There are so many dog breeds in the world that it is difficult for you to know about all of them. Some of them are recognized by AKC, and to some, the AKC does not give its recognition. One such breed that is recognized by AKC is the Bouvier des Flandres.
This breed was bred from local farm dogs and Scottish deerhounds, and Irish wolfhounds in Belgium. The dog breed was bred for the purpose of herding cattle.
The breed is known to work tirelessly, guarding and herding cattle and also pulling big carts. This is all due to the personality and temperament that this breed shows. Their coat helped them stay protected even in different weather conditions.
The breed of this working dog almost disappeared during WWI as their habitat was destroyed, and they were also used for the purpose of military work. The modern-day Bouviers were bred from a trench dog named Nic that helped the breed of Flanders to get back to a normal number.
After this, the breed got endangered again in WWII. The breeding of the breed slowed down, and in 1965, it was recognized by the FCI breed standard.
The dog breed that is known for its mustache and beard all over its head, Bouvier, is a farm dog that can grow up to 110 lb (49.8 kg) if given the opportunity. Although these breeds are prone to various health problems, they can have a good life if their health is taken care of.
They can live up to the age of ten years, and that is a good amount of time to live with a family.
If you like reading about Bouvier des Flandres' facts, you should definitely check out our other articles on the Caucasian shepherd or the Maltese.
Bouvier Des Flandres Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a Bouvier des Flandres?
The Bouvier des Flandres is a dog breed that was bred from Scottish deerhounds or Irish wolfhounds with the local farm dogs.
What class of animal does a Bouvier des Flandres belong to?
As Bouvier des Flandres is a dog and dogs are mammals, hence, Bouvier des Flandres belongs to the class Mammalia.
How many Bouvier des Flandres are there in the world?
There is no proper information available on the population of Bouvier des Flandres dog species in the world.
Where des a Bouvier des Flandres live?
The Bouvier des Flandres dog breed included wolfhounds and deerhounds bred with farm dogs in France and Belgium. Hence, the places where they can be found living in are Belgium and France primarily.
What is a Bouvier des Flandres habitat?
Being a cattle dog, the habitat that suits best to dog the Bouvier is open space. The farms and open fields where they can run and feel the air hitting their face is the place where they would like to have their habitat.
Who does Bouvier des Flandres live with?
The Bouvier des Flandres dog is a friendly dog and lives with its owners or other animals with ease. As they are known for herding cattle, Bouvier des Flandres is a cattle dog and is a perfect companion for farm owners.
How long does a Bouvier des Flandres live?
The Bouvier des Flandres life span (10-12 years) is impressive. If these farm dogs are loved dearly and become an important part of your life, they can have a good life span of 10-12 years on average.
How do they reproduce?
The Bouvier des Flandres breed of dog with an average life span (10-12 years) matures at the age of two or three. After the dog gets mature, it can mate.
Being mammals, they mate sexually. When the female gets her first estrus cycle, she is mature and ready to mate. During the breeding season, the males and females mate, and after the gestation period is over, the female gives birth to Bouvier des Flandres puppies.
The puppies live with their mother for some time till they are mature enough to find their own food. They feed on their mother's milk and, after some days of birth, can start eating solid foods as well.
What is their conservation status?
As there is no exact data on the population of Bouvier des Flandres dog breed, it is safe to say that it has the status of Least Concern. Although during World War I, the population of Flandres Bouvier des dwindled.
After breeding the breed back to a good number, the breed became endangered again in World War II. After this, the kennel club committees of different regions helped this breed in being