The Dogue de Bordeaux is one of the most soulful and unique of all dog breeds, and they are a one of those breeds whose supporters would never consider getting a different breed, while some other people simply cannot get to grips with them or appreciate their personalities!

The Dogue de Bordeaux is certainly very distinctive in terms of their personalities-they love deeply, but it takes a while to earn their trust and respect, and if you slip up along the way you might find yourself with a stubborn, dominant terror on your hands!

If you have spotted a Dogue de Bordeaux out and about and found yourself instantly drawn to their impressive and somewhat grumpy appearances, or are considering buying or adopting a dog of the breed, finding out about their personality and how they think is a good idea. In this article, we will examine the core traits, temperament and personality of the Dogue de Bordeaux in more detail, including looking at some interesting information about the breed that you may not already know. Read on to learn more.

Their outlook and personality

The Dogue de Bordeaux is a large, heavy mastiff-type dog, and as a result it can appear as if they do everything in slow motion! They have a relaxed, loping gait and generally do everything at their own pace, which is often a note or two behind that of most other dogs.

They like to assess and think things through before committing to a decision, and they are certainly rather ponderous about life in general. This is very appealing to some dog owners, but for others, they find the breed rather too stalwart and not full of beans!

They can be very single minded

The Dogue de Bordeaux tends to concentrate at one thing at a time, and they weigh everything up carefully before making a move. Training the Dogue de Bordeaux can be complex, as they do not generally learn in the same way as other breeds; training them is more like a negotiation in which your role is to convince the dog that complying with what you are asking comes with a profit for the dog!

They can also be very stubborn-they are the kind of dogs that will get tired on a walk and sit down and refuse to move-and this can manifest as disobedience or dominance. It is vitally important that this large, strong breed respects the pack hierarchy of their family and the position of the alpha, because they will soon step right into that role if it is not already filled!

This means that they can be a challenge for the new owner or first time trainer to teach, and this is something you should plan for before you get the dog.

Still waters run deep

While they can be stubborn, pushy and even dominant, the Dogue de Bordeaux loves very deeply, and they thrive on being loved and having someone to look out for. It can take a long time to earn the trust of a dog of the breed, and they must respect you before they will love you and accept you as their person!

However, once you have earned their respect, they will love you for life, and will fiercely defend you from perceived threats. If you have children, the Dogue de Bordeaux is also likely to be very loving and protective of them too, but they will not put up with any nonsense or being pulled around by children. This means that you must supervise your dog around children at all times, particularly if the children are not from your own family.

They can fill some varied working roles

The core personality and temperament of the Dogue de Bordeaux means that they are not a good fit for most working roles or canine sports, which usually require high energy, sharp mental acuity and a huge willingness to learn and please. However, less common working roles are actually often a good fit for the Dogue de Bordeaux that is generally personable and calm when with their owner-such as volunteering as therapy dogs, pulling carts and even basic obedience competitions.

They can be rather grubby

The Dogue de Bordeaux shares core traits with a lot of the mastiff breeds, such as a tendency to drool prolifically! While those that love the breed find this adorable (or at least tolerable) it can be a deal breaker for others. Also, they tend to have slightly sensitive stomachs and can be prone to digestive upsets, sometimes leading to some rather unpalatable smells coming from their back ends!

However that said, they are not the type of dogs that will be first to roll in fox pooh or mud, and they can often be caught grooming themselves in a rather cat-like manner.