Are Dogue de Bordeaux Dangerous?

There’s no doubt that the Dogue de Bordeaux (also known as the Bordeaux Mastiff or French Mastiff) has an intimidating appearance that is characteristic of many more aggressive dog breeds. However, despite its big jowls, long canine teeth, gruff face, and muscular chest, this breed is not well-known for being aggressive. That’s not to say they don’t attack, because they do, but, for the most part, they are calm, alert dogs. This is a case in which you should not necessarily judge a book by its cover.

About the Dogue de Bordeaux Breed

This large French mastiff breed has survived extinction twice and used to enjoy the finer things in life as the preferred breed of the French aristocracy. When the French aristocracy was ousted, the mastiffs were basically terminated alongside their owners—this was the first time they survived, almost being completely wiped out.

These flat-faced dogs were also on Hitler’s list, and the Gestapo was ordered to kill them because of their loyalty to their owners. An ancient breed dating back to the Roman Empire, the Dogue de Bordeaux has pulled carts of animal carcasses from the farm to the butcher shop, protected livestock, and even been involved in competitive dog fighting.

With a history that is actually older than France itself, the Dogue de Bordeaux breed is indeed muscle-bound and powerful. Due to their shortened skulls, they often develop Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome. This condition commonly affects short-snouted dogs and makes it difficult for them to breathe.

Just like bulldogs and pugs, the French Mastiff has a life expectancy of just 5-8 years compared to other full-snouted dogs that commonly live up to 12-15 years. Known for being affectionate, protective, sensitive, and stocky, the French Mastiff is a family guardian that can weigh over 100 pounds. Like other mastiffs, it has a wrinkled brow and underbite with a large, powerful jaw. As a guard dog, the Dogue de Bordeaux remains alert, easily detects danger, and is in sync with the owner’s sense of “fight or flight.”

Dogue de Bordeaux Risks

The strong-willed, somewhat stubborn Bordeaux Mastiff becomes attached to his or her owners. Because of their massive size and strong temperaments, they are best with experienced, consistent owners who can manage their size. If properly socialized and well-trained, they can be quite sweet and calm, especially as they get older. The male Dogue de Bordeaux can express dominant tendencies, particularly as they transition into adulthood. At their worst, these dogs can be willful and obstinate, challenging for the role of “leader of the pack.” The breed is not banned for coverage by homeowners insurance policies, but some homeowners associations do have rules against them.

These French Mastiffs have been known to even act in a protective manner towards strangers they encounter, which can create sticky situations sometimes. Again, proper socialization is essential to ensure these big, sometimes independent-minded dogs stay friendly. The more they are exposed to gentle people, the better. If they are isolated, they can grow to be suspicious of every knock on the door, every person passing on the sidewalk, and so on. Others may develop submissive, fearful tendencies if they are isolated too much.

Like many dog breeds, the Dogue de Bordeaux does not like encountering other Dogue de Bordeaux dogs of the same sex. Their instinctive response is quite often that they need to establish a pecking order with the other dog, which means it’s not uncommon to see normally laid-back dogs start growling and snapping, or worse. Likewise, they can even become aggressive with other mastiffs of the opposite sex as well. Clearly, this animal is capable of inflicting serious injury and even killing if it decides to do so.

Many people may not fully understand the needs of a Dogue de Bordeaux before they adopt or purchase one, which can lead to risk for the family, their guests, and their neighborhood. Here are some mastiff habits often overlooked by dog owners that can prove problematic:

