Bouvier des Flandres
Working

Group:

Working

Size:

large

Lifespan:

10-12 years

Exercise:

high

Grooming:

high

Trainability:

medium

Watchdog ability:

very high

Protection ability:

very high

Area of Origin:

Belgium

Date of Origin:

1600’s

Other Names:

Belgian Cattle Dog, Vlaamse Koehund

Original Function:

cattle herding

History

The Bouvier Des Flandres is also known as the Belgian Cattle Dog or the Vlaamse Koehund, (and sometimes Dirty Beard!). This dog takes its name from its place of origin, the plains of Flanders in Belgium; and the French word "bouvier" means herdsman. However, not much more information exists about its ancestral origins. Some claim it descended from the Schnauzer, while others suggest the breed is a mix of several European herding breeds, the Flemish Cattle Dogs in particular. Although its history is vague, its value as a working dog has never been questioned, whether it be herding, guarding the farm, or cart pulling. Before the Machine Age, the Bouvier was used to drive cattle to market, and later, the strong and capable dog proved its merit on the battlefields of WWI and WWII. The breed is still used for police and protection work. A breed standard was not agreed upon until 1922, and since then the breed has found favour all over the world. It was introduced to New Zealand in the mid 1970's. The breed has been promoted by a few, loyal, dedicated Bouvier fanciers to the extent that through their efforts there are currently several hundred in New Zealand. It carries a characteristically heavy beard, moustache, and eyebrows. The Bouvier is well adapted to family living but requires regular outdoor activity; he is also still used for herding and security.

Temperament

Intelligent and obedient Bouvier Des Flandres looks mean but in reality is calm and gentle. They are excellent at learning and once they learn a command the will remember it their entire lives. Bouvier Des Flandres are known for their loyalty. They require an experienced handler and are often protective of their families. Bouvier Des Flandres do not reach adulthood until they are 2-3 years old.

Upkeep

The Bouvier Des Flandres is not a breed that can be put aside until the mood strikes to play with it. It needs daily exercise and daily interaction, and a lot of both. It loves the chance to herd, but its requirements can also be met with a good jog, a very long walk or a vigorous play session. It can live outdoors in temperate to cool climates. It makes a good house dog, however, and would prefer access to both house and yard. Its harsh coat needs combing once or twice weekly, plus scissoring and shaping (clipping for pets and stripping for show dogs) every three months.

Official Breed Standard

CHARACTERISTICS:
By his lively appearance the Bouvier should reveal intelligence, energy and audacity. His temperament should be calm and sensible.

GENERAL APPEARANCE:
Rather short legged and cobby, the body set on well muscled, strong legs, giving the impression of great strength without clumsiness.

Head and Skull:
The head should appear big, the moustache and beard making it appear even more so, in proportion to the body and height. When handled it should be found to be well chiselled. Well developed and flat, the skull should be slightly broader than it is long. The lines of the under side of the skull and the top should be parallel. The proportion of the length of the skull in relation to the muzzle should be as 3 is to 2. A very slight furrow in the forehead. The stop not very deep, but appearing so, due to the heavy eyebrows. The muzzle broad, strong and bony, rectangular when seen from the front, gradually narrowing towards the nose, but never becoming pointed. The circumference, measured just in front of the eyes, should be approximately equal to the length of the head. Extending the foreface in a slightly convex line towards its tip, the nose should be very well developed, rounded at its edges and always black. Nostrils wide. Cheeks flat and clean.

Eyes:
Honest, alert in expression. Neither protruding nor set too deeply. Slightly oval in shape and horizontally placed. As dark as possible in colour in relation to the coat. Light or wild looking eyes to be strongly penalised. Eyelids black, with no sign of loss of pigment. Conjunctiva should never be visible.

Ears:
Set on high, very flexible; in proportion to the head.

Mouth:
Jaws strong and of equal length. Teeth strong and white with a perfect regular and complete scissor bite i.e., the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Neck:
Strong, well muscled and thickening slightly towards the shoulders. A little longer than the length of the head, nape strong and arched. No sign of dewlap.

Forequarters:
Forelegs very strong and absolutely straight. Shoulders relatively long, muscular without heaviness and placed obliquely. Shoulder blade and upper arm of equal length. Elbows set well into body and parallel, never turning in or out. Forearms, seen either from the front or the side, absolutely straight, parallel to each other and perpendicular to the ground. Well muscled and heavy boned. Pasterns strong, fairly short, sloping very slightly.

Body:
Strong, deep, broad and compact with very little tuck-up. Length from point of shoulder to point of buttock about equal to height at withers. Chest should descend to level of elbows and should not be cylindrical, although the ribs should be well sprung. Croup should continue, as far as possible, the horizontal line of the back and blend imperceptibly with the curve of the rump. Broad but not excessively so in the dog, broader in the bitch. A rising croup, or one which falls away, is a very serious fault.

Hindquarters:
Hindlegs very strong with pronounced muscle. They should move in the same plane as the forelegs. Thighs broad and well muscled. Hocks well let down. Dew claws should be removed.

Feet:
Short, round and compact. Toes tight and well arched. Nails black and strong. Pads thick and hard.

Gait:
Proud, upright bearing. Ambling is permitted.

Tail:
Docked to 2 - 3 vertebrae. It should continue the normal line of the vertebral column and be carried gaily when moving. Dogs born tailless should not be faulted for this.

Coat:
Hair coarse to touch, dry and matt. Neither too long nor too short, about 6 cm (2.5 in), unkempt looking but never woolly or curly. On the head it should be shorter and the outside of the ears almost bare, with the inside of the ear protected by fairly long hair. The coat should be particularly thick and "crackly" on the top of the back, gradually becoming shorter as it comes down the legs. It should be always harsh. A flat coat is to be avoided since it denotes lack of undercoat, which should be normally fine and close grained. The upper lip well moustached, the lower carrying a full harsh beard, which gives the forbidding expression so characteristic of the breed. Eyebrows formed of backward sweeping hairs which accentuate the shape of the eyebrows but which never hide the eyes.

Colour:
Usually fawn or grey, often brindled or shaded. Black is also permissible and no colour shall have preference. Light, washed out shades are undesirable.

Weight and Size:
Ideal weight: Dogs 35 - 40 kg (77 - 88 lb). Bitches 27 - 35 kg (59.5 - 77 lb). Ideal height: Dogs 62 - 68 cm (24.5 - 27 in) Bitches 59 - 65 cm (23 - 25.5 in). In either sex the ideal is midway between the measurements.

Faults:
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault is regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note:
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.