Bouvier des Flandres

AKC Group: Herding

Club: American Bouvier des Flandres Club, Inc.

Secretary : Pat Holmes
Address: 2574 Chelsea Rd, Corinth, VT , 05039-9565
Website: www.bouvier.org
Email: bouviers@tops-tele.com
Club Type: Specialty

General Apperance:

The Bouvier des Flandres is a powerfully built, compact, short-coupled, rough-coated dog of notably rugged appearance. He gives the impression of great strength without any sign of heaviness or clumsiness in his overall makeup. He is agile, spirited and bold, yet his serene, well behaved disposition denotes his steady, resolute and fearless character. His gaze is alert and brilliant, depicting his intelligence, vigor and daring. By nature he is an equable dog. His origin is that of a cattle herder and general farmer's helper, including cart pulling. He is an ideal farm dog. His harsh double coat protects him in all weather, enabling him to perform the most arduous tasks. He has been used as an ambulance and messenger dog. Modern times find him as a watch and guard dog as well as a family friend, guardian and protector. His physical and mental characteristics and deportment, coupled with his olfactory abilities, his intelligence and initiative enable him to also perform as a tracking dog and a guide dog for the blind. The following description is that of the ideal Bouvier des Flandres. Any deviation from this is to be penalized to the extent of the deviation.

Size:

Size --The height as measured at the withers: Dogs, from 24½ to 27½ inches; bitches, from 23½ to 26½ inches. In each sex, the ideal height is the median of the two limits, i.e., 26 inches for a dog and 25 inches for a bitch. Any dog or bitch deviating from the minimum or maximum limits mentioned shall be severely penalized. Proportion --The length from the point of the shoulder to the tip of the buttocks is equal to the height from the ground to the highest point of the withers. A long-bodied dog should be seriously faulted. Substance --Powerfully built, strong boned, well muscled, without any sign of heaviness or clumsiness.

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. Undercoat 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. Eyebrows, erect hairs accentuating the shape of the eyes without ever veiling them.

Temperament:

The Bouvier is an equable dog, steady, resolute and fearless. Viciousness or shyness is undesirable.

History:

Dr. Adolphe Reul, of the Veterinary School of Brussels, was the first to call the attention of breeders to the many good qualities of the Bouvier. At that time, the Bouvier was a dog of great size (about 26 inches high at the shoulder), with a heavy cylindrical body, rough gray, dark hair, and a rough appearance. It was found in Southwest Flanders and on the French northern plain. As a rule, it was owned by people who occupied themselves with cattle, for the dog's chief aptitude seemed to be cattle driving.

Most of the early Bouvier breeders were farmers, butchers, or cattle merchants not particularly interested in breeding pedigreed dogs. All they wanted was help in their work. No one is surprised that the first Bouviers were not absolutely uniform in size, weight, and color. Nevertheless, they all had enough characteristics in common to be recognized as Bouviers. They had different names - Vuilbaard (dirty beard), koehond (cow dog), toucheur de boeuf or pic (cattle driver).

The Societe Royale St. Hubert took cognizance of the breed when it appeared on the show benches at the International Dog Show of May 1910, in Brussels. The two Bouviers shown there were "Nelly" and "Rex' belonging to a Mr. Paret of Ghent. However, a standard of the Bouvier type was not adopted until 1912. That was accomplished by a Frenchman, Mr. Fontaine, vice president of the Club St. Hubert du Nord . At that time a society of Bouvier breeders, founded in Roules (West) Flanders, invited many of the most famous Belgian experts to a meeting in August of that year. Those attending drew up a standard of perfection which became the first official standard to be recognized by the Societe Royale St. Hubert.

From then on, the Bouvier des Flandres grew to be more and more appreciated, and were listed in the L.O.S.H. (the stud book of the Society Royale St. Hubert ).

The breed was making rapid progress when World War I broke out. The areas where the Bouvier was most largely bred and where it was becoming popular were entirely destroyed; the people left the country and most of the dogs were lost. Many were abandoned and died, others were acquired by the Germans. However, a few men succeeded in keeping their dogs all through the war.

The dog whose progeny afterwards did much to revive the Bouvier in Belgium lived in the Belgian army as the property of Veterinarian Captain Barbry. This dog, Ch. Nic de Sottegem, was shown in 1920 at the Olympic show in Antwerp, where the judge, Charles Huge, said: "Nic is the ideal type of Bouvier. He has a short body, with well-developed ribs, short flanks, strong legs, good feet, long and oblique shoulders. His head is of a good shape, with somber eyes and an ideal courageous expression. His hair is dry and dark. The tail should not have been cut so short. I hope that this dog will have numerous progeny."

Mr. Huge's hope was realized. When Nic died in 1926, he left many descendants whose names appear in almost every pedigree. Among those worthy of mention are Prince D'Or, Ch. Draga, Coralie de Sottegem, Goliath de la Lys, Lyda, Nora, Ch. Dragon de la Lys, etc. From these dogs, gathered together one day at Ghent, a group of experts, including Charles Huge,V. Tenret,V Taeymans, Count de Hemptinne, Captain Binon, and A. Gevaert, after examining and measuring each one carefully, established a more comprehensive standard.

The Bouvier was recognized by the AKC in 1929, and admitted to the Stud Book in 1931. American fanciers imported dogs regularly from Europe until World War II. At the end of the war interest revived, and the American Bouvier des Flandres Club was established in 1963.