarters are not quite as broad as the forequarters.
Thigh : Very developed and thick with visible muscles.
Stifle : In a parallel plane to the median plane or slightly out.
Second Thigh : Relatively short, muscled, descending low.
Hock : Short, sinewy, angle of the hock joint moderately open.
Metatarsus : Robust, no dewclaws.
Hindfeet : Slightly longer than the front feet, toes tight.
MOVEMENT : Quite supple for a molossoid. When walking the movement is free, supple, close to the ground. Good drive from the hindquarters, good extension of the forelegs, especially when trotting, which is the preferred gait. When 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 of the front legs. Short gallop with vertical movement rather important. Capable of great speed over short distances by bolting along close to the ground.
SKIN : Thick and sufficiently loose fitting.
HAIR : Fine, short and soft to the touch.
COAT : Self-colored, in all shades of fawn, from mahogany to isabella. A good pigmentation is desirable. Limited white patches are permissible on the chest and the extremities of the limbs.
MASK :
1. Black mask : The mask is often only slightly spread out and must not invade the cranial region. There may be slight black shading on the skull, ears, neck and top of body. The nose is then black.
2. Brown mask : (used to be called red or bistre). The nose is then brown; the eyerims are also brown.
3. No mask : The coat is fawn : the skin appears red (also formerly called "red mask"). The nose is then reddish or pink.
SIZE : Height should more or less correspond to the perimeter of the skull.
- Dogs : 60-68 cm at the withers
- Bitches : 58-66 cm at the withers.
1 cm under and 2 cm over will be tolerated.
WEIGHT :
- Dogs : at least 50 kg
- Bitches : at least 45 kg.
Bitches : Identical characteristics but less prominent.
FAULTS : Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
SERIOUS FAULTS :
- Hyper aggressive, timid.
- Head short and round with protruding eyes.
- Hypertypical bulldoggy : flat skull, muzzle measuring less than a quarter of the total length of the head.
- Important lateral deviation of the lower jaw.
- Incisors constantly visible when the mouth is closed.
- Arched back.
- Fused but not deviated vertebrae of the tail.
- Forefeet turning inwards (even slightly).
- Forefeet turning outwards too much.
- Flat thighs.
- Angle of hock too open (straight angulation).
- Angle of the hock too closed, dog standing under himself behind.
- Cow hocks or barrel hocks.
- Stilted movement or serious rolling of rear.
- Excessive shortness of breath, rasping.
- White on tip of tail or on the front part of the forelegs, above the carpus and the tarsus.
DISQUALIFYING FAULTS :
- 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).
- Muzzle parallel to the top line of the skull or downfaced, Roman nose.
- Twisted jaw.
- Mouth not undershot.
- Canines constantly visible when the mouth is closed.
- Tongue constantly hanging out when the mouth is closed.
- Tail knotted and lateraly deviated or twisted (screw tail, kink tail).
- Atrophied tail.
- Fiddle front with splay feet.
- Angle of the hock open towards the rear (tarsal deviated towards the front).
- White on the head or body, any other color of the coat than fawn.
- Identifiable disabling defect.
N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
UKC Breed Standard
Standards - Dogue de Bordeaux:
The massive head of the Dogue de Bordeaux is an essential breed characteristic. In males, the circumference of the skull taken at the widest point is roughly equal to the dog's height at the withers. In females, the circumference may be slightly less. Viewed from the front, the head forms a trapezoid. The longer topline of the skull and the shorter line of the underjaw form the parallel sides of the trapezoid.
Faults: Short, round head; "Bulldog" head, i.e., flat skull & muzzle shorter than one-quarter of the head length.
Disqualification: Long, narrow head with insufficiently pronounced stop.
SKULL -- The skull is large, slightly domed, and broad between the ears. Viewed from the top, the skull appears square. The volume and shape of the skull result from the very important development of the temporal bones, the supraorbital ridges, the zygomatic arches, and the spacing of the mandibles. There is a deep median furrow that diminishes in depth from the stop to the occiput. The stop is very deep and abrupt, almost at a right angle with the muzzle. Despite the depth of the stop, the forehead is wider than it is high.
MUZZLE -- The muzzle is broad, thick, and short with moderately obvious folds. There is almost no taper to the muzzle. It is square when viewed from above and the circumference of the muzzle is equal to two-thirds the circumference of the skull. The top line of the muzzle rises slightly from the stop to the nose, forming a very obtuse angle with the line of the forehead. The maximum length of the muzzle is equal to one-third the total length of the head; the minimum length of the muzzle is one-quarter of the length of the head. The ideal is between these two extremes. When the head is held horizontally, the end of the muzzle extends beyond a vertical line drawn from the tip of the nose. The jaws are very broad and powerful. Lips are thick and moderately pendulous. When the mouth is closed, the upper lip hangs over side of the lower jaw. The chin is well defined and must neither overlap the upper lip nor be covered by it.
Disqualifications: Muzzle longer than one-third head length; muzzle parallel to top line of the skull or downfaced.
TEETH -- The Dogue de Bordeaux has a complete set of large, evenly spaced, white teeth. The incisors are well-aligned, particularly the lower incisors which form an apparently straight line. An undershot bite is characteristic of the breed with the inside of the lower incisors extending in front of the upper incisors at least .2 inch and no more than three-quarters inch. Teeth are not visible when the mouth is closed.
Faults: Incisors always visible when mouth is closed.
Disqualifications: Wry mouth; mouth not undershot. Canines always visible when mouth is closed. Tongue always protruding when mouth is closed.
NOSE -- Nose color is black on black-masked dogs; brown on brown-masked dogs; or reddish pink on unmasked dogs. The nose is broad and well-pigmented with well-opened nostrils. An upturned nose is permissible but the tip of the nose must not be set back deeply between the eyes like an English Bulldog.
EYES -- The eyes are large but not protruding, oval, and set well apart-at least twice the length of the eye opening. Color ranges from hazel to dark brown. Lighter eye colors are acceptable but not preferred in dogs without a mask or dogs with red masks. Haw is not visible. Pigment of eyerims matches nose pigment.
Faults: Protruding eyes.
EARS -- The ears are pendant and relatively small. They are set high, level with the upper line of the skull, accentuating the skull's width. At the base, the ear is just slightly raised in front and then hangs along the cheek. The tip is slightly rounded. When pulled toward the eye, the ear should not extend past the inside corner of the eye. The coat on the ears is slightly darker than the body coat.
