Bouledogue du Midi

One of the popular baiting and fighting breeds descended from the Alaunt and other hounds and mastiffs of Europe, the mighty Midi Bulldog was developed in southern France during the Middle Ages, originally as a cattle control dog and butcher shop guardian and later as a valued "sport" contestant. This bully belonged to the group of lighter Bullenbeisser breeds and was almost identical in appearance to the old-type German Boxer, apart from having a flesh-colored nose. While undoubtedly related to the German breed, it isn't clear whether the Bouledogue du Midi was one of its ancestors or a possible descendant. Some believe it was developed from the Toulouse Bulldogs crossed with Brabanters, while others think it was older than both of those breeds and link it to the Spanish Alano. There is also an opinion that the Bouledogue du Midi and the Bouledogue Toulousain are in fact the same breed, but it should be noted that the Toulouse Dogge was a much taller mastiff. A prized fighting dog of its time, the Midi Mastiff was eventually bred into the early Dogue de Bordeaux bloodlines and became extinct itself by the 19th century.

The short coat was fawn, red or brown in color. The height rarely exceeded 23 inches.