Dogue De Bordeaux vs Argentine Dogo - Breed Comparison

Known also as the Argentinian Mastiff, this large dog breed from Argentina is a descendant of the extinct Fighting Dog of Cordoba. People were looking for a fearless, companionable dog, and a man, Martinez from Argentina, began a selective breeding program to get a breed that wasn’t essentially geared to fighting.

A number of breeds were mixed to achieve the desired characteristics in the Argentine Dogo breed.

It is unfortunate that the dog has been used for fighting and that it comes across as a dangerous dog so that today it is banned in several countries.

The Dogue de Bordeaux is an ancient French dog breed and his history goes so far back that it is difficult to have accurate records of his origin.

During the 1700s he was used as a guard dog, with theories suggesting that several Mastiff type breeds were the closest ancestors.

For centuries the Bordeaux Mastiff, also referred to as the Bordeaux Bulldog, came in two size varieties, with the larger version being the Dogue de Bordeaux. It is this large dog which made its appearance in the Hollywood movie ‘Turner & Hooch’, shooting him into more recognition and interest.

The Argentine Dogo is a striking looking dog, large, muscular and powerful looking. He stands at about 60 – 68cm and weighs about 35 – 45kg.

He has a pure white coat. The coat is short and smooth. The ears are high set and most times cropped and erect.The Dogo’s tail is long and hangs naturally.

Temperament

The Argentine Dogo is a companion dog today who can be loving and loyal towards his human family. He is a strong willed dog with a distrust of strangers and other animals.

He will most certainly require training and socialization if you want him to behave well among people and animals. With proper training and socialization, he can make a good family pet.

The Dogue de Bordeaux is a large molosser type dog with a large head, standing at 60 – 67cm and weighing anything between 54 and 65kg. His weight comes more from his muscular, powerful build rather than his height.

He is a powerful looking dog and his short coat is loose-fitting and is an attractive rich reddish brown color. There are wrinkles around the face with the nose being somewhat pinkish-orange as opposed to black.

The eyes are wide apart and are hazel. He has short to medium length floppy ears and where once the thick tail was docked, giving him a powerful, distinctive look, it is mostly left long today.

Temperament:

He is a confident, self-assured, territorial dog who will require training and socialization if he is to know his place in the home. He is a powerful mastiff-type dog, who without training can be stubborn, arrogant and somewhat aggressive towards strangers.

His looks and his territorial nature make him an excellent watchdog. He is no push-over and isn’t a good choice for the first time dog owner.

Without a strong, firm owner, he could prove difficult to handle. He is calm and laid back with children in the home and he can get along well with other pets if he has been brought up with them since puppy-hood.

This big, muscular white dog with his short white coat was once a hunting dog so he is active and energetic. He is also intelligent and courageous, loving his human family and wanting to protect them being a strong characteristic of his.

The Argentine Dogo is social, strong, loyal and devoted and just wants to be part of his human family and all their activities. It is important that he is trained and socialized at an early age because then he is obedient and relaxed around people and pets in the home.

The Dogue de Bordeaux isn’t a big, boisterous kind of dog but is rather calm and relaxed. As a watchdog however, he can surprise you and become quite active, showing agility for such a hulk.

He can adapt to life in the city or the country but even though he appears lazy, he will need moderate daily exercise.

He loves his human family and wants to be constantly with them. He is stubborn but will do well with training and socialization.

Calm and easy-going and with his easy-to-maintain short, soft coat, be prepared for some drooling and snoring from this loving, devoted large pet of yours.

The Argentine Dogo can live to be between 10 and 12 years of age if he is looked after well, however about 10% of Argentine Dogos suffer from pigment-related deafness in one or both ears.

Dogs with white coats often have to contend with deafness.

Deafness in Dogs:

A dog can lose it’s hearing because of an ear infection. That is why it is so important to watch your pets ears and make sure that the ears aren’t red and that your pet isn't continually scratching his ears.

The most common cause of congenital deafness with a dog is pigment-related. Dogs with white coats are often affected by deafness and you commonly see deafness in dogs with white pigmented skin because they carry the piebald gene – the white coat and often blue eyes. Without a particular stem cell, the white dog’s body isn’t able to make a special layer of hearing cells.

Hip Dysplasia:

There is a high rate of hip dysplasia with these dogs and more than 40% of Argentine Dogos have malformed hips. This isn’t a dog ailment to take lightly as it can lead to pain, discomfort and even lameness for your pet.

Skin- and Eye Diseases:

Skin diseases such as red, itchy allergies are also common with these dogs as well as eye diseases.

The Dogue De Bordeaux doesn’t have as long a lifespan as many other dogs, but with good care, can go to 7 – 10 years of age.

Because he is a brachycephalic breed – a short-nosed dog such as the Boxer, Pug and Bulldog – he may well have the same number of teeth as other dogs, but the teeth are crowded, putting dogs like this at higher risk of getting dental disease.

His teeth will need to be brushed 2 or 3 times a week to prevent plaque and tartar getting trapped.

Brachycephalic Syndrome is also something to watch out for with your Dogue de Bordeaux. It’s an upper respiratory disorder which can bring on difficulty with breathing because of the crowding of tissue and narrower airways.

Brushing and Grooming:

With his short coat, the Argentine Dogo is a low maintenance dog, requiring a good brush twice a week. Its a pure white dog, and wiping him down with a damp cloth can keep his coat looking dazzling white and clean.

Grooming your dog like this gives you a good chance to also check your pet for fleas and ticks and to ensure the skin is free from infection or dryness. You will find that he sheds a bit more in the hotter seasons, but during the colder months it will be wise to bring your pet indoors.

Other areas to consistently check with your dog are his nails – to keep them trimmed, to clean his teeth 2 or 3 times a week with proper canine toothbrush and toothpaste and to check his ears for infection.

Exercise:

He isn’t the most active dog and he is inclined to snooze quite a bit throughout the day. It will nonetheless be a good idea to include him in your daily walks and allow him to take part in a ball game now and again.

Diet:

The Dogue de Bordeaux needs to be fed a high-quality dog food in keeping with his large size and age.

Grooming:

This dog is known for drooling, and because of his wrinkled face, you’ll need to be watching the facial area that it is kept clean and dry to avoid skin infections. Check his ears at the same time to ensure they are free from dirt and wax.

The short coat does shed throughout the year, and you will need to be brushing him down twice a week to remove all those loose hairs.