Breed Standard - Dogue de Bordeaux (continued)
- Hindquarters
- Broad loin. Rather short and solid croup moderately sloping down to the root of the tail. Hind legs strong and muscular. Well angulated stifles. Well-developed second thigh. Low set hocks.
- Feet
- Strong. Toes tight. Nails strong and curved. Pads well developed and supple. Well up on his toes despite his weight. Hind feet slightly longer than front feet.
- Tail
- Very thick at the base. Tip preferably reaching the hock. Carried low. Raised when the dog is in action, but never curving over the back or curled.
- Gait/Movement
- Movement is free, quite supple for his size and weight and close to the ground. Good drive from hindquarters, good extension of the forelegs. At a faster gait, the head is carried lower.
- Coat
- Fine, short and soft to the touch. The skin is thick and loose fitting.
- Colour
- Self-coloured, in all shades of fawn, from mahogany to Isabella. Good pigmentation is desirable. Limited white patches are permissible on the chest and the extremities of the limbs. White patches on the head or body highly undesirable.
Three mask colours allowed:
Black mask - mask must not extend above the eyes. Slight black shading allowed on ears, skull, neck and down the topline. Nose black.
Brown mask - nose and eye rims are brown.
No mask - coat is fawn, skin appears red, nose is flesh coloured. - Size
- Ideal height at the shoulder: dogs 60-68 cm (23½ - 26½ ins); bitches 58-66 cm (22½ - 26 ins).
Weight: dogs at least 50 kg (110 lbs); bitches at least 45 kg (99 lbs) - Faults
- Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.
- Note
- The male should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum