Dogue de Bordeaux Roundtable
Nik Burnikell and Becky Swainston
Emberez Dogue de Bordeaux
Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom
Bart and Cressy De Croo
Van De Paterhoek Dogue de Bordeaux
Westvleteren, Belgium
Please briefly summarize your involvement and successes in the breed.
Between our kennels (Van De Paterhoek and Emberez), we have more than 30 years experience with the Dogue de Bordeaux. We have bred or owned dogs with more than 100 champion titles. We have consistently won not only with one dog but with our whole team, taking the doubles and youth wins at the top shows around the globe: the World Dog Show, European Dog Show, Crufts, and the French, Dutch and Belgian club matches. We have won every prestigious show in Europe at least once, taking Best in Show three times and Reserve Best in Show once at the biggest show in the world for the breed – the French club match – and seven times at its Dutch counterpart! We have won not only at the highest level for our breed, but we have consistently won groups and many Bests in Show at the international level with our most recent dogs.
Mistral De la Maison de Hollande.
Name three Dogues you have personally seen that you admired most (not your own), and what their best features were.
It’s very hard to choose only three, so we have to say four. First, two females: Pretty Boss De la Maison de Hollande and Mistral De la Maison de Hollande. These two females are what we would call “out of this world.” We couldn’t find anything we would change about them.
Then there were two males, and they were in the show ring at the same time: the legend that is Temple Felson and, of course, Signore Kwan De La Seigneurie des Chartrons. In all honesty, if we could take one home when they were alive, it would be Felson. But we remember in 2003 at the Dutch club match when Felson took Best in Show and Signore Kwan took third. Signore Kwan was in peak condition and gave us all goose bumps watching him in the ring – he should have won that day! (Of course, followed very closely by Felson.)
Signore Kwan De La Seigneurie des Chartrons.
Temple Felson, a well-known Dutch Dogue who was bred in England and had a strong impact on Russian bloodlines.
Temple Felson head study at 16 months old.
Which one of your own was the best?
In terms of our kennel’s progress in the breed, it would be Enferno’s grandmother “Anya” (Belle Starr for Texred). She was our foundation, giving us only one litter, but that litter started us on the road we are on now. She gave us “Apollo” and “Aphrodite,” both sired by Laruscades Miracle Boy for Anbarees, and both top winners. Emberez Aphrodite took Best Female at 15 months old at the French club match in 2004, and Emberez Apollo took Best in Show at the Dutch show that same year. Apollo was a huge success in the ring, becoming the rare French champion, among many other titles. But more important, he gave us dogs like Enferno, Dillen, Tito, Efje, Renais and many more champions across the world.
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Enferno Van De Paterhoek, a multiple Best in Show winner.
Best Female and Best in Show Tyrannus Skyejacked by Emberez at the 2010 French club show, repeating her previous year’s victory.
It would be too much to name all the dogs we have bred that became champions – and there is also the risk of forgetting one, which would not be good at all – so instead we will name some countries where our dogs became champions: Russia, Estonia, Finland, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, India, Australia, Mexico, Canada and the U.S. We have also bred World champions and European champions.
Name three Dogues you have personally seen that you admired most (not your own), and what their best features were. Which one of your own was the best?
Belmondo the Red Powerpack had great movement and head type. Temple Felson had power and type. J’Aimee van Alcarinque made me fall in love with this great breed.
The dog that had the biggest influence on our breeding program is of course the best dog we bred; her name was Chene de Legeane. Some of the champions she gave us were Achilles, Massa Grosso, Bonfayer, Sinbad, Moby, Tetue Talpa, Fionna, Saga and Fanny. And out of her children came still more champions who won and still win all around the world – all dogs with great type and strong movement.
Belmondo the Red Powerpack, World Dog Show winner under breed specialist Prof. Raymond Triquet.
Chene de Legeane, the best the Dijkstras say they’ve bred.
What important characteristics do you feel are most often overlooked in Dogue de Bordeaux judging?
Movement – the typical movement of the Bordeaux dog. In many countries they like to show their dogs on the move with the head carried up, which is not the typical gait of a Dogue. The front legs need to reach for the ground far ahead, while the head is lowered in a direct line with the topline.
What virtues do you think are most difficult to maintain in the breed? Which faults are the most difficult to eradicate?
If only we were at the point that we could only name one or two points that are the most difficult to maintain in the breed. But looking at entries at shows, our problem is bigger than we want it to be.
We think all dogs have three areas that could be improved – that doesn’t always mean it is a fault, but it can be a point that needs strengthening, and you can only do that with selective breeding.
At this point, it looks like there is a lack of forechest in the Dogue de Bordeaux; if you lose that, if will be difficult to get back. Also, head type is an area to worry about: There is less stop in the head, with no underjaw, which shows power and is so important to our breed.
What part of the AKC, FCI or KC standards do you think is most misunderstood? Is there any part of the standard you would change if you could?
