The French Connection - of Dogues & Doguins
Bandogs, Mastiffs and Night Dogs didn't only exist on the British Isles, neither were the British dogs free from foreign influences. At the other side of the canal, in France there were dogs, similar to the British dogs. Depending of from what area they came, they were of different type. Ranging in coat, color and head but all within a certain range. These were descendants of Alani war dogs mixed with local dogs. It also can be assumed that the (original) Spanish Alano also is closely related, if not one of the main ancestors of the French Dogues.
In the 4th century AD the Alans invaded the Iberian Peninsula and Gaul and with that their dogs came along. In 1154 Henry 2 (1133-1189) became King of England and due to his marriage with the French Eleonora D'Aquitaine in 1152, whole the south west of France became under British rule (till 1453, after the fall of Bordeaux). Around this area, known as Aquitaine, there existed 2 types of strong dogs, Dogues and Doguins.
Dogue du Forte Race, from 'Histoire Naturelle' by the French biologist George Louis Leclerq de Buffon (1707-1788). According to Buffon these type of Dogues were developed by crosses between English imported Bulldogs and Matins which in turn were crossed with the so-called 'Petit Danois', a smaller version of the Great Dane.
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Another impression of the Dogue du Forte Race by Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1772-1844) in his 'Histoire Naturelle des Mammifères'.
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The Dogues were large guard - and protection dogs and Doguins were considerably smaller and were used as fighting dogs. Both these French dogs were mixed with brought English dogs of Alaunt/ Mastiff type and later taken back to England.
The Dogue D'Aquitaine later became known as the Dogue de Bordeaux. The Dogue de Bordeaux could be divided into 3 types, The Bordelais, from the Bordeaux area and alike the Night Dogs of England, the Parisien from central France which showed great resemblance with the English Mastiff and the Toulousain or Dogue du Midi which was very similar to the Spanish Perro de Toro.
Bred for hunting, fighting and guarding abilities these dogs were powerful and fearless and at a certain time in history at both sides of the canal they become in use as gamekeeper dogs; called 'Chien du Nuit' in France and 'Gamekeeper's Night Dog in Britain. Eventually in Britain a serious breeding program led to the development of the Bull Mastiff. The Dogue varieties evolved to the Dogue de Bordeaux which were very different in type, they got more uniformity around the second half of the 1920's.
English Mastiffs, Bull Mastiffs and Dogue the Bordeaux are closely related to each other, in fact they are the Bandogs of the past.
The Dogue D'Aquitaine later became known as the Dogue de Bordeaux. The Dogue de Bordeaux could be divided into 3 types, The Bordelais, from the Bordeaux area and alike the Night Dogs of England, the Parisien from central France which showed great resemblance with the English Mastiff and the Toulousain or Dogue du Midi which was very similar to the Spanish Perro de Toro.
Bred for hunting, fighting and guarding abilities these dogs were powerful and fearless and at a certain time in history at both sides of the canal they become in use as gamekeeper dogs; called 'Chien du Nuit' in France and 'Gamekeeper's Night Dog in Britain. Eventually in Britain a serious breeding program led to the development of the Bull Mastiff. The Dogue varieties evolved to the Dogue de Bordeaux which were very different in type, they got more uniformity around the second half of the 1920's.
English Mastiffs, Bull Mastiffs and Dogue the Bordeaux are closely related to each other, in fact they are the Bandogs of the past.
Chien du Nuit, from 'Les Chiens d'Arret' by Paul Caillard, 1890.
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Caporal, early Dogue de Bordeaux, appeared in 'Journal Chasse et Peche', 1897. The first breed standard was issued in 1896, final recognition by the FCI became a fact in 1954.
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