Inside a Dogue Lover's Brain
The 1989 flick “Turner & Hooch” starred Tom Hanks as a neat-freak cop who acquires a slobbery sidekick. His four-legged co-star was bred by Peter Curley, one of the first to bring the Dogue to the U.S. “Hey, that’s the Hooch dog!” is a common if annoying refrain anytime a Dogue is in public.
If Dogues had an Obi-Wan Kenobi, it would be French professor Raymond Triquet, who almost singlehandledly saved the breed from extinction and wrote the modern standard. His name is a byword in the breed, and his coveted “Saga” book has now been reissued by Bas Bosch Press.
No, it’s not a Bullmastiff with a funny accent. It’s a black-mask Dogue, and it ought to get as much respect as its red-nosed brethren. Dogue aficionados have been working hard to promote these dark-pigmented dogs, and in recent years a few have made their mark in the ring and the whelping box.
Who doesn’t love a little bling? Handcrafted leather collars have become all the rage with Dogue owners. This one, by Luis Goncalves of Oli Collars, took 40 hours to make. Lined with lambskin, it is black latigo leather trimmed with red leather, brass flashing and solid brass and copper hardware.
