Quick Links: Table of Contents
- Bouvier des Flandres Breed Overview
- History of the Bouvier des Flandres Breed. Where Bouvier des Flandress came from
- What the Bouvier des Flandres Looks Like
- How Much is the Bouvier des Flandres Puppy?
- Best Bouvier des Flandres Breeders
- Adopting or Rescuing the Bouvier des Flandres
- Bouvier des Flandres Growth
- The Temperament of the Bouvier des Flandres
- How Long Bouvier des Flandress Live
- Bouvier des Flandres Litter Size
- How Fast Bouvier des Flandress Can Run
- Good Names for Bouvier des Flandress
- How Intelligent are Bouvier des Flandress?
- How Popular are Bouvier des Flandress with New Dog Owners?
- Health Problems in Bouvier des Flandress and How to Prevent Them
- How to Take Care of Bouvier des Flandres
- Dog Breeds That Are Similar to Bouvier des Flandress
- Other Things to Know About Bouvier des Flandress
Bouvier des Flandres Breed Overview
The Bouvier des Flandres is a large-sized dog.
The adult Bouvier des Flandres stands 23 to 26 inches tall at the shoulder.
The Bouvier des Flandres belongs to the Herding Dogs group.
Dogs in the Herding Dogs group, like the Bouvier des Flandres, were bred for moving livestock, including sheep, cattle, and even reindeer.
Herding dogs work closely with their human shepherds, and their natural intelligence and responsiveness make them highly trainable.
Herding dogs have high levels of energy, which needs to be channeled properly to prevent destructive behavior.
Herding breeds are protective of their people and property and make excellent watchdogs. Their intelligence, agility, and activity level make them well suited to dog sports.
The fact that the Bouvier des Flandres belongs to the Herding Dogs group is one of the reasons why Bouvier des Flandress have the personality and temperament that they have.
The temperament of the Bouvier des Flandres is generally described as:
- Familial
- Gentle
- Intelligent
- Loyal
- Protective
- Rational
History of the Bouvier des Flandres Breed. Where Bouvier des Flandress came from
Farmers and cattlemen in 17th century Southwest Flanders and the northern French plain required a dog that could work in various areas of the farm.
They required cattle herders, stock protectors, and even brute muscle to pull carts, churn butter, and work the grist mill.
The origins of Bouvier des Flandres breeding are frequently debated.
Some believe it is a cross between a mastiff, a sheepdog, and a spaniel.
Others believe it is a cross between the Beauceron and the Griffon breeds.
Back then, the men who bred them did so purely for function, with little regard for breed standards.
This resulted in a significant variation in appearance.
Regardless, they shared enough similarities to warrant comparison.
The term “Bouvier” is a French word that means “oxherd” or “cowherd,” and it was combined with their region of origin to form their modern name.
Adolphe Reul, a veterinarian at the Veterinary School of Brussels, pointed out the breed`s admirable qualities to local breeders along the way, though a standard was not adopted until 1912.
During World War I, many Bouviers died as their homelands were destroyed, but one who survived, Nic de Sottegem, competed in the Antwerp Olympics in 1920.
His ancestors can be found in nearly every modern bloodline.
The AKC recognized the Bouvier in 1931, and imports of the breed began in the United States.
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What the Bouvier des Flandres Looks Like
Straight front legs and wide, muscular thighs give the Bouvier des Flandres a square, powerful appearance.
The big head has a distinct beard and mustache.
The furry face has expressive oval, dark brown eyes, and alert ears are high on the head.
Ears can be cropped to a triangular shape.
The broad muzzle tapers gently to a large black nose with flared nostrils.
The paws are rounded, with thick pads, arched toes, and strong nails.
The outer coat is made up of rough, harsh hair strands, while the undercoat is made up of a dense layer of soft, fine hair.
The coat`s colors can range from fawn to brindle, gray to black, with a possible salt and pepper appearance.
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How Much is the Bouvier des Flandres Puppy?
