Anyone got one?

Bouvier Des Flandres is currently at the top of our list for our next dog. Our next step is to call breeders on the UK breed club but would like to hear from any Bouvier owners here first if there are any.

Sounds like something out of the Simpsons!!

Just been on http://www.bouvierclub.co.uk/web/NewGallery/index.html
lovely dogs, don't know anything about them. I like coming across new breeds to me.

When I read the title of the thread I thought you'd come up with an exotic name for a new kitten!

Never heard of that breed but they look gorgeous and so huggable.

They tend to be pretty strong-willed, being a guarding breed, so you need to be sure you are in control and you set the boudaries or they can be inlclined to take over, including over-guarding as they come to maturity, which may not be until they are 2.5 to 3 as they are a relatively slow-maturing large breed.
Not a breed for a first time owner but I know you are not in that category.

I am so envious, I'd love to own a Bouvier . Maybe when my children have flown the nest I will seriously start looking for one (no room at the inn at the moment...) .

What i do know is theres a lot of these needing rescuing theres one lives local to me Be very careful taking them on,theyre livestock guards and occasional police dogs on the continent.certainly a dog that will need a lot of socialising and a hell of a lot of excercise

Didn't know there were a lot in rescue. I'd much rather have a puppy, but I'll look into that.

One of the things that attracts is that they take more work than some other breeds. We have done stubborn with a Glen of Imaal - though he is so good natured, any mistakes made with him can be forgiven. We have done 'needs socialisation' with the Cresties that can have major fear issues if not socialised appropriately. They have all turned out pretty fine - even Hansel who was seven months with fear issues and resource guarding (only with other dogs) issues when we got him. He is now very confident and the resource guarding is 90% cured - 10% managed.

They are a beautiful dog, one that could keep up with our walking regime, trainable, loyal yet laid back in their affection.

Since walking our neighbour's Rott we have realised that next time we'd like a larger dog than what we have now, but not as big as a Rott. We also have to be careful with fur - I can be allergic to short furred dogs so we have played safe and gone for haired dogs rather than 'furred'.

We have considered other breeds - I love Bergamascos but they absolutely reek!! Komondors I think are just a bit beyond us experience wise. German Shepards have some major and distressing health problems when they get older. I also love Thai Ridgeback but they don't tick many of our boxes!!

So the Bouvier seems to fit our requirements

Thought it was about a call girl agency

* nods in agreement*


I know they have a lot of coat but the adult Bouviers I've met were all pretty on a par with the size of a Rott and coming from the same background, (herding, driving, guarding) behavioural problems when/if they arise tend to be similar to the sort of problems you can get with Rotts, I expect that will be why there are a large number in rescue as ianincleveland says.
As I posted before they are not dogs for the inexperienced. I would guess most of the rescue dogs would be between about 12/18 months to about 3 years, as increasing maturity kicks in.
Bergamascos are not dissimilar to Komondors in behaviour/temerament, so, although slightly smaller I wouldn't advise anyone who didn't feel confident to managage a Kormodor, having researched them, to consider a Bergamasco. They are both self-determining, independent, flock guards "designed" to be outside in all weathers and to act very much on their own reconacense (sp).

If you like that sort of a corded dog have you considered a Puli? They're much smaller and have an easier temperament but maybe they're below the size you're looking for?.

While it can be very rewarding to work with a rescue dog, in teh case of a dog with the power and personality of a Bouvier I would hesitate to take on and try to correct the unknown quantity of a dog someone else had possibly already messed up.
I don't agree a puppy is entirely a clean sheet, as some people say, as it genetics, it's mother's example and it's interactions with its siblings and its maternal environment will still influence how its behaviour turns out however well you rear it.
However you do have a much better chance to encourage good behaviour patterns or discouraging negative or dangerous behaviour before it develops into a very well established trait, when rehabilitation can sometimes prove to be a veneer over previous behaviour.
The veneer may prove think enough that the undesirable behaviour never re-emerges but in extremis it is easier to revert back to something previously familiar than if that learning and experience of success had never occurred.
I would suggest you talk to the breed rescue and to owners of individual Bouviers, as well as breeders, because with most breeds the breeders only give you the positive aspects of their dogs, or are so accutomed to the problem behaviour that it no longer appears to them as anything other than normal!! The bad news tends to be something you have to discover for yourself.

theres not many Bouviers in country full stop but as i said i know one local to me and owner said fairly high percentage end up in rescue.They are as is pointed out by Tass roughly the same size as a Rottie and just as strong.they also have similar backgrounds though because theyre nowhere near as popular as Rotties theyre not in the hands of unscrupulous breeders who turn out any old dog.

Komondors are very rare and from everything ive read theyre strong willed in the extreme.Dealing with a Glen of Immall that is stubborn is different to one of these herding guarding breeds,youve got to train and socialise it thoroughly from day 1.

I would have said go for something like a boxer but if you allergic to short fur thats out.

If youve got the room and the space for a big dog how about a newfoundland or a leonberger,.both of which are easier in temperament than Bouviers