• This dog slobbers and drools constantly due to their anatomy (big, loose cheeks that don’t form a full seal with the lower lip, particularly when combined with the stubby snout)
• In general, people underestimate how much more work large, heavy dogs are—from the room they take up in the car to the fencing and space requirements they have at home.
• As puppies, they can be quite rambunctious and even rowdy—they may jump on houseguests and children and, if isolated, chew up the furniture.
• They are quite gassy.
• A dog owner who is dominant, consistent, and confident enough for another dog breed may not be skilled enough to master this breed as they can be highly strong-willed.
• Some French Mastiffs can have a higher “prey drive” than breeds, meaning they will be more prone to attacking your other pets and/or babies and toddlers—even just their massive stature can intimidate and frighten your other pets.
• Upon encountering other dogs of the same breed, aggressive behavior should be expected.
• Likewise, if they perceive that their owner is threatened, they can become aggressive as well.
• They experience breathing problems that can range from slightly bothersome to very intrusive, such as loud snoring, wheezing, and grunting, which again is a reminder of their short life spans

Bite Strength of French Mastiff Dogs

Despite having a sweeter disposition than other dogs of their size and breeding, the French Mastiff has one of the strongest bites—more powerful than a Doberman, boxer, German Shepherd, pitbull, Chow Chow, bulldog, or Rottweiler. Take a look at the 20 strongest-biting dogs and how their bite force/jaw strength compare:

1. 743 psi – Kangal Dog
2. 730 psi – Bandog Dog
3. 700 psi – Cane Corso
4. 556 psi – Dogue de Bordeaux (or French Mastiff)
5. 556 psi – Tosu Inu
6. 552 psi – English Mastiff
7. 540 psi – Dogo Canario (or Perro de Presa Canario)
8. 500 psi – Dogo Argentino
9. 399 psi – Leonberger
10. 328 psi – Rottweiler
11. 305 psi – American Bulldog
12. 238 psi – German Shepherd
13. 235 psi – American Pitbull
14. 230 psi – Boxer
15. 229 psi – Doberman
16. 227 psi – Alano Español (or Spanish Bulldog)
17. 224 psi – Dutch Shepherd
18. 220 psi – Chow Chow
19. 210 psi – English Bulldog
20. 195 psi – Malinois (or Belgian Shepherd)

A French Mastiff’s bite is twice as hard as a German Shepherd, Doberman, Chow Chow, or pitbull. To put this “pound per square inch” (psi) figure in perspective, a human being’s bite force is just 120-140 psi, and one of the strongest biters alive, the crocodile, has the jaw strength for a 3,700 psi bite.

How to Properly Train a Dogue de Bordeaux

When these dogs are well-trained, they are typically calm, docile, and affectionate. Because the Dogue de Bordeaux is also tough-biting, sinewy, alert, and stubborn, it requires a proper training regimen followed by a great deal of consistency and socialization. Trainers rate the French Mastiff’s level of trainability as “medium.” Because this dog wants to impress its owner and is generally on the more intelligent side, this can be leveraged to balance out their otherwise obdurate nature. If at all possible, because of how large a French Mastiff can get, start taking this dog to obedience school at an early age.

Remember, when joggers see a burly dog like this out on the sidewalk, they are going to assume the worst and cross the street. If a Dogue de Bordeaux owner doesn’t want everyone they encounter to be scared and stay away, training is key. As you can imagine, it’s difficult to socialize a dog that no one wants to be near. Regular trips to the dog park starting from a young age can go a long way in turning this mastiff into a gentle giant instead of a bully.

A huge part of any dog behaving in an obedient manner is whether they are in a suitable environment. The Dogue de Bordeaux can have a somewhat high prey drive, which means bringing this breed into a house with three cats, two bunnies, a bird, and a hamster can be unwise. Safety first! The prey drive risk can be reduced with proper training and exercise, but it is a lot of work and a huge commitment for the owner.

As a working dog, the Dogue de Bordeaux is open to doing jobs or projects like pulling a cart or fetching a stick. They do not require a lot of treats to be trained properly—praise is usually enough to motivate this dog. Here are some things you need to constantly reinforce when training this breed:

• When you are gentle with your Dogue de Bordeaux, they will follow your lead and model after your behavior by also being gentle.
• Biting, mouthing, gumming, or nipping at clothes or skin during playtime is not acceptable. “Almost bites” or “near bites” can not be ignored. These behaviors are not gray areas—they are out of bounds and need to be firmly and promptly addressed.
• Likewise, do not initiate rough play with a dog in training. Don’t slap their tail, poke, pull, or taunt the dog in any way. Lead by example and model responsible, safe play.
• Never play with a puppy who is misbehaving. When the dog is snarling or agitated, patting them on the head or throwing them, the Frisbee changes the subject, so to speak, but it does not remind the dog that misbehaving is always unacceptable. The same can be said for giving dogs positive reinforcement when they are overstimulated or jumpy.

Two highly recommended tricks for training a French Mastiff include turning your back on bad behavior and growling like the puppy’s mom would have when the puppy misbehaved under her care. Responding to a puppy’s hyperactivity with a stern “grrr” sound is very effective and plays off of what the puppy’s mom already demonstrated—bad behavior gets you a nasty growl.

Typically, a puppy only needs to remember the mother’s painful nips that followed her growls to fall back into line upon hearing your growl. Another sound a puppy is already familiar with as well is a yelp. If he bit a sibling too hard during playtime, a yelp cry would cut through the air. Speak in the language the dog already knows with growls and yelps. “Time out” or “Stop that” are not phrases little French Mastiffs are familiar with.

Likewise, another way to “speak” in terms a Dogue de Bordeaux can understand is with body language. If the puppy nips and gets too excited, take a step away, turn your body away, cross your arms, and be still. This calmly communicates that getting too jumpy and hyperactive is not OK. This body posture says, “Your behavior is unacceptable,” much more clearly than wagging a finger at the dog, saying, “Get down! Get down!” or yelling and getting agitated.

Possible Injuries from a French Mastiff Attack

There’s no better way to understand the kind of injuries a French Mastiff can inflict than looking at real attacks these dogs have carried out:

• In Zion, IL, in 2011, a 110-pound Dogue de Bordeaux escaped from his backyard enclosure to attack a 15-year-old boy riding by on a bicycle. Bystanders say that the attack lasted for ten minutes, and nothing would subdue or distract the dog until finally; someone thought to press a lit cigarette into the dog’s nose. Animal Control had received eight previous complaints about the dog. The insurance settlement was the largest dog bite compensation ever awarded in the state (1.12 million dollars).
• In Oklahoma in June of 2013, a 5-year-old boy had a temper tantrum in his home with his mother and 150-pound French Mastiff present. Immediately after the tantrum, the dog fatally attacked the boy. The mother was unsuccessful in separating the dog from her son, and he succumbed to his injuries a few minutes later after the attack ended.
• In Patterson, NJ, in 2014, two young boys were walking down the sidewalk past a house with a French Mastiff that supposedly even its owner was afraid of. The snarling dog jumped over the fence and chased after the boys. Despite the fact that the 13-year-old boys ran in opposite directions, the dog caught up to both of them. One boy only got bit on the hand, but the other’s body was found several hours later in a nearby creek bed, fatally wounded.
• In Dayton, OK, in 2014, a 57-year-old woman lived next door to a set of vicious mastiffs that she had reported to the authorities several times to no avail. On the morning of February 7, her body was found, mauled to death, on the sidewalk in front of their homes. When police arrived on the scene, the dogs charged at them and were subsequently shot and killed.
• In Hot Springs, AK, in 2013, a 75-year-old woman was doing her usual morning walk around the neighborhood when a Dogue de Bordeaux appeared out of nowhere and attacked her—she did not survive. The dog was staying with a petsitter at the time and had managed to escape the house undetected. The petsitter heard the commotion and ran outside to witness the attack. In trying to prevent the woman’s death, the petsitter also got bit.
• In Killeen, TX, in 2014, three minors were walking down the street. A Dogue de Bordeaux who lived in one of the houses they walked past ran out the garage door and attacked the 8-year-old girl in the group. The people nearby at the time were able to separate the dog from its victim, but then the dog went after the toddler in the trio, drug him away, and killed him in the process. The girl victim was hospitalized for her injuries.

From these six examples of real Dogue de Bordeaux attacks, we can see that children are far more at risk, that these dogs have a penchant for freeing themselves from enclosures, and that no provocation whatsoever is needed for them to unexpectedly snap one day. Interestingly enough, statistics reveal that 67% of children attacked by dogs were not with their parents when the attacks occurred. This scenario also clearly plays out in these examples.

The most common injuries sustained in a French Mastiff attack include:

• Disfigurement/scarring to the face, neck, and arms (sometimes legs as well)
• Bones crushed
• Infection at the puncture sites
• Loss of sight/eyes
• Amputations/loss of limb/dismemberment
• Eye loss/ear loss
• Head trauma/concussion
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder/Anxiety/Depression
• Tendon damage
• Soft tissue damage
• Nerve damage

If a Dogue de Bordeaux Bites You

As you might extrapolate from the tragic stories above, the average dog bite victim is a 5-9-year-old boy. This demographic is a whopping five times more likely to be attacked. Experts believe that’s because this age group is often loud, lively, and rambunctious. Not far off from puppy behavior, is it?

Children are often targeted in dog attacks because the dog sees an opportunity to establish dominance and/or because the dog sees the lively, childish behavior as playtime, forgetting that humans aren’t built for rough play like dogs are. We have thin, hairless skin, weak jaws, small teeth, and no claws. Whether a Dogue de Bordeaux has gotten carried away in playing too hard, is trying to establish dominance, or is instinctively responding with its high prey drive, a bite is a bite.

This breed is prone to “play biting” until they reach about two years old. Amongst themselves, a mom French Mastiff or older sibling responds to “play biting” by biting back much harder. Eventually, the puppy will stop biting when it realizes that a play bite has a “punishment” or negative consequence. Usually, by eight weeks, puppies stop “play biting” because they’ve learned their lesson. However, without adequate training, exercise, food, space, stimulation, or socialization, Dogue de Bordeaux can keep on biting.

If you are bitten by one of these enormous French dogs, follow these steps:

1. Call 911 and get medical care immediately. Twenty-five percent of dog bites do get infected, so don’t blow it off like nothing happened.
2. Do your best to identify both the dog and its owner. The bite will need to be reported to Animal Control in order to protect public safety. A quarantine period for the dog may be necessary. Even if you only have one puncture wound, county authorities need to record the incident to help prevent future attacks and the spread of disease.
3. Proceed as if you’re going to need to “make a case” for yourself in court or with an insurance company. Take photos and videos, save the medical records and police report, talk to neighbors and witnesses, etc.
4. Get some legal advice from an experienced New Jersey dog bite attorney. You’ll no doubt start receiving lowball settlement offers before the dust even settles. They are trying to convince you to accept a low amount before you lawyer up, so don’t delay getting an experienced, knowledgeable advocate in your corner.
5. Continue to keep your wounds clean and follow your doctor’s orders to a “T.” Skipping a follow-up appointment, not filling a prescription, or not doing your physical therapy exercises can hurt your legal case, lower your claim amount, and make your injuries worse. Put your health and healing first, but do keep an eye on the end goal here. You could get stuck with the medical bills, lose out on the chance to be reimbursed for your lost wages, and so on if you don’t listen to both your doctor and your lawyer.
6. Start journaling about what happened during the attack, how you feel about it, how it impacted you, and how your recovery (mental and physical) is progressing. Journals are admissible in court as evidence and can also help your attorney have a clear, detailed outline of exactly what happened.

Need a New Jersey Dog Bite Lawyer?

In general, the Dogue de Bordeaux breed is not considered dangerous. They may be calm and vigilant and even affectionate and kind. Humans are probably safer around them than other animals are. Nevertheless, they do attack, and when that happens, the New Jersey Dog Bite Lawyers are here. Our firm deals exclusively with dog bite claims, so we know our business. Our team is passionate, dedicated, and experienced. Call us at 866-259-4377 for a free legal consultation or reach out via our web contact form.