Bouvier des Flandres Dogs Information

Written by: Debbie Moore

Copyright 1997 to 2010 Dogs and Puppies Central
All rights reserved.

Alternate Names: Toucheur de Boeuf (cattle driver),
Vuilbaard (dirty beard),
Flanders Cattle Dog
or Vlaamse Koehond

Common Misspellings:  Bouvie de Flanders, Buvier de Flanders,Bouvier d'Flanders, Bouvier de Flandres

Learn all about Bouvier des Flandres Dogs and Puppies through our indepth guide to the Bouvier des Flandres dog breed. You'll find solid information about Bouvier des Flandres dog history, Bouvier des Flandres life expectancy Bouvier des Flandres dog appearance, Bouvier des Flandres temperament and personality, Bouvier des Flandres health problems, Bouvier des Flandres puppy care, training Bouvier des Flandres puppy dogs and more. Also includes important information about choosing a responsible Bouvier des Flandres dog breeder.

The striking appearance of the Bouvier des Flandres makes it an intriguing dog for many, perhaps one of the more interesting Herding dogs. The thick double coat and the sturdy build give the Bouvier des Flandres the appearance of a powerful dog who is ready for any job and any weather conditions. The eyes are bright and intelligent which suggests the breed's ability to learn more complex duties and maintain self control in situations where other powerfully built and aggressive dogs fall to their more basic instincts. Prized for both farm work and military work in the 20th century - this dog is surprisingly a valued companion and family dog when properly trained.

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Bouvier des Flandres Facts

The Bouvier des Flandres Dog Breed In Brief

Country of Origin: Belgium

Bouvier des Flandres Height: Dogs 24 and a half inches to 27 and a half inches (62.2 to 69.8 cm) at the withers. Bitches 23 and a half inches to 26 and a half inches (59.7 to 67.3 cm) at the withers.

Bouvier des Flandres Weight: Weight - approximately 77 to 100 pounds for dogs, 60 to 85 pounds for bitches.

Bouvier des Flandres Color Variations: Colors for the Bouvier des Flandres range from fawn to black, passing through salt and pepper, gray and brindle. A small white star on the chest is allowed. According to the AKC standard - chocolate brown, white, or parti-color, are not accepted.

Bouvier des Flandres Size Variations: There is no size variants within the breed such as miniature versions. For working dogs, there may be small variations, but for show dogs the breed standard is firm.

Bouvier des Flandres Exercise Needs: Moderate

Bouvier des Flandres Grooming Demands: Demanding

Bouvier des Flandres Trainability: Moderate

Bouvier des Flandres Life Expectancy: 10 to 13 years

Average Bouvier des Flandres Prices: $750 to $2500, depending on Pedigree

Good With Children: Yes, with supervision.

Good With Other Pets: Usually

Breed Group: Herding

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Bouvier des Flandres Dog History

The monks at the Ter Duinen monastery, in Flanders, are credited as being the Bouvier's first breeders. The Bouvier was created in the pastoral regions of Belgium, Northern France and the lower Netherlands that were once known as Flandres. The region has had different political borders over the centuries so the breed has it's roots in all three countries. Imports such as Irish wolfhounds were bred with Flandres farm dogs, until a breed considered to be the predecessor of the modern Bouvier des Flandres was created. The resulting working dog was able to work tirelessly, herding and guarding cattle and even pulling small farm wagons. With its natural strength and temperament, plus its thick coat and hardiness for the local weather in cold and stormy weather - it became an ideal companion and key part of farm life.

Up until the early 20th century, the breed was not singly defined, with three variants: Paret, Moerman (or Roeselare), and Briard. In 1912 and 1913, many local kennel clubs recognized standards for Bouviers des Flandres; yet they could also have different standards for the Roeselare and other variants.

The devastation of World War I on the region nearly caused the breed to disappear altogether. It didn't help breed numbers that the dogs were sought after for military use in guard duty and other dangerous roles. One dog, Nic, a male who trained as a trench dog and served during the war - was a perennial winner at dog shows after the war. He is considered to be the prototype of the current Bouvier des Flandres breed.

In 1936, a unified Bouvier des Flandres standard was created in Europe by a joint French-Belgian committee. The war in Europe that soon followed, (World War II) saw many of the same pressures on the breed as was felt during the first great war.
The turmoil during the wars and the great pressures on farm life during the 20th century helped to keep this breed from becoming a popular working dog or recognized breed elsewhere. It was not until 1965 that the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) breed standard, as agreed to by several minor kennel clubs, was adopted.

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Bouvier des Flandres Dog Appearance

The Bouvier des Flandres is a powerfully built compact rough coated dog. But despite the rugged appearance, the Bouvier gives the impression of size and strength while also being agile and light afoot.
One notable feature is the impressive head which is accentuated by a heavy beard and mustache, when groomed this gives a noble and sophisticated appearance.
As a working dog, the ears and tail of the Bouvier are traditionally cropped for practicality.

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Bouvier des Flandres Grooming

Bouviers des Flandres are sometimes considered non-shedding, but in fact do lose hair, like all dogs. Most of the hair that they lose is caught within the double coat which results in matting.
They require regular grooming and in many cases a brushing every few days to minimize matting or entangled debris in the thick coat. The bearded snout can also be a catch-all for the Bouvier's meals, so some owners recommend a daily rinse with perhaps some mild soap and warm water in your hand to clean things up a little.
Depending on your Bouvier's role, whether working dog, show dog or just family pet, may determine the amount of grooming you choose.
In addition to weekly brushing, the coat should be trimmed approximately every 3-5 weeks if it is to be a show-dog.
If you aren't planning to show your Bouvier des Flandres, you may even consider taking up home grooming to keep your dog cooler in the warm months, the coat is thick and grows back quickly - though the double coat may also make it more tricky to groom for the inexperienced groomer - so do get some advice and use the proper tools.

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Bouvier des Flandres Exercise Needs

The Bouvier des Flandres requires regular exercise. Bred to run with the flocks and herds - these dogs can get bored if not given something to do regularly. A minimum of a daily walk is a good starting point. Room to run would be great for these dogs, if you have a dog park or a place to let the dog play.

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Bouvier des Flandres Temperament

The Bouvier des Flandres is a special dog in terms of temperament, bred as a farm dog and herding dog, with responsibilities of defending the home and the livestock, he is loyal, protective and yet be very gentle and easy going. They require a firm hand and early training, but are very intelligent and devoted. Like many herding dogs, they love to be busy and in charge, but the Bouvier can become lazy or disinterested if allowed to dominate and not given the proper pecking order in the home. If not given an appropriate role, he could challenge the pack leader which could cause problems with discipline or with other dogs in the home. Generally though, train him early, set firm limits for him, give him a role and exercise and he will reward you as a calm, attentive & protective companion.

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Bouvier des Flandres Training

Training is essential for this breed. Basic obedience and household rules training both need to be given serious attention early if you want this dog to live under your rules.
As an absolute minimum, you must teach him to unquestioningly respond to basic commands to come, to lie down, to stay, and to walk at your side, on or off leash and ignore distractions. You MUST also teach him to follow your household rules, if you plan to have this dog spend any time inside the house. Is he allowed to get on the furniture? If he allowed to beg at the table - he will do so regularly.
This dog is both intelligent and very self-assured and will not hesitate to challenge soft leadership of his pack.
What you allow or forbid is unimportant; but it is critical that you, not the dog, make these choices and that you enforce your rules consistently. You must commit yourself to take the training seriously as this is not a dog that can be trained for you by another person. Perhaps attending an 9 to 10 week series of weekly lessons at a local obedience club or professional trainer and to doing one or two short (20 minutes) homework sessions per day. Failure to properly train the dog can lead to any number of difficult or embarrassing situations. This powerful breed was used to control cattle and oxen and will find little trouble in dominating your home or your guests or pulling the leash out of your hands should he decide to chase something.

Bouvier des Flandres Health

As with most large breeds, hip dysplasia can be a problem. That is the malformation of the ball and socket of the hip joint. As it can be passed on to puppies from the parents, responsible breeders screen for this by x-raying their breeding stock and certifying them "clear" with either the Orthopedic Foundation of Animals (OFA) or PennHip, or in part of Canada - Ontario Veterinary College(OVC), to prove each dog is clear of this problem.

Elbow dysplasia, heart conditions and thyroid problems are more common. The only way to prevent them is by genetic testing BOTH parents. Many of these problems can be tested for and certified clear with different organizations. Ask to see health certificates.

Bloat and gastric torsion involves a twisting of the stomach. It is seen in large deep bodied breeds of dogs, and the Bouvier des Flandres is no exception. There are many guidelines to feeding you dog, but to date there is no known cause or solution for the problem.

Hereditary eye problems such as cataracts, entropion and glaucoma are known to appear in the breed. Eye checks are used to screen for these problems and yearly clearance and certification from the Canine Eye Registry Foundation(CERF) at Purdue University.

Despite the fact that most breeders will perform genetic health tests to help minimize the risk of passing on any problems,sometimes something unforeseen will happen in a puppy. When it comes to buying a Bouvier des Flandres from a breeder, take the extra care to check the health certificates and ask for copies of those that you feel may be missing or hard to read.
Be sure that your contact with the breeder covers genetic problems that may occur and what the breeder is willing to do in terms of guarantee. Most reputable breeders will take great care to ensure that they provide screened healthy dogs and lots of good advice should you encounter problems.

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Is the Bouvier des Flandres Right For You?

With the demands of grooming, good outdoor space for running, and the great importance of dedicated training early, the Bouvier des Flandres is not a dog for every situation or every owner. Additionally, they demand attention and form a close bond with their families, so they are not well suited to being yard dogs or guard dogs that are kept outside.

It is recommended that new owners of these dogs be fully aware of the amount of training needed and be experienced dog owners before undertaking the role of Owner/Pack leader for one of these dogs. If you have the space, the time and the dedication to put in the extra time training your puppy, the Bouvier des Flandres can be a very special dog. Anything less than a serious effort on your part though and you may find yourself with a bored, unhappy dog with bad habits that will disrupt your home and perhaps force you to find a better situation for the dog. The dedication that these dogs show to a master and family, may make it difficult to leave them home, so keep that in mind if you travel often. The needs of the dog are not exceptional, but being a good owner for a Bouvier des Flandres can be very demanding for a time.

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Bouvier des Flandres Prices

Average Bouvier des Flandres Price: $750 - $1000

Price always varies when it comes to the purchase of a quality, home-raised healthy Bouvier des Flandres dog or puppy. It's of utmost importance that you place the most weight on acquiring a great Bouvier des Flandres puppy from a highly responsible, reputable breeder, and put the price as a secondary concern in making your decision.

Buying a Bouvier des Flandres dog or puppy at a cheap price from a breeder of questionable reputation can be a one-way ticket to heartbreak and great additional expense throughout the dog's life, should your Bouvier des Flandres puppy have hereditary health problems or behavior and temperament issues (which very often is the case with cheap-priced puppies). Buying from a highly reputable Bouvier des Flandres breeder is your best insurance for acquiring a well socialized, healthy puppy of stable temperament.

Bouvier des Flandres prices also will vary according to the puppy's conformation; puppies placed as pets and companions will generally be less expensive as show-quality Bouvier des Flandres puppies intended to be shown in conformation.

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Finding Bouvier des Flandres Puppies For Sale By Reputable Breeders

If you are ready to add an adorable Bouvier des Flandres puppy to your family, be sure to check out Dogs and Puppies Central's directory of Bouvier des Flandres Puppies For Sale, where you will find photos and information posted by reputable Bouvier des Flandres breeders. We actively screen Bouvier des Flandres breeders who wish to advertise on our service by asking that they meet and follow our Guidelines For Responsible Dog Breeders. We also ask for - and check - three references from each breeder.

By performing an initial dog breeder screening, it is our hope that we can help put you in touch with a caring, responsible Bouvier des Flandres breeder near you. We cannot physically inspect the premises and dogs owned by breeders advertising with us, so you need to be responsible for doing the final inspection and interview.

Let's stop the cruelty of puppy mills. Please help us keep money out of the hands of puppy mills, back yard breeders and pet stores. Buy your Bouvier des Flandres puppy only from a responsible, caring hobby breeder that raises their dogs and puppies in a loving home environment.

When you locate that perfect Bouvier des Flandres puppy - please be sure to send us some photos to be included in our growing gallery of Bouvier des Flandres dog and puppy pictures!

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Additional Bouvier des Flandres Resources:

• Bouvier des Flandres Wikipedia Profile
• AKC Bouvier des Flandres Breed Profile
• Bouvier des Flandres Pictures
• Bouvier des Flandres Videos

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