The issue is not that a particular part of the standard is misunderstood, but rather than many breeders and judges interpret it incorrectly. If they would close their eyes and see the drawing of the Bordeaux dog in front of them, as it is printed in Prof. Raymond Triquet’s Saga book, then we would arrive at correct breed type much more quickly.
Sinbad de Legeane, who was exported to the U.S., is a national-specialty winner.
Do you think the Dogue de Bordeaux breed as a whole is suffering from hypertype?
Currently, there are some dogs with hypertype in the breed. The greatest danger comes from breeders and judges who like it. When dogs like this start to be placed at shows, people start to belief that that is correct Dogue de Bordeaux type. At that point, we enter into a vicious circle that is going to kill our breed.
On the other hand, there are still far too many dogs with almost no type, so we don’t think the whole breed is suffering from hypertype.
Chene and Moby de Legeane in 2008.
Where do you think the breed will be in terms of type in 10 years?
On the same level as it is today, and where it was 10 years ago, and where it was 10 years before that.
Champions of 10, 20 and 30 years ago could still become champions today, and the breed as a whole has not really improved. We now have more dogs, yes. But not only do we have more good dogs, but also more bad ones. In the past, you might see maybe five Dogues de Bordeaux at a show – one nice looking, three mediocre and one substandard. Today at a show, you might see 50 Dogues, with maybe 10 correct and typey. And the rest … ?
Cindy and Mark McElderry
Northland Bordeaux
Earlville, Illinois
(For another interview with the McEderrys, click or tap here.)
Please briefly summarize your involvement and successes in the breed.
Cindy is one of the early pioneers of the Dogue de Bordeaux in the United States and played a major role in efforts required for acceptance of the breed into the AKC in 2008. Along with her husband Mark, Cindy has been breeding and exhibiting the Dogue de Bordeaux for more than 20 years as Northland Bordeaux. As a breeder-owner-handler, Cindy has amassed an impressive show record with her Dogues at competitions in Europe and North America.
Cindy McElderry with Northland’s Finn.
Name three Dogues you have personally seen that you admired most (not your own), and what their best features were.
I have seen many nice Dogues de Bordeaux over the last 20 years. The largest and most prestigious show for our breed is the French national specialty show. We have competed for many years at that show, and that is where I have seen the Dogues that I most admire. My memory probably tends to erase imperfections, because the further back in my memory a Dogue is, the more beautiful and perfect he becomes. But I truly believe we are producing better specimens with each generation. So I will stick with Dogues in my more recent memory.
Two males that stood out for me in recent years are Moby de Legeane and Udson de l’etang de Mirloup. Moby won the 2005 French national show in Saint Tropez, France, but I saw him on several other occasions as well. He is a very harmonious, correct Dogue. And that is his exceptional feature. There is just nothing overdone or lacking in him. That is something that all of us should strive for as breeders.
Above: Moby de Legeane, two-time Best of Breed winner at the French nationals. Photo Jan Dijkstra. Below: Udson de l’etang de Mirloup at seven years old. Photo: Studio de la Landerie.
Udson de l’etang de Mirloup stands out to me for his fantastic head type and expression. He is a Dogue that immediately catches your eye in the ring because of his wonderful type and substance.
One female that I have admired in recent years is Tyrannus Skyejacked by Emberez. Her head, expression, substance, wonderful shoulders and deep chest really caught my eye. That head type and the deep chest, giving the Dogue that low-to-the-ground build, is truly the essence of our breed.
Which one of your own was the best? It is really difficult for me to select between three dogues: Northland’s Fanny, Goro or Molly. But I will have to go with Goro for being the overall best. Goro had great structure and type, and really enjoyed himself in the ring. We had Goro prior to AKC recognition, so we competed with him in rare-breed shows in the U.S. and Canada, and at large shows in France and a couple World Shows. He took many BOBs and Group placements in North America, but seemed to always be one or two placements from winning the big competitions in Europe, since at the time they seemed to pick the larger males.
Northland’s Goro (right) and Tess of Northland with judge Bas Bosch of Belgium.
What important characteristics do you feel are most often overlooked in Dogue de Bordeaux judging?
Correct head proportions (type) and proper movement. Judges need to remember that nearly half of our breed standard is dedicated to describing the features of the head. The importance of head type is also mentioned in the “General Appearance” section of the standard. In fairness to our judges, it is difficult to know head type simply from reading a description. You need to see it and study it. But not only do judges need to know good head type and expression; they must remember how much emphasis should be given to the head when judging.
Some judges do not seem to understand the proper build and the subsequent movement of our breed. Dogues are supposed to be stocky, muscular, and built rather close to the ground. And they have a very broad chest. This type of construction translates to a certain type of movement – in other words, it requires them to compensate in their movement. There is more convergence in the front and the feet turn out slightly. At the trot, they have such a reach in the front that the head drops.
