Dogue de Bordeaux

[computershateme]

We're thinking of getting a 1 year old boy from a local rescue. The description says he has a good temperament and gets on well with other dogs (he'd be an only dog - I'm at home all day most days). His health check with the rescue's vet is fine.

I've read up on the breed and know the health issues affecting them, exercise etc. but what are they like to live with? Anyone here with experience of the breed?

Thanks

We had one, she was lovely. A good long walk once a day and then spent the rest of the time napping. Really gentle, docile and just a wonderful pet!

The slobber is real however! You could fill cracks in your walls with that stuff. Not all the time but if hot, excited or hungry it would be hanging 12 inches on each side!

She shed lots as well. Dog hairs everywhere and particularly bad in the summer so another consideration.

Also the snoring! Not just when asleep, she was a very noisy sleeper!

Lovely though, and very gentle with little kids, puppies etc.

My old neighbour had one.
She ruined every dog she ever had including the DDB.
Apparently they went to pick it up off the kennels after their holiday and it went crazy lunging and snarling - probably the terror of going back home with her I imagine!

My dad was into big dogs and used to talk her sometimes walking it, it always appeared friendly and gentle.
Until it went berserk at the kennels that is.

One thing I would say is that at one year old it hasn’t come into its adult temperament yet which is around 2 - 3 years so you aren’t seeing it’s true temperament yet.

Thanks for the replies. We went to meet him today at the rescue centre and took him for a walk. We passed several other boisterous dogs, a field of sheep and plenty of cars and vans passed. He was very calm throughout and I was able to keep hold of him and stop him pulling, which is one of the things I was worried about.

We've got a couple of things to do in the garden to make it secure but we should be able to adopt him by the end of the week.

We noticed that he only really started slobbering on the way back from the walk, but he's such a handsome boy (if you can call a dog with a head the same diameter as a mature oak tree handsome!) I'm sure we can forgive that.

A neighbor has one- dog is a lovely boy and always been sweet with our dog but has had problems with small dogs being aggressive towards it and then other dogs owners going nuts when DdB growls back. I think it can be a problem with big dogs if you live in a city that people assume they are trouble, even if they’re big softies being ganged up on by little ones who are scared by their size.

Cyberworrier we have a "delightful" jack Russell living a few doors away. Always lets bigger dogs know he's there rather vocally and quite aggressively (fangs bared!).