The average price of a Bouvier des Flandres puppy is $1990. The price of a Bouvier des Flandres puppy ranges from $1600 to $2500.
A lot of factors determine the price of the Bouvier des Flandres. These factors include what health records the Bouvier des Flandres puppy has, the lineage of the Bouvier des Flandres puppy, the US state the breeder is located in, etc.
To estimate how much you can expect to pay for a puppy Bouvier des Flandres based on the many factors that determine the price of the Bouvier des Flandres puppy, check out our calculator that lets you estimate how much you should expect to pay for the Bouvier des Flandres puppy based on what you want in the puppy.
When looking to buy a puppy, look at buying a puppy only from well-established breeders that breed puppies primarily for the love of the Bouvier des Flandres breed, and secondarily for profit. Do not buy a puppy from a puppy mill. Puppy mills mass-produce puppies in bad living conditions for maximum profit.
You may also consider adopting instead of buying a puppy. Adoption costs are very low compared to the price of a puppy.
Best Bouvier des Flandres Breeders
We have researched reputable Bouvier des Flandres breeders that you can buy a puppy.
Go to this page for our complete list of reputable Bouvier des Flandres breeders in various states in the United States.
On this page, you will see how much these breeders sell their puppies for, and how many puppies they have available.
A few of these breeders are listed below.
Dutch Bouviers
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
Gregory Ratliff
Puppy Price: $2000.00
Legacy Preservationist ,Bajoron Bouviers (Bronze Merit Breeder)
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
Sara and Dustin Fowler
Puppy Price: $3000
Bouviers Gate House
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
Adopting or Rescuing the Bouvier des Flandres
You may consider adopting a dog instead of buying a puppy. Many dogs, Bouvier des Flandress included, are currently available for adoption in your local dog shelters.
These helpless but adorable dogs are waiting in dog shelters hoping that someday someone will rescue them. Dog adoption costs are lesser than the cost of a new puppy. Dog adoption costs are usually around $300 or even less.
In addition to your local dog shelter, another good place to find dogs that are available for adoption is petfinder.com.
Below is an adorable Male Bouvier des Flandres named Bo that is currently available for adoption on Petfinder.com. You can find other lovely Bouvier des Flandress like Bo on pefinder.com.
Future Intakes (Male Or Female) is the name of another Bouvier des Flandres (Male) on petfinder.com that is looking for a new forever home.
You can find more Bouvier des Flandress that are available for adoption on petfinder.
Bouvier des Flandres Growth
New Bouvier des Flandres owners need to know about the growth of their Bouvier des Flandress. This will help them plan their living spaces accordingly.
Also, knowing the typical growth pattern of the Bouvier des Flandres will help new owners catch the abnormal growth of their Bouvier des Flandres early.
See our calculator for predicting how big your Bouvier des Flandres puppy will get. You will also learn about the typical weight of the Bouvier des Flandres at different ages and how to catch abnormal growth in your Bouvier des Flandres
The Temperament of the Bouvier des Flandres
The temperament of the Bouvier des Flandres based can be summarized as in the table below.
The table shows the scores of the Bouvier des Flandres for 13 important dog behavioral factors.
We obtained these scores by analyzing raw data from the C-BARQ dog personality survey tool. The higher the score of a dog for a factor, the worse the temperament of the dog regarding that factor.
The C-BARQ tool was developed by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, and it is a scientific tool that is used worldwide for reliably measuring the temperament of dog breeds.
See our complete analysis of the temperament of the Bouvier des Flandres here.
| Factor | Score |
|---|---|
| Prey Drive | 58.1 percent |
| Energy Level | 47.3 percent |
| Dog Directed Aggression | 47.1 percent |
| Stranger Directed Aggression | 44.8 percent |
| Attachment Attention Seeking | 41.8 percent |
| Excitability | 40.6 percent |
| Owner Directed Aggression | 4.9 percent |
| Separation Related Behavior | 32.2 percent |
| Dog Directed Fear | 25.7 percent |
| Stubbornness | 24.2 percent |
| Dog Rivalry | 22.6 percent |
| Touch Sensitivity | 18.9 percent |
| Stranger Directed Fear | 16.4 percent |
| Nonsocial Fear | 15.2 percent |
How Long Bouvier des Flandress Live
The lifespan of the Bouvier des Flandres is typically from 10 to 12 years.
