Bouvier Des Flandres pros and cons
Owning a Bouvier Des Flandres comes with pros and cons. Pros of Bouvier breed include the sociable and good natured temperament and strong attachment to his family. One of the advantages to owning a Bouvier is that Bouviers make good watchdogs and are naturally protective over their owners.
Cons of owning a Bouvier include the dog's dominant temperament. Bouviers are known to be difficult to train and need a seasoned owner who has the time to socialize, train, groom and exercise this dog. First time dog owners may find this breed rather challenging to manage. Bouviers have a gorgeous coat that needs daily grooming and care, which can be a drawback. Bouvier des Flandres needs to get plenty of physical and mental activities during the day. A bored Bouvier is prone to behavior problems that may include chewed up or ripped furniture, excessive barking and so on. Separation anxiety is more common for this breed. Bouviers need to be around their family most of the time. An ideal home for a Bouvier has a nice yard where the dog can spend some energy during the day. This breed is more suitable for active people who are planning to spend most of the day with Bouvier, involving the dog in various family activities.
Bouvier Des Flandres size
Bouvier weight
Bouvier Des Flandres male weight: 36 to 54 kg (79 to 119 lb)
Bouvier Des Flandres female weight: 27 to 36 kg (59 to 79 lb)
Bouvier Des Flandres size
Bouvier Des Flandres male height: 56 to 71 cm (22 to 28 in)
Bouvier Des Flandres female height: 56 to 69 cm (22 to 27 in)
Bouvier Des Flandres coat: thick, double coat
Bouvier colors: fawn, black, grey, brindle
How many puppies do Bouviers have on average?
Bouvier Des Flandres litter size: 5 to 10 puppies
How long do Bouviers live?
Bouvier Des Flandres life span: 10 to 12 years
Bouvier Des Flandres other names for the breed: Toucheur de Boeuf, Vlaamse Koehond, Flemish Cattle Dog, Flemish Droving Dog, Belgian Cattle Dog, Belgian Droving Dog, Koehund, Vlaamse Koehund, Pic, and Vuilbaard
How much does a Bouvier Des Flandres cost?
Bouvier Des Flandres prices range from $1,000 to 2,500 per puppy depending on many factors
 Bouvier des Flandres temperament and personality
Bouvier des Flandres was originally developed as a working herding breed and means "Cow Herder of Flanders" which helps to identify the origin of this breed. The temperament of the breed is good-natured and people oriented. The dog forms a strong attachment to his owners. This is a loyal dog who needs to spend a lot of time with his family. The drawback of this character trait is that the breed is known to have a higher chance of developing a separation anxiety. Bouvier's dominant temperament may be too much to handle for an inexperienced owner. Vlaamse Koehond may be less agreeable with other dogs as he may seek dominance over other dogs which can result in conflicts or dog fights.
Dog parks may not be the best place to take a Bouvier as due to his commanding and dominant presence other dogs may feel intimidated and conflicts may arise. Best place to let your Bouvier run would be on an open field. A bored Bouvier will be destructive and unhappy. It is important to keep the dog busy with mental exercises, nose work, herding, agility or any other activity that keeps the dog mentally stimulated. Should not be trusted around other pets as Bouvier is prey driven and may pursue small animals, including cats. For that reason, this breed is not recommended for a first time dog owner. Are Bouviers good with kids? Bouviers are not recommended for families with toddlers or young kids. Older kids can get along with the dog as long as the dog was socialized to the kids from a young age. Always supervise this large guard dog around children.
Bouvier des Flandres is a working breed and found a good use in the military. Toucheur de Boeuf has a strong protective instinct and has a natural suspicion of strangers. This is a winning combination for a guard and protection dog. The dog will do a superb job protecting the territory and the owner. In general, the larger the breed, the more living space it needs and being that Bouvier des Flanders is a large breed, keeping the dog in an apartment is not ideal. This breed does best in a house with a yard where the dog can explore, run around and stretch his legs. A well-socialized Bouvier should not be aggressive. Protective-aggressive or fearful-aggressive personality traits may develop if the dog is not properly socialized from a young age, which can be a disadvantage to owning this breed. Basic obedience training combined with socialization from an early age will help to raise a confident and well-mannered companion dog that is truly a pleasure to have around.
Bouvier Des Flandres training
Bouvier Des Flandres respond well to training. Basic Obedience commands are a must with this large breed. Fortunately Bouvier Des Flandres is trainable despite independent temperament. Positive reinforcement and proper motivation such as food, praise or play will help to get the best training results. Bouvier experts and breeders explain that even though Bouvier can be a fast learner, the dog does not have the same speed of response as German Shepherd breed for example. This delayed command execution can be expected from this breed because the dog was originally developed to have an independent thinking ability in order to succeed as a herding breed. Processing information and figuring out solutions is something that Bouvier was required to do as a herding dog and the result is that we have a very intelligent dog that will first think and then act when given a command. Therefore it would be unreasonable to expect a lightening fast response from this particular breed, which can be considered a con by some Bouvier owners. A Bouvier tends to think before acting. Be patient and consistent when training your Bouvier and it is important to start training your dog while he is still a young puppy. Older dogs can also be trained, but often require more time as the older dog is more set in his ways and not as flexible as a young Bouvier pup.
