​Dogue de Bordeaux Breeder
Behavior
Be a Good leader!!
Behavior and Training are two totally different things. Most people are under the impression that if their dog is trained in obedience then the dogs behavior will be fine. Let me assure you this is not the case.
One of the first questions anyone genuinely researching any breed will ask is "What kind of temperament is this breed known for?"
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Well a correct Bordeaux temperment is the Best money can buy! But an incorrect Bordeaux Temperment (shy) is the Worst!
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Your Bordeaux is a nautral guard dog - you do not have to "teach" them to guard - it's what they do! Your Bordeaux should be fearless yet friendly.
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Trust your Bordeaux's natural instinct to protect you and your family and you will find he will give his life fighting a threat to his family.
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Behavior is much more than training. It is the way a dog thinks and relates to its’ surroundings. Dogs by their very nature have the pack mentality. Pack mentality means that one dog will be the leader and the others will be followers of that leader. Dogs think, learn and live within your family as if it were a pack. If you are not a good pack leader, guess what? The dog will rise to the occasion and become the alpha or pack leader. Suddenly your sweet, cute and cuddly little puppy will become a nightmare to live with, possibly even harming you or your family members.
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Being a good pack leader means being firm AND fair in corrections. It means being consistent and being clear about what you want. It means commitment to your dog and never putting your dog in a situation where he has to choose or make a decision for himself. More times than not the dog will make the wrong decision. Wrong decisions can be simple like peeing or defecating in the wrong spot or not so simple and more dangerous like correcting the children of the family with a nip or a bite (because you are unwilling to discipline your children and protect your puppy/dog).
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Bordeaux's can be a very dominate breed. They can and will take over the home if you let them. Therefore, the following is a list of things NOT TO DO with a Bordeaux puppy (or adult dog).
Play Tug of War!
Sleep in your bed!
Jumping on you!!
Drag YOU on walks!
Go through the doors before you!
Growling at you while eating!
Growling at you while playing!
Biting your hands in play!!
Biting your clothes during play!
Do NOT play rough with your puppy/dog!
Do NOT teach your puppy to "shake"! :(
(all you are teaching your puppy/dog is paw you when they want your attention - that means you have sugsessfully taught your puppy to scratch you! after you have been buried a few times when your are bare legged you'll know why I say this!)
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These things can all lead to big problems down the road. Be aware that things you allow and think of as cute in your puppy can escalate into dangerous situations when the dog is mature.
The only young adult dogs (Bordeaux and Bullmastiffs) I have seen that had to be put down (killed) played tug-of-war. This is a Horrible Game where your teach your puppy/dog to struggle Against You ….in the name of “fun”. Let me go a step farther and say (you can quote me on this) EVER dog that I have Ever seen put down because of attacking people - biting children - adults any family members and especially your company (when this no threat) - played tug of war as a puppy. It's their favorite game! But - it is game where they learn to struggle Again You! This is a win/ lose game - and the puppy usually "wins" - trust me - a 65 lb. puppy is Solid Muscle! They will Win the game against your children!! Teach your puppy/dog to "give" to you NOT Struggle against you!
Don’t yell at your dog! Dogs don’t yell and can’t understand why this crazy person is standing there yelling their heads off at them.
Keep an eye on your dog at all times when out in public, in fact, I advocate using a leash simply because it’s wise on the part of any dog owner. Never allow a stranger/strangers to just walk up and reach out to pet the dog. The dog, like people, should be introduced first and allowed to become comfortable with that person.
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Of equal importance, don’t allow your children to abuse the dog either. Sooner or later the dog will get tired of being abused.
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Bordeaux's are good natured with children but you should never allow a child to hurt or abuse the dog. The dog will only be good with the child as long as he can tolerate the abuse and one day, he will be able to tolerate it no longer.
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If you feel your puppy is developing some of these problems now, don’t wait until your puppy/dog is older (BIGGER) - correct the behavior NOW!
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