The Bouvier des Flandres is an agile and even-tempered herding dog created by farmers and cattle merchants that
needed help with their work.
The breed originated in Flanders - a region
that encompasses the northwestern part of
Belgium and adjacent parts of the Netherlands and France.
Today Flanders refers to the Dutch speaking
northern portion of Belgium, but as far as dog
breeds go the Bouvier could just as well be
considered a Dutch dog.
Early individuals didn’t look much alike, and
sizes and colors varied. They had enough in
common to be called Bouviers, but it took
a while before the breed reached a conform look, and the different types got funny
nicknames, like Vuilbaard which means “Dirty
Beard.”
Bouviers were very popular up until World
War I, but the war devastated the areas where
the dogs were bred and most of the dogs
were abandoned as their families died or fled.
Only a few families managed to stay and keep
their dogs until the war was over.
These dogs are known for being steady,
resolute, and fearless. They make great family
members and guardians that also excel at
herding, obedience, agility, and tracking.
While the dogs are fairly calm indoors, this is
a large working breed and they need lots of
exercise and something to do.
A Bouvier des Flandres typically weighs between 80 and 120 pounds.
FOLLOW US