Crate training is a good idea especially if you travel with the large dog such as the Bouvier des Flandres. A crate provides a safe and familiar environment for the dog during the trip and minimizes travel related stress. Traveling in a crate is also the safest way to transport a dog. The appropriate crate size for a Bouvier should allow enough room for the dog to stand up full height freely and to turn around in the crate. The dog should have enough space to stretch out. If the crate is too big, there is a chance that the dog will be inclined to use the unused part of the crate as his toilet. If you are buying a crate for a Bouvier puppy, get a dog crate that is large enough to accommodate a full grown dog, but make sure that the crate comes with a crate separator that can be used to allocate enough space to the growing Bouvier pup.
House training should begin the moment you bring the dog home.
Be very selective if you are getting a help from a dog trainer or enrolling a Bouvier into a dog training school. A good dog trainer can do wonders for your dog but it is important to know that the wrong trainer can do more damage than good. Get references, speak to people who had their dogs trained at the dog training school and do a very thorough research before you sign up for any classes. If you are not comfortable with the way your Bouvier is handled by the trainer you can always stop the session. A good dog trainer will let you watch the training session and will explain what is happening. A Bouvier should not be treated in a harsh or cruel manner at any point during training.
Bouvier Des Flandres grooming
Bouvier Des Flandres breed is known for the dense, double coat that requires daily brushing. Bouviers have maximum grooming needs, which can be a con to owning this breed. Matting can be a problem because as the dog is losing the hair, it can easily get caught in the double coat and create tangles. Brushing the dog's coat frequently helps to prevent mats and hot spots which are painful skin lesions that may appear especially during hot months of the year. The coat needs about three trimmings per year. Keep the hair around paws neat and short as it may pick up a lot of dirt when the dog is walking on the street. Keep the coat around the Bouvier's mouth area clean after each feeding.
For showing the dog's coat needs a specific trim.
Best brushes for Bouvier coat care
Large pin brush
Brush your Bouvier every day with a pin brush to keep the coat mat free.
Slicker brush
Dental care helps to maintain the dog's overall health. Start getting your dog accustomed to brushing his teeth regularly from a young age. Provide your dog with chewing toys and rawhide bones to help keep the teeth clean and the dog entertained.
Trim the dog's nails as soon as you are able to hear clicking sound from the nails on the hard wood floor whenever the dog is walking on the floor.
Keep the dog's ears clean and carefully wipe off all the moisture from the ears with a clean, dry towel after bathing or swimming to avoid ear infections.
Feeding your dog a high quality age-appropriate dog food is important. Providing the dog with good nutrition will not only keep the dog healthy inside, but the appearance will also benefit. With the balanced nutrition your dog will have more energy and his coat will look healthy and shiny. Keeping your dog in healthy weight is very important especially for dogs that belong to large breeds. When a dog carries extra weight, the weight adds to the pressure on the joints and that is the reason why large dogs are more prone to joint issues that may occur sooner in life if the dog is overweight. Overweight dogs are more susceptible to various health conditions from heart issues to canine arthritis and many others. Overweight dogs also have a lower life expectancy than dogs in healthy weight.
Bouvier Des Flandres health problems
Bouvier Des Flandres is a large dog breed and he is predisposed for hip and elbow dysplasia. Keep Bouvier in healthy weight as overweight dogs are more prone to joint issues such as arthritis. Avoid high impact exercises that involve jumping while Bouvier is still a puppy. Do not overfeed the puppy and keep the dog in healthy weight to minimize the risk of joint issues. A comfortable orthopedic dog bed with a removable cover provides a good support to the dog and helps him to get a good rest.
Bouviers may suffer from allergies that usually start at young age. Symptoms of allergy in your Bouvier Des Flandres may include chronic vomiting, diarrhea, itchy skin and ear infections. Be sure to check with your veterinarian and mention any symptoms that you are noticing. Your veterinarian may recommend a diet that will help with the allergy. Flatulence (passing gas) can be an issue with this breed.
When selecting a Bouvier Des Flandres puppy, check bloodlines for hip dysplasia. Responsible breeders test their breeding dogs for hip dysplasia before breeding. This large breed takes from two to three years to fully mature both mentally and physically. Many large dog breeds are predisposed to arthritis and other joint problems and Bouvier des Flandres fits into that category. Avoid over-exercising your dog while he is still a puppy and especially avoid high-impact activities until the dog fully matures and his joints can support his body without causing issues later in life. Walking is the best way to exercise your puppy during the growing period.
Jumping may put too much pressure on the growing joints and cause problems down the road. When you are getting the puppy from a breeder, Bouvier prices may vary between $1,000 and $2,500 per puppy. Some people choose to adopt a Bouvier from a dog rescue center. Many wonderful Bouvier des Flandres end up in dog shelter centers due to no fault of their own. Adopting a dog from a rescue center usually costs a lot less than getting a dog from a breeder. You may not get much information about the dog from a rescue center as often there's very limited info available.
Bouvier Des Flandres origin
Flanders is a Dutch-speaking region of Europe, located within Belgium and partly in France as well as Netherlands. As the name of the breed suggests, this region is the place of origin of the Bouvier des Flandres. The breed was developed as a sheepherding breed that was primarily used as a cattle driving helper who was responsible for bringing herds of cattle from the farm to the market. Drover dogs were widely used in Europe before the Industrial Revolution and Bouvier des Flandres filled the role of a drover dog during that period.
During the World War I and World War II, Bouviers were used as military dogs.
The Bouvier Des Flandres was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1931.
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