A Little Bit of History   The Dogue de Bordeaux is one of the most ancient French breeds, also known as the French Mastiff, Bordeaux dog, and most commonly among fanciers as the DDB. It is a fearless, powerful dog who excels at both guard dog work and companionship to his family. With a head that may be the largest in the canine world, the Bordeaux is unmistakable in appearance. Count of Foix, said in the 14th century, in his Livre de Chasse that “He holds his bite stronger than three sight-hounds”. 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, bear and bulls. Also for fighting and for guarding of houses and cattle. In 1863 the first French dog show took place in Paris in the Jardin d’Acclimatation. The Dogue de Bordeaux were entered under their present name. 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 60’s. Though the breed did not gain significant notoriety until 1989 with the release of the Tom Hanks movie , “Turner and Hooch”. Now the Dogue de Bordeaux is thoroughly established in France and quickly gaining popularity in other countries. In the past 10 years It has become very popular in United States. The Dogue de Bordeaux is a short, stocky mastiff with a huge, heavy, broad, wrinkled head.  The head is a crucial feature when assessing this breed.  Top show males have a head circumference of 27-30 inches (68-75cm). The jaw is undershot and powerful.  The Dogue should always have a black or red mask that can be distinguished from the rest of the coat around and under the nose and including the lips and eye rims. The nostrils are very open. The muzzle should be at most 1/3 the total length of the head. The upper lips hang thickly down over the lower jaw. The skin on the neck is loose, forming a noticeable dewlap. In general, the skin is thick. The ears hang down. The body is thickset with a short, straight topline and a gentle rounded croup. The front legs should be straight and heavy-boned. The straight tail begins thickly at the base and then tapers to a point. It should not reach lower than the hocks.  The short soft coat comes in shades of fawn to mahogany with a black or red mask. White markings are allowed on the tips of the toes and on the chest, but white on any other part of the body is a fault.