Moreover, a few years back, veterinarian researchers performed a scientific study to determine the lifespan of the Bouvier des Flandres. In this study, the scientists collected data on how long 39 pet Bouvier des Flandress lived.
From the study, it was found that Bouvier des Flandress have an average lifespan of 11.3 years. Furthermore, the study found that it is not uncommon for Bouvier des Flandress to live as long as 18.3 years.
Note that you need to put in some effort if you want your Bouvier des Flandres to live long.
Bouvier des Flandress live long if they eat well, drink well, exercise well, and visit the veterinarian regularly.
There are also dog supplements that you can give your Bouvier des Flandres to improve your Bouvier des Flandres`s quality of their life.
Click here to learn more about how to make your Bouvier des Flandres live long.
Bouvier des Flandres Litter Size
Researchers from the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science did a study where they counted the numbers of puppies in 9 different Bouvier des Flandres birth litters.
From this study, the researchers found that the average number of puppies that Bouvier des Flandress can have is 6 puppies. Also, the Bouvier des Flandres can have as few as 5 puppies per litter and as many as 10 puppies per litter.
The number of puppies that the Bouvier des Flandres will have depends on factors such as the age of the Bouvier des Flandres, the method of pregnancy, etc.
Click here to see our calculator for predicting how many puppies your Bouvier des Flandres will have and how the litter size of the Bouvier des Flandres compares to the litter size of other dog breeds.
How Fast Bouvier des Flandress Can Run
How fast a dog breed can run is a good measure of how athletic the dog breed is.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) regularly conducts dog running competitions. The AKC records the running speed of competing dogs in these competitions. These competitions are open to all dog breeds.
Based on our analysis of the speeds of 68 different Bouvier des Flandress, the average speed of the Bouvier des Flandres is 22.4 mph (36.0 kmph).
The fastest speed on AKC record that the Bouvier des Flandres ran in a race is 28.69 mph (46.2 kmph) and the minimum speed on record in a race for a Bouvier des Flandres is 3.98 mph (6.4 kmph).
Click here to see how the speed of the Bouvier des Flandres compares to the speed of other dogs and other mammals such as cats, horses, humans, etc.
Good Names for Bouvier des Flandress
Here are some really good names that are typical for the Bouvier des Flandres ranked by popularity:
- Clarence
- Future
- Bo
- Lucas
- Griffin
- Tucker
How Intelligent are Bouvier des Flandress?
| Bouvier des Flandres | |
|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 29 out of 130 dog breeds |
| Trainability | Tend To Learn New Commands After 15 To 25 Repetitions |
According to Prof. Stanley Coren, a Canadian psychology professor/dog trainer, the total intelligence that a dog demonstrates is the addition of three types of intelligence. These intelligence types are:
- Instinctive Intelligence: This is the natural intelligence that comes from instinct. For example, dog breeds that have been historically bred to be guard dogs will have a high `guarding` intelligence compared to dogs that were not bred for guarding.
- Adaptive Intelligence (learning and problem-solving ability): This indicates what a dog can learn to do for himself or herself. Adaptive intelligence is specific to each dog, and not breed specific. You can improve your dog`s adaptive intelligence by investing time to train your dog.
- Working/Obedience Intelligence: This type of intelligence is breed-specific. Certain dog breeds tend to have higher working/obedience intelligence than some other breeds. This intelligence is the closest to what we might call school-learning ability and it is based upon what the dog can learn to do when instructed by humans. This type of intelligence can be measured for each dog breed and compared to that of other dog breeds.
Professor Stanley Coren measured and ranked the working intelligence of about 130 different dog breeds.
Prof. Coren found that the Bouvier des Flandres has an obedience intelligence rank of 29 out of 130 dog breeds. Thus, Prof. Coren put Bouvier des Flandress in the `Above Average Working Dogs` category.
