Bordoodle vs Dogue De Bordeaux - Breed Comparison

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.

Known also as a Borderpoo or Borderdoodle, the Bordoodle is a designer- or hybrid breed which hails from the United States of America.

Both the dogs used in the development of this cross-breed are the Poodle and the Border Collie, and both these dog breeds have their own lengthy histories.

The history of the Bordoodle is short, as it is a modern crossbreed which has been purposefully bred by breeders to bring about a dog with certain looks and temperament.

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.

The Bordoodle isn’t a purebred dog but is a cross between a Poodle and a Border Collie.

He has a soft, medium length coat which is inclined to be wavy. Colors are essentially black and white but chocolate, cream, fawn, merle and grey are also seen.

He is a medium sized dog standing at between 38cm and 55cm and weighing between 13kg and 27kg. The long tail is feathery, the ears floppy or semi-erect and the brown eyes are bright and intelligent. The muzzle is medium to long.

As with any mixed breed dog, the Bordoodle can take after either parent dog but generally the Borderdoodle will be a medium sized dog.

Temperament:

With the Bordoodle you can expect nothing less than a highly intelligent dog. That is because both the Poodle and the Border Collie are super intelligent dogs so the Bordoodle is guaranteed to have got a good portion of this intelligence from both breeds.

It makes training and socialization easy for the dog. It is important for your Bordoodle to be trained and socialized if you want him to be obedient and relaxed around strangers and other pets. As it is, his amicable nature makes the hybrid dog of yours a great family pet – getting on well with other pets in the home as well as with children.

Apart from being such a smart dog, the Bordoodle is active, playful, loving and devoted – everything a serious dog owner wants in a pet. This is a dog that doesn’t really know the meaning of the word aggressive.

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.

Bordoodles have two great dog breeds to thank for the way they turn out. When you think of the Border Collie and Poodle, you know you’re going to get a dog that is friendly, social, playful, loving and devoted – the ideal family pet.

Intelligent, he is easy to train too, and with excellent care, you’re going to have a most wonderful family pet and companion, full of fun and life.

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.

Bordoodles, when well cared for, can live to be 12-15 years of age. There aren’t going to be many health issues to contend with with your Bordoodle as there are no known health problems in this robust breed.

Nonetheless there are some common dog illnesses that you need to be aware of such as progressive retinal atrophy, hip dysplasia and hypothyroidism.

With hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland in the neck of your pet produces a hormone known as thyroxine that controls metabolism, but the disease hypothyroidism makes it that the gland doesn’t make enough thyroxine. Signs that your dog has this illness includes a dull coat, inflamed skin and even hair loss.

Get him to the vet immediately who will do blood tests and provide treatment. Mercifully it isn’t something that is life-threatening.

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.

Grooming:

The Bordoodle is a dog which doesn’t shed that much so his grooming requirements are low and he is considered as a hypoallergenic dog.

He will need to have his coat brushed at least twice a week to keep it shiny, soft and smooth. Depending on how your Bordoodle turns out, he may even require trimming at a professional groomer.

Make time to check his ears inside and out and learn how to clean the inside of his ears to avoid infection and wax build-up.

Dental hygiene is also imperative in dogs, and neglecting to do this will mean food particles and bacteria accumulating along your pet’s gumline, resulting in gingivitis and periodontal disease.

Exercise:

Every dog will require regular exercise and you can get your Bordoodle to join you in your walks. He is the kind of dog that can happily adjust to city or country life, but he will still need to have some ball games and other activities to keep him busy and happy.

He isn’t a dog that can be left alone day after day in the backyard. He is social and playful and loves the companionship of his human family.

Diet:

If you feed your Bordoodle kibble from some of the top quality commercially produced foods, always research the dog food and take a good look at the ingredients.

The pet food you choose plays an important role in the longevity of your pet. There are commercially manufactured foods that have such poor ingredients that they can actually shorten your pet’s lifespan and cause stress to the kidneys and liver.

If in any doubt about what to feed your Bordoodle, speak to your vet. Cooked brown rice, cooked vegetables and cooked chicken can sometimes be mixed into your pet’s kibble. Raw meat should also occasionally be added in to ward off skin allergies.

Clean, cool water in constant supply is also imperative.