Other names; Bordeaux dog
Origin; France  
Dog breed belonging to the molossers  
Classification; FCI: Group 2

History

The Roman molossers are the ancestors of the present burgundy dog. One of these dogs was already in 1300 BC. on the situla of Bologna and shows great resemblance to the present burgundy dog. The molosser came to France with the Romans. The medieval alan developed from these dogs. Within the molossers group, all races have a broad skull with heavy bone and corresponding traits. This group also includes the bullmastiff, the mastiff, the mastino napoletano, but also the boxer and the German dog. The bordeaux dog has its origins in a long and turbulent past. The history of the group of molossers shows that they have traditionally occupied an important place in human service. It was used for hunting big game and guarding the house and court. Because of his construction and courageous character, he was also used as an army dog ​​at the time of Charlemagne. With the arrival of modern weapons, the burgundy dogs became superfluous as an army dog. The era of animal fights organized by the nobility started. The burgundy dog ​​was used to fight bears, tigers, and later bulls. During the first dog exhibition in Paris in 1863, 3 types of burgundy dogs were entered; the Toulouse type, the Paris type, and the Bordeaux type. The current bordeaux dog comes from the Bordeaux type. The race has suffered a lot during the two world wars. After the Second World War, the breed even threatened to die out, but flourished again after the sixties.

Purpose

The bordeaux dog used to be used for hunting, but was also used in the fight with wolves and bears. They are very brave and are still used today as a guard and protection dog. The burgundy dog ​​is a brave comrade, very attached to his boss and very affectionate. Calm, balanced, with a high stimulus threshold. He can also get along well with small children, if they are taught early.

Appearance

The bordeaux dog is a compact, muscular dog. He has a short coat in the colors pale red and apricot. The mask is black or red. The eyes are far apart and are light to dark brown (blue at birth). The ears are drooping, triangular and short. The nose is blunt, the head angular. The neck is hardly visible, the skin wrinkled and loose. Depending on the gender, this breed reaches a height at the withers of 58 - 69 cm and a weight of 50 - 80 kg. He looks very impressive, partly due to the wide forehead and broad head.

Character

The bordeaux dog is originally a guard and defense dog. Despite their heavy build, they can develop good running speed and healthy burgundy dogs have good endurance.

Health and nutrition

Like all large dog breeds, the bordeaux dog is sensitive to bone defects such as HD (hip dysplasia) and ED (elbow dysplasia). The breeder has the duty when the dog is used for breeding from the age of 18 months to have X-rays examined on HD and ED and to have these examinations assessed by the Board of Directors in the Netherlands. Despite the fact that for decades generations have been investigated for these (hereditary) bone defects and the serious breeder will not use a dog with a severe form of HD or ED for breeding, one sees that the bone defects cannot be completely eliminated under the larger dog breeds. Nutrition and exercise play an important role in the possible development of HD and ED. (here a link must be made to the nutrition tab)

Format

The format varies between 50 and 70 kilos and is mainly formed by muscle mass. The burgundy dog ​​is indeed large and strong, but also very affectionate. Another important point is that the bordeaux dog is a fast-growing breed, with a very fast-growing bone structure that is vulnerable to joint problems. The burgundy dog ​​grows up the first year of life and the second and third years of life across the board. It is especially important during the first year of life to limit the amount of exercise and to pay attention to the diet. In this way many joint problems can be prevented. The average life expectancy of the bordeaux dog is 8 to 10 years, but exceptions of 12 years old are known.

Movie

In the 1989 Turner & Hooch film, a burgundy dog ​​plays a leading role alongside Tom Hanks.