The Bouvier des Flandres
Some says that the Bouvier des Flandres might have originated from Flanders in Belgium. Back to the 16th century these dogs were used to drive cattle and pull carts.
The Bouvier was used, during World War I, as a messenger and to find hurt soldiers. The breed almost disappeared during the war. Luckily, it has been rescued by Flemish breeders in the 1920’s. In the 1930’s, they were first brought to the United States where they were used as guide dogs, guard dogs, tracking dogs and as companions.
Breed Group
Herding
Size
Male: 23-28 inches
Female: 22-27 inches
Weight
Male: 75-90 lbs
Female: 60-80 lbs
Color(s)
The Bouvier des Flandres can have all shades of fawn, black, salt and pepper or gray and brindle.
Coat
A tousled, double coat capable of withstanding the hardest work in the most inclement weather. The outer hairs are rough and harsh, with the undercoat being fine, soft and dense. The coat may be trimmed slightly only to accent the body line. Overtrimming which alters the natural rugged appearance is to be avoided.
Topcoat must be harsh to the touch, dry, trimmed, if necessary, to a length of approximately 2½ inches. A coat too long or too short is a fault, as is a silky or woolly coat. It is tousled without being curly. On the skull, it is short, and on the upper part of the back, it is particularly close and harsh always, however, remaining rough. Ears are rough-coated.
The undercoat, is a dense mass of fine, close hair, thicker in winter. Together with the topcoat, it will form a water-resistant covering. A flat coat, denoting lack of undercoat is a serious fault. Mustache and beard very thick, with the hair being shorter and rougher on the upper side of the muzzle. The upper lip with its heavy mustache and the chin with its heavy and rough beard gives that gruff expression so characteristic of the breed. The Eyebrow should be erect hairs accentuating the shape of the eyes without ever veiling them
Life Expectancy
About 10 - 12 years.
Personality
The Bouvier des Flandres is a very good family dog as it is calm, gentle, smooth and excellent with children. Very loyal and alert, they tend to be very protective of their family and territorial. This is an enthusiastic dog who takes it a long time to get to maturity. Extremely intelligent, they need a lot of mental stimulation not to get bored. As they are very loving, Bouviers always want to be close to the family. On the other hand, they tend to be suspicious with strangers. This breed is very adaptable to all kind of new situations.
Care
The Bouvier des Flandres is prone to: twisted stomach, bloats and hip dysplasia. Bouviers need to be brushed several times a week and their coat needs to be trimmed three or four times per year. These dogs need any excess hair in the ears and between the toes removed on a regular basis. This breed is a very light shedder if properly groomed and is often referred to as ‘hypoallergenic'.
Training
As puppies, Bouviers tend to be strong willed and quite stubborn, so they need patient training with an experienced owner. They say of this breed that once they learn a command, they will know it for their entire life.
Activity
These are athletic and agile dogs. However, if they aren’t sufficiently exercised, they might become obese and lazy, so they need a lot of regular exercise to stay in shape. Bouviers des Flandres are not good apartment dogs as they need to spend a lot of energy every day.