Bouvier des Flandres

Other names: Flanders Cattle Dog, Vlamse Koehond

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Hypoallergenic breed

Hair type	Half-long
Origin	Belgium, France
Template	Big
Head shape	Square

Weight and size
Sex	Weight	Cut
Female	From 27 kg to 35 kg	From 59 cm to 65 cm
Male	From 35 kg to 40 kg	From 62 cm to 68 cm

History of the breed

The Bouvier des Flandres breed finds its origins in the historic region of Flanders . This county straddled France and Belgium . He came from a selection of local cattle dogs and quickly showed off his physical strength and intelligence. First used for herding cattle herds . The Bouvier des Flandres then established itself as an excellent guard and defense dog, especially on farms. Today, he is also employed by the police force.

Bouvier des Flandres Pictures

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Physical features

His coat: thick, dense, rough to the touch, dry, mat and of medium length. Slightly tousled, but neither woolly nor curly. Shorter on the head, with whiskers around the upper lip and a thick beard at the chin.
Its color: gray, brindle, charcoal, even black. A white star on the chest is allowed.
His head: massive in appearance, proportioned to the body and size of the dog. The skull is well developed and flat, with a length slightly greater than the width. The stop is not very marked.
Its ears: set high, with the flags falling vertically, mid-length, in the shape of an equilateral triangle and slightly rounded at the tip.
His eyes: slightly oval in shape, focused on a horizontal line, dark in color compared to the dress, with black eyelids and conjunctiva never visible. Display a frank and energetic expression.
His body: rather stocky, powerful and short. The back and the loins are short, broad and muscular, the chest is broad and well let down to the level of the elbows. The belly is slightly raised.
Its tail: attached high, aligned with the spine.

Behavior and character

Behavior with others

The Bouvier des Flandres is a dog whose loyalty and attachment to his master and his family are unwavering. Affectionate towards children , he can however be dominant with his congeners , especially if they are of the same sex. Driven by an unusual courage and instinct for protection, he is, moreover, particularly suspicious of strangers . All of this makes them an excellent watchdog .

The Bouvier des Flandres
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Education

The Bouvier des Flandres being a dog with an assertive character , it needs a firm and consistent education . His master must be the pack leader in his eyes. Otherwise, the dog may become difficult to manage in adulthood and will always want to gain the upper hand. Its socialization must be early and of quality to attenuate its dominant behavior vis-à-vis other dogs.

Living conditions

The Bouvier des Flandres is clearly not made to live in an apartment , but rather in a house with a fenced garden allowing it to exercise freely. He needs an active and available master , to offer him enough exercise, but also experienced so as not to let his dominant character take over.

Health

The Bouvier des Flandres is a very resistant dog, as well in the cold as in the big efforts. He rarely gets sick, but the breed remains affected by various hereditary ailments: hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, abnormalities of the lumbosacral region or cardiac stenosis.

To protect you from these risks and insure your companion in the event of health problems, Woopets recommends insurance for Bouvier des Flandres dogs .

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Life expectancy

Maintenance and hygiene

The Bouvier des Flandres knows a very moderate moult , even almost non-existent. Its losses are by hairballs and not by scattered hairs. Its rustic color only requires regular maintenance to prevent damage and dust accumulation.

It is recommended to brush the dog on a weekly or bi-weekly schedule to keep the coat and skin clean and healthy. It is also advisable to have it groomed by a professional about 3 times a year . Care must be taken that the beard, eyebrows and mustaches are not cut.

Price and budget

Name ideas for a Bouvier des Flandres

None of these proposals suit you? Use our tool to find the name of your Bouvier des Flandres!

Physical activity

Although the Bouvier des Flandres is rather calm during most of the day, he needs a lot of exercise during his daily outings due in particular to his developed muscles and his taste for work.

Competitions

Others

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Owner’s words

Haydene (4 years old) and Gino (soon 5 years old) our 2 herdsmen. They are big teddy bears with big hearts, very affectionate and very demanding for caresses and hugs. Impressive at first glance especially when they bark (for the safety of the house it’s great!). If you want them to live in the house, you don’t have to be a maniac, they shed a lot of hair … I vacuum every day. It still needs a little maintenance with their long hairs.

They are not athletic dogs, but they like long walks, when you take them everywhere you have to have the car accordingly! It is a sociable breed with other dogs, cats, rabbits … In short if the hair, long walks, caresses, if you have room and the pots of glue do not bother you then the Bernese Mountain Dog is made for you!

Julie G. (France)

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Loves! Very sociable dogs, they have only one owner, but for cuddles everyone is allowed. I run a hotel and my Ermes, a 7 year old Bouvier now, is with me every day. He loves welcoming customers. He also adores children, he is a big teddy bear, but who also knows how to be protective of his family. A little pot of glue it’s true, but at the same time he’s all day with me.

Dorothée A. (Normandy, France)

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The Bernese Mountain Dog is a big teddy bear that grows so fast! A dog very close to his master, who loves cuddles and children. Mine is quite timid, but we are working on it (she is 1 year old). A stubborn character, but very adorable, a real ray of sunshine! The Bernese Mountain Dog requires a little maintenance, because it loses a lot of its beautiful black hairs, but no need to cut the hairs, a bath from time to time and a brush stroke is enough!

He likes to play the crazy, run around … Mine lives in an apartment with a garden level, she loves being outside, but she likes an apartment just as well. You just have to give them time to take them out and spend them physically. A fairly obedient dog, but who needs to be stood up to him. In short, an adorable, kind, not mean and magnificent dog!

Laura E. (Saverne, France)

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FCI Information