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Dogue de Bordeaux: The Enormous Breed of France
One of the biggest and probably one of the oldest French breed of the canine world is the gigantic Dogue de Bordeaux. Known also as the French Mastiff, this dog is an absolute stunner in its enormous size and meaty musculature. With a dog this huge, you can expect it to be very strong, powerful and commanding.
The Dogue had been in existence since the early fourteenth century in the Bordeaux region of France and had been used mostly as a hunting, herding and guard dog. Due to its powerful body, intelligence and strength, it has also been used to carry heavy loads, pull carts and fight along soldiers during important battles between France and other countries. Moreover, this breed has been famous for its ability to bait bulls, jaguars and other fierce animals.
The Dogue is often the companion of wealthy families and is used as a vineyard and mansion guard. The poor masses have the French Mastiff for a companion as well but it is not as highly regarded compared to the mastiff of the rich ones. However, when the French Revolution hit the region, the wealthy families and their pets crumbled but not the poor people and their Dogues.
The strong and champion Dogues of today are said to have come from the survivor breed of the poor people. The French Mastiff is well-known for its unswerving devotion and loyalty to its master and curiously, this has angered Hitler. His dislike for the French Mastiff led to the execution of many of this breed during World War I.
The origin of the Dogue Bordeaux is not entirely known but several theories point to some possibilities. Some say that this breed came from either the Tibetan Mastiff or the Greco Roman Molossoids. Some say that this breed has two types before, the Dogue and the Doguin, but only the Dogue has survived to continue the legacy of the original breed.
Many modern breeds have also had their origins in the French Mastiff and examples are the Bullmastiff and the Bulldog. These two breeds were supposedly bred to possess the strength and power of the French Mastiff but in a smaller size. The Bullmastiff and the Bulldog are known to have been used originally in bull baiting and the French Mastiff's gene helped them win many of the games.
The Dogue de Bordeaux of the present have been carefully bred to possess a calmer and non-aggressive temperament, very far from their bull baiting days temperament. Today, this breed is still a loyal companion, a vigilant guard dog and an ever reliable family pet. You would never expect it for its size but this French breed has the tendency to be very attached with the family that owns it and it is very affectionate towards them, too.
The Dogue is often compared to the English Mastiff but the latter is often measured in length while the Dogue is measured in width and muscle composition. For the male Dogue, the minimum weight is 110 lbs while for the female Dogue, the minimum weight is 99 lbs. The coats should be in light red to deep ultra red with occasional markings of black, brown or red mask.
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