BOUVIER DES FLANDRES

Temperament: Affectionate, Courageous, Strong-Willed
Height: 24.5-27.5 inches (male), 23.5-26.5 inches (female)
Weight: 70-110 pounds
Life Expectancy: 10-12 years
Group: Herding Group 

MORE ABOUT THIS BREED

The Bouvier Des Flandres was originally bred to be a versatile farm dog. They helped farmers in a multitude of tasks, including herding livestock (particularly cattle), pulling carts, and guarding. The hard-working and intelligent Bouvier is still an ideal farm dog, as well as a capable service, assistance, law enforcement, and guard dog.

While you can also find Bouviers competing in obedience, agility, and herding trials, serving as family companion is the role that seems to suit them best. They’re highly affectionate and playful with all the humans in their pack. That said, make sure you’re comfortable with a bit of messiness if you’re considering adoption. These pups aren’t afraid to roll in the dirt and mud, and their coats tend to drag debris indoors. Their coats also require a bit of maintenance. If you can tolerate a bit of cleanup, you’ll be rewarded with an intelligent and adoring furry family member.

The Bouvier does well with training and generally learns quickly. Still, since he can be strong-willed and sometimes stubborn, he’s not recommended for first-time or timid owners. Neither is he recommended for owners who can’t stand a mess. His shaggy coat is a mud-burr-dirt magnet so he’s prone to tracking dirt and debris throughout the house. Perhaps most annoying is his amazingly odiferous flatulence.

For those, however, who embrace his strong personality, extreme grooming needs, large size, and protective nature, the Bouvier can be a great choice.

PERSONALITY

The Bouvier work ethic must be accommodated, and happily the breed’s versatility allows them to do myriad tasks. Bouviers are excellent watchdogs and guardians, and eager participants in dog sports, especially herding trials. These strong-willed dogs do best with owners who can devote ample time and space to a top-of-the-line working dog.

FEEDING

Recommended daily amount: 3 to 5 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.

You’ll need to take special care if you’re raising a Bouvier puppy. Like other large breeds, the Bouvier grows very rapidly between the age of four and seven months, making him susceptible to bone disorders. Feed your puppy a high-quality, low-calorie diet that keeps him from growing too fast (22 to 24 percent protein and 12 to 15 percent fat).

NOTE: How much your adult dog eats depends on his size, age, build, metabolism, and activity level.

HEALTH

Bouviers are generally healthy dogs, and responsible breeders will screen their stock for health conditions such as Bouvier Des Flandres myopathy, cataracts, deafness, ectopic ureters, epilepsy, glaucoma, hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, laryngeal paralysis, megaesophagus, elbow dysplasia, portosystemic shunt, and subaortic stenosis. Like all large and deep-chested breeds, the Bouvier can experience gastric dilatation and bloat. Owners should learn how identify this potentially life-threatening condition and learn what emergency steps to take to address it.

Recommended Health Tests from the National Breed Club:

• Hip Evaluation
• Elbow Evaluation
• Ophthalmologist Evaluation
• Cardiac Exam

CARE

The Bouvier Des Flandres is happy to lie around the house and enjoy the luxuries of companionship. He isn’t highly active, but he does need regular exercise. He lives comfortably in the city or country.

You’ll need to take special care if you’re raising a Bouvier puppy. Like other large breeds, the Bouvier grows very rapidly between the age of four and seven months, making him susceptible to bone disorders. Don’t let your Bouvier puppy run and play on very hard surfaces such as pavement or pull a cart until he’s full grown and his joints are fully formed. Normal play on grass is fine, as is puppy agility play, with its one-inch jumps.

The Bouvier can be suspicious of strangers and very protective of his family — good qualities for a herding dog. Socialization will prevent him from becoming overly shy or protective. You can take the Bouvier puppy to many places that allow dogs, like pet supply and building supply stores to familiarize the dog to strangers and unfamiliar situations. Puppy training classes are highly recommended.

Tail docking is usually done when pups are very young. You can choose to crop his ears, or not. It requires surgery and several months of care after. If you like the look of cropped ears, factor in the care and expense, as well.

GROOMING

The Bouvier has a double coat, with a tousled look. His undercoat, which offers warmth and water-resistance, is soft, dense, and topped by rough hairs that protect the dog from inclement weather. A mustache, beard, and eyebrows give the Bouvier his characteristic gruff appearance.

If you adore the way Bouviers look in the show ring, think twice about getting the breed: This well-coiffed look takes hours to achieve. At home, the Bouvier is your typical shaggy dog. His coat doesn’t shed much, but it does develop mats and tangles if not thoroughly brushed once a week. A good brushing takes about an hour; ask your breeder or a groomer to show you how to line brush the coat, so you don’t miss any mats. You’ll need a stiff bristle or pin brush, as well as blunt-tipped scissors. If you don’t plan to show him, it’s okay to trim the Bouvier’s beard and coat for easier upkeep. The rest is routine care: bath your Bouvier when he’s dirty, as well as clean his ears and trim his nails on a regular basis.

SOME PICTURES ABOUT THIS BREED

Source: akc, dogtime, vetstreet.