Darius is the black mask male that we have retained from the Nate x Shelby litter. He was the puppy that stood out from the litter due the the superb breed type he displayed from an early age.

He is 18 months and 1 day old in the above photo.

Darius is displaying fabulous breed type with excellent chin, dished muzzle, set back of nose leather, good rear angulation and an excellent topline. These breed characteristics have been evident since he was a puppy and are rarely seen in Australia.

His pedigree is world renoun and contains some of the most influential Dogue families in the world today.

Darius' quality is being recognised by judges who appreciate correct breed type, rather than just a big heavy dog, and he has been awarded 13 Classes in Group and 1 Runner-up Best in Group to date, beginning with his very first show.

Darius was awarded Puppy of Breed at the 2010 Royal Brisbane Show by Mr C V Sudarson (India).

He was also the No. 1 DDB Rising Star for 2010 and was the No. 2 Best of Breed winner (behind Tobias) on the 2011 DOL Pointscore.

Darius is now coming of age and this is reflected in the great weekend he had at the Beaudesert Kennel Club shows. He took Runner-up Best of Breed on the Saturday under Mr E Fillipini (Argentina) and then Best of Breed on the Sunday under Mr T Alexander (Canada). Mr Alexander's comment was "he is everything I think the breed should be". There were 17 DDB entered.

Darius then took Runner-up Best Exhibit in Group/Best Junior in Group in the Beaudesert Kennel Club Open Show under Mrs J Ireland (Qld).

Darius takes Best of Breed at the Ipswich Kennel Club Championship Show No. 2 under Mr M Zidar (Slovenia). There were 20 DDb entered. Darius' 8 month old son, Bordogue Gibson, takes Reserve Challenge dog behind his father.

Darius' daughter, Safron, recently took Best Minor Puppy in Group at the Lockyer Valley Kennel Club Championship Show under Mrs J. Harvey (Vic). Safron was only 18 weeks old and it was her 4th show. There were 7 babies in the Baby in Group line-up. Safron was awarded Best Minor Puppy in Group at the Beaudesert Kennel Club Championship Show under Ms E. Tan-Hietalahti (Finland). It was a big Minor-Puppy line-up.

His black mask daughter, Beatrix, is an Australian Champion and multi class in Group winner. She was Challenge Bitch at the 2016 Brisbane Royal.

Safron and Beatrix's sister Savanah is also an Australian Champion and a multi class in Group winner.

At only his second and third championship shows, Darius' son Alex was award Best Baby Puppy in Group at both the Beenleigh Kennel Club Championship Shows under international judges. He was 16 weeks old. Alex would finish 2012 with 9 Classes in Group and a Best Baby Puppy in Show at Championship Show level. His daughter, Lexie, achieves her Australian Championship title at age 13 months and 4 days.

Alex, Lexie, Ethan and Tommy are now all Australian Champions and all multi Class in Group winners . Ethan is a multi Best in Group 1st and multi Best in Group 2nd winner. Lexie is now a Grand Champion, a Best in Show 1st, Best in Group 1st and multi Best in Group 2nd winner, multi Royal Best of Breed winner and was described by Mr Louis Pinto Teixeria (Spain) has having the "perfect Bordeaux head". Mr Teixeria awarded Lexie Best Female and Runner-up Best of Breed at the Sydney Kennel Club show in July 2016.

Due to his superb breed type, Darius is now attracting attention from international kennels.

It is hoped that Darius’ outstanding qualities will assist us in the continuing pursuit of correct breed type.

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Darius passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on 26 March 2012. He had been at the Beaudesert Kennel Club shows the two days prior and both European judges had gone over him and commented on his superb breed type. An autopsy revealed he died as a result of a complication from an elongated soft palet. His passing was not only a cruel blow to us, but also to the Dogue community in Australia as he was certainly one of the best type males born in this country. Thank you to those kennels both in Australia and overseas who knew of his passing and respected our wishes for privacy at what was such a terrible time for us. We miss his happy outgoing personality so very much.