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Honest FAQ for Bouviers

By Michele Welton, Dog Trainer, Behavioral Consultant, Author of 15 Dog Books

Bouvier des Flandres

This shaggy dog is not for the fastidious household. Mud, snow, and leaves cling to his tousled coat, and his beard sops up water like a sponge and can then mat and smell. A drink of water is likely to leave a sopping wet trail across your rug. Of course, if you keep the coat clipped short, those issues go away.


What kind of temperament and personality does the Bouvier des Flandres have?

The most descriptive words that come to my mind regarding Bouvier des Flandres temperament and behavior are:

"wise old grandfather", strong-willed, rugged, athletic, versatile, loyal

I give you my honest opinions about Bouvier des Flandres temperament and personality traits and characteristics – positives AND negatives – in my dog breed review, Bouvier des Flandres Temperament and Personality Traits (What's Good About 'Em, What's Bad About 'Em).

How do you pronounce Bouvier des Flandres?

BOO-vee-ay day FLAHN-dra. The is silent in French.

Where did the name Bouvier des Flandres come from, and what was the breed used for?

Bouvier = Cow herder
des = "of" or "from"
Flandres = a medieval region covering Belgium, France, and the Netherlands

This old farm dog herded cattle, pulled milk carts, and guarded his family's farm. During World War I, some Belgian people were able to flee safely when their Bouviers protected them against the invading Germans. The breed also served as military K9s, pulling ambulance carts and supply carts, during both World Wars.

What traits would help Bouviers accomplish their work? That's right... high energy, endurance, athleticism, toughness, intelligence, independent thinking yet high trainability, aloofness with strangers, and loyalty to their owner.

How big are Bouviers? Height and weight?

About 24-28 inches at the shoulder, and 65-100 pounds, which puts them in the LARGE category.

What colors do Bouviers come in?

Most Bouviers are black, brindle, gray, fawn, or salt & pepper (mixture of light and dark hairs).

Do Bouviers come in different "types"?

  • Yes. Some breeders focus on Bouviers for exhibition in the dog show (conformation) ring. These dogs tend to be the most mellow.
  • Other breeders focus on performance abilities, especially herding, carting, tracking and scentwork, obedience, and agility. The trainability of these dogs is high, but they are likely to be more energetic and need more activities to stay happy.
  • Still other breeders focus on training their Bouviers in protection dog sports such as Schutzhund. However, the breed is not seen in this arena very often anymore.

    The proliferation of show breeders has introduced genes into the Bouvier's gene pool that compromise the breed's abilities to work. Most notably, Bouviers from show lines have "weaker nerves" (are easily stressed under pressure) than Bouviers from performance/working lines.

Do Bouviers have a doggy odor?

A Bouvier des Flandres doesn't have smelly skin, but when his shaggy coat or beard get wet, get ready for the "wet dog" odor.

On a more delicate note, Bouviers are one of the most flatulent (gassy) breeds. Honestly they can clear a room. Fortunately, if you feed a Bouvier the real food he is genetically designed to eat (meat), his digestive woes are much less noticeable.

How much exercise do Bouviers need?

Anywhere from moderate exercise all the way up to lots of exercise.

Bouviers from performance lines typically want and need more exercise, while those from strict show lines are often lazier. Still, to maintain a healthy physique, this big breed does need to get outside and moving!

That means an hour or two of brisk walking, plus a decent yard for an occasional vigorous romp, especially if you have two compatible dogs who will play and chase and wrestle.

In addition, Bouviers need mental stimulation to keep from becoming bored (and engaging in barking or destructive chewing). Here's what you do with a Bouvier: fetch, controlled tug-of-war (taught in my training books), herding, carting, agility, advanced obedience, rally, hiking, tracking and scent work, protection dog sports. Bouviers need things to do!

Do Bouviers need a fenced yard?

Yes, with a high solid fence. Why a fenced yard? and best and worst fences.

Are Bouviers easy to train?

If you are an assertive person who can "read" and respond to a strong-willed working dog and establish a healthy leader-follower relationship, a Bouvier des Flandres is ready and willing to learn almost anything.

These dogs SEEK a competent leader who will structure their lives around activities that provide a suitable outlet for their energy and their internal drives to work.

If you don't have the time or interest in providing plenty of exercise and the activities I mentioned above... don't get a Bouvier. Both you and the dog will be unhappy.

Are Bouviers easy to housebreak?

Yes.

Are Bouviers friendly with people?

Most Bouviers are immensely loyal, devoted to their family. With strangers, most Bouviers are standoffish, even a bit suspicious. But their behavior should be required to be polite, not aggressive or fearful.

Many Bouviers – definitely not all – have protective instincts. But without actual protection training,  they are not effective protectors. But they can still be excellent deterrents... as long as you stay in charge and immediately stop any unwarranted aggression.

Some Bouviers, unfortunately, go in the opposite direction, being skittish or fearful. This temperament flaw is serious, as a large nervous dog can bite defensively if he feels threatened.

Are Bouviers good with children?

Bouviers raised with children are usually gentle and tolerant. Otherwise, it really depends on the individual dog and the individual kids. Be aware that Bouviers may try to herd running children by poking at them with his snout, or bumping them with his big body.

Are Bouviers good with other dogs?

As long as you're a good leader, most Bouviers will be fine with other dogs in their own family or other dogs they know well – especially other dogs of the opposite sex and with submissive,  personalities.

But with strange dogs, most Bouviers are on the pushy side, especially with other dogs of the same sex.

Are Bouviers good with cats?

Again, they're usually fine with cats in their own family. But some Bouviers have stronger prey/chasing instincts than others, so... could be iffy.

How much do Bouviers shed?

Bouviers are average shedders. Their harsh coat sheds moderately in the spring and fall. If you leave the coat long, some shed hair gets caught in the coat instead of falling out on the floor. So it might look like they shed less than they actually do.

Are Bouviers hypoallergenic? Good for people with allergies?

If you're allergic to dog dander, no. If you're allergic to canine saliva, no. Bouviers are not hypoallergenic dogs.

How much grooming do Bouviers need?

Lots. The amount of brushing depends on how often you clip the coat (I recommend every couple of months), and how short you clip it. The shorter it is, the easier brushing will be. And a shorter coat doesn't mat, so it's more comfortable to your Bouvier.

You can learn to clip the coat yourself or you can use a professional groomer, but it must be done, else it will become a matted mess. Honestly, I recommend keeping the coat clipped as short as possible so it stays cleaner, neater, and mat-free.

As the coat begins to grow out again, you need to monitor with brush and comb for mats and tangles, especially in the dog's "arm pits." You also need to make sure the hair around their private parts is kept short for sanitary toileting. And the beard needs daily attention as it quickly gets wet and dirty.

What's a good training schedule for training Bouvier des Flandres puppies?

Here's the puppy training schedule I use for Bouviers: Puppy Training Schedule.

What behavior problems do Bouviers tend to have?

Many years ago, I did obedience training for a Bouvier des Flandres show kennel.

The pups and adolescents were a bouncy handful, full of beans, but with kind hearts. They simply needed to be taught not to pull on the leash, not to jump on people, and no quarreling among themselves. Another common Bouvier trait, stemming from his herding instincts, is poking and pushing, even nipping, at children and other pets in an attempt to move them along or gather them together.

Fortunately, establishing the proper leader/follower relationship was very easy with these young Bouviers and then they were more than happy to follow the rules.

The adult Bouviers were mostly calm and dignified. Their only real behavior issues centered around showing bold dominant behavior (or the opposite, nervous fearful behavior) toward strangers or strange dogs. Again, these adult Bouviers were not difficult to work with, once the correct leader-follower relationship was settled.

Keep in mind that if a Bouvier is acting out through barking or destructive chewing, it's almost always caused by insufficient exercise or lack of challenging activities that prevent boredom. Here the owner has to step up, because, like it or not, he or she is the root cause of these behaviors.

What health problems might Bouviers have?

Loose hip joints (hip dysplasia) or elbow joints (elbow dysplasia) can cause lameness and crippling arthritic pain. Heart diseases and inherited cancers cause a lot of deaths in Bouviers des Flandres. And gastric torsion (bloat), which can kill a healthy dog in just a couple of hours, is a serious worry in large breeds with deep chests... like Bouviers.

What breeds are similar to the Bouvier des Flandres?

You might like a Giant Schnauzer or a Black Russian Terrier or even a Beauceron.

Where can I buy a Bouvier des Flandres puppy?

  • If you're looking for a show dog, buy only from a show breeder.
  • If you're looking for a Bouvier who can do protection sports, buy only from a working/performance breeder who specializes in protection sports.
  • If you're looking for a companion dog to do all sorts of fun activities with... buy from a breeder who shows their dogs in conformation AND works them in activities such as agility, herding, obedience, etc.

Read my article.

Where can I adopt an older Bouvier des Flandres?

Rescue group or humane society/shelter? Read my article.

I just got a new Bouvier des Flandres. Which pages should I read first?

  • Bouvier des Flandres Health, which includes my advice on feeding, vaccinations, and daily health care. These pages are very important, because if you start your Bouvier des Flandres puppy off on the wrong foot, he will probably experience health problems later on. Starting off right is essential.
  • Training Bouviers, which includes my advice on respect training, housebreaking, and socialization. Again, you must start your Bouvier des Flandres puppy off on the right foot by teaching him what he needs to know, and you must avoid doing the wrong things with him so that he doesn't develop bad habits that will be much harder to fix later on.

Do male dogs or female dogs make better pets?

Ah, let the debate begin! Honestly, male Bouviers have pros and cons, and female Bouviers have pros and cons. Visit Male Dogs versus Female Dogs

There's an adorable Bouvier des Flandres puppy at the pet shop. The store manager assures me they only buy from responsible breeders. Could this be true?

No responsible Bouvier des Flandres breeder would ever place one of their Bouvier des Flandres puppies in a pet shop for resale. To find out more about pet shop puppies, visit Pet Shop Puppies: Buying a Puppy From a Pet Store.

How do I pick the best Bouvier des Flandres puppy from a litter?

You can do puppy personality tests. Visit How To Choose a Good Puppy.

What's the best dog food for Bouviers?

3 Best Ways To Feed Your Dog Healthy Food.

I have to take my Bouvier des Flandres to the vet soon for shots. Which vaccinations does he really need?

The schedule of vaccinations that dogs really need has changed dramatically – but unfortunately most vets are not telling you this, because a good chunk of their income depends on frequent vaccinations. Please don't get any more shots for your Bouvier des Flandres until you've read my article on Puppy Shots and Dog Vaccinations.

What are the pros and cons of spaying and neutering my Bouvier des Flandres, and when should it be done?

Spaying and neutering are often recommended too early, which can lead to health problems later in life. Visit Spaying Your Female Dog or Neutering Your Male Dog for the straight scoop on the safest (and riskiest) times to spay or neuter.

I have a question about Bouviers that I don't see answered on your web site.

It's probably answered in one of my free online books.

Michele Welton with BuffyAbout the author: Michele Welton has over 40 years of experience as a Dog Trainer, Dog Breed Consultant, and founder of three Dog Training Centers. An expert researcher and author of 15 books about dogs, she loves helping people choose, train, and care for their dogs.

My best-selling books – now available  FREE  on my website


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