This means that Bouvier des Flandress tend to learn new commands after 15 to 25 repetitions.
However, we should mention that a dog should not be judged based on its intelligence alone. There are other important factors you need to consider when deciding on which dog breed to get. These other factors include sociability, adorability, and compatibility of the dog breed with your lifestyle.
See the intelligence ranking of some other dog breeds below:
| Breed | Intelligence Rank |
|---|---|
| Standard Poodle | 2 |
| Labrador Retriever | 7 |
| Australian Cattle Dog | 10 |
| English Springer Spaniel | 13 |
| Belgian Sheepdog | 15 |
| Belgian Malinois | 22 |
| Chesapeake Bay Retriever | 27 |
| Samoyed | 33 |
| Bedlington Terrier | 40 |
| American Water Spaniel | 44 |
| Rhodesian Ridgeback | 52 |
| Ibizan Hound | 53 |
| Norfolk Terrier | 56 |
| Chinese Crested | 61 |
| Dandie Dinmont Terrier | 62 |
| Chihuahua | 67 |
| Basset Hound | 71 |
| Pekingese | 73 |
| Bloodhound | 74 |
| Borzoi | 75 |
How Popular are Bouvier des Flandress with New Dog Owners?
Every year, the American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes information on how popular a dog breed is in that particular year. The AKC gets the popularity information of a breed from how many dogs of that breed the owners register with the AKC every year. The AKC collects this data for about 200 dog breeds.
The graph below shows the popularity trend of the Bouvier des Flandres.
The popularity of the Bouvier des Flandres averaged over the years is Number 87 out of about 200 dog breeds.
Do not get a dog breed just because it is a popular dog breed. And do not reject a dog breed just because it is an unpopular breed.
Health Problems in Bouvier des Flandress and How to Prevent Them
Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it tends to develop. There is nothing like a perfect dog breed.
The Bouvier des Flandres is prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is an organization that keeps track of genetic health problems in dog breeds.
From the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop.
Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.
If you want a Bouvier des Flandres puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Bouvier des Flandres breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.
The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Bouvier des Flandress for:
- Cardiac Evaluation
- Elbow Dysplasia
- Eye Examination. Minimum age 18 months. The ABdFC recommends testing be repeated every two years until at least 8 years of age.
- Hip Dysplasia
You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Bouvier des Flandress here.
How to Take Care of Bouvier des Flandres
To take good care of your Bouvier des Flandres, you need to make sure that you groom your Bouvier des Flandres regularly.
Secondly, you need to find a veterinarian in your area that will routinely check the health status of your Bouvier des Flandres regularly, and give you appropriate recommendations on your Bouvier des Flandres`s preventative care.
Thirdly, you need to commit some time to exercise your Bouvier des Flandres daily. Regular exercise helps improve the health and quality of life of your Bouvier des Flandres.
Also, you need to feed your Bouvier des Flandres high-quality dog food, and the food should be of the right amount to prevent your Bouvier des Flandres from getting overweight or underweight.
See our recommendations on what to feed the Bouvier des Flandres and how much food to feed the Bouvier des Flandres at different life stages.
Finally, you need to make sure that your Bouvier des Flandres has access to clean water all the time. See our recommendations on how much water your Bouvier des Flandres needs to drink at different ages.
Dog Breeds That Are Similar to Bouvier des Flandress
If you have not made up your mind on which dog breed to get, you may also want to consider some other dogs similar to the Bouvier des Flandres.
We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds that have similar behavior and temperament as the Bouvier des Flandres:
- Black Russian Terrier (77 percent match with Bouvier des Flandres). Learn more about the Black Russian Terrier here.
- Lhasapoo (77 percent match with Bouvier des Flandres). Learn more about the Lhasapoo here.
Other Things to Know About Bouvier des Flandress
Here are some of the very important characteristics of the Bouvier des Flandres that you need to know about the Bouvier des Flandres breed: