The best dog food for a Dogue de Bordeaux
The Dogue de Bordeaux is a giant, heavily muscled breed, and their food needs to account for a growth period that runs well beyond a year and a frame that carries considerable weight through adulthood. A giant-breed puppy formula and, later, a large-breed adult diet with joint support in mind, both matter more here than with a medium-sized dog.
Feeding a Dogue de Bordeaux
A giant breed
An adult Dogue de Bordeaux typically weighs 45–50 kg, so a healthy Dogue de Bordeaux eats a lot, and the sack size matters as much as the recipe compared with other breeds. Every feeding guide on a bag is written per kilo of body weight, not per breed — start there, then adjust to the dog in front of you.
Life stage
A giant breed is usually done growing at 18–24 months, which is roughly when a puppy food has finished its job. With a typical lifespan of 5–8 years, there is a long adult stretch in the middle; switch to a senior food when your vet thinks it is worth it rather than on a birthday.
Joint support is worth looking for
Their size and frame put more load through the joints than a smaller dog carries, so a food with joint support on the label is worth reading for — and keeping them lean does more for their joints than any supplement.
Weight matters more than usual here
A long back or a heavy frame makes every extra kilo count twice. Weigh portions rather than eyeballing a scoop, and reduce the food rather than the walks if the waist starts to disappear.
A shallow, wide bowl suits a flat face
A flat-faced dog cannot reach into a deep bowl without pressing its nose into the sides, which is uncomfortable and makes it gulp air. A shallow bowl, and food that does not have to be chased around it, is the easier arrangement.
How much should a Dogue de Bordeaux weigh?
Adult 45–50 kgfully grown at 18–24 months
| Age | Stage | Typical weight | Of adult size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | Just home | 4–4.4 kg | 9% |
| 3 months | Young puppy | 6.4–7.1 kg | 14% |
| 6 months | Growing fast | 12.9–14.3 kg | 29% |
| 12 months | Adolescent | 25.7–28.6 kg | 57% |
| 18–24 months | Fully grown | 45–50 kg | 100% |
A guide, from the same rule of thumb our puppy growth predictor uses — each age is that share of the way to maturity for a giant breed. Puppies grow fastest early, so a real puppy usually sits a little above the middle rows. Weigh yours and ask your vet if the number worries you.
Complete dog foods that suit a Dogue de Bordeaux
Complete foods from our range, matched to a Dogue de Bordeaux's size band and what the breed typically needs. Stock levels and delivery dates are live on each product.
Field & Trial Skinner S Field Trial Light Senior
A lower-fat dry food for older, overweight or less active dogs, including working breeds
From£9.85
Autarky Complete Grain Free Adult Turkey
Grain-free complete dry food for adult dogs, with turkey and a marine-algae joint care package
£12.79
Autarky Grain Free Tasty White Fish & Potato Complete
Grain-free dry dog food built around white fish meal rather than poultry
£12.99
Lily's Kitchen Lily S Kitchen Dog Lovely Lamb
Complete lamb-led dry dog food offered in two practical bag sizes
From£25.15
Burns Adult Large/Giant Breed Chicken and Brown Rice
Complete large-breed dry dog food with 23% chicken and brown rice
£59.99
Burgess Greyhound and Lurcher Chicken
Complete adult dry food formulated for the specific build of greyhounds and lurchers
£35.35
Naturo Senior Rice Poultry Variety 6pk
Six 400g trays across three recipes for senior dogs, with glucosamine and chondroitin
£10.29
Naturo Senior Dog Turkey with Rice and Vegetables 7pk
Turkey at 65% in a senior wet tray, with brown rice, vegetables and added joint support
£11.99
Vitalin Adult Dog Pork with Apple
Complete dry food for adult dogs of any age, led by pork, with citrus extract for dental support
From£11.99
Feeding through a long growth period
Giant breeds like the Dogue de Bordeaux grow more slowly than medium breeds, typically continuing to develop until somewhere between 18 and 24 months. A giant-breed puppy food is calculated to support that slower, longer growth without the excess calcium and calories that are linked to joint problems when a large breed grows too quickly.
This breed is also prone to bloat, a genuine emergency in deep-chested dogs, and feeding smaller, more frequent meals rather than one large one, along with avoiding vigorous exercise immediately after eating, are commonly recommended precautions worth discussing with your vet.
What to look for as an adult
An adult large-breed recipe, or a food containing a joint-supporting ingredient like glucosamine, is worth considering given the sustained load this breed's frame carries. Keeping a Dogue de Bordeaux at a lean weight, rather than letting their naturally muscular build slide into carrying excess fat, does more for their long-term joint health than any single ingredient.
Follow the feeding guide on your specific food's pack for your dog's actual weight, and weigh portions rather than estimating, since a giant breed's daily amount is large enough that small overestimates accumulate quickly. Your vet can confirm the right approach for your individual dog.
Skin folds and food-related sensitivity
This breed's characteristic skin folds need regular checking and cleaning regardless of diet, since damp, warm folds are prone to irritation whatever a dog eats. It's worth distinguishing that routine skin-fold care from a genuine food sensitivity, which tends to show up as more general itching, redness or digestive upset rather than fold-specific irritation alone.
If you suspect a genuine food allergy or intolerance, that needs a vet's input to identify properly, usually through a supervised elimination diet, rather than guessing at a recipe change. Most Dogue de Bordeaux do fine on an ordinary large or giant-breed diet with no special allergen considerations at all.
Common questions
- Does a Dogue de Bordeaux need giant-breed puppy food?
- Yes, this is generally recommended, since giant-breed formulas are calculated to support the slower, longer growth period these breeds go through, avoiding the too-fast growth linked to joint problems in large dogs.
- Is a Dogue de Bordeaux prone to bloat?
- Deep-chested giant breeds, this one included, carry a higher risk of bloat, a genuine emergency. Feeding smaller, more frequent meals and avoiding vigorous exercise straight after eating are commonly recommended precautions — ask your vet for guidance specific to your dog.
- How much should I feed an adult Dogue de Bordeaux?
- Follow the feeding guide on your specific food's pack for your dog's current weight, weighing portions rather than estimating them. Your vet can help confirm the right amount for your individual dog's size and activity level.
- When is a Dogue de Bordeaux fully grown?
- Giant breeds typically continue growing until somewhere between 18 and 24 months, well beyond the year mark that suits many medium-sized dogs. Stay on an appropriate puppy or growth formula for as long as your vet recommends for your individual dog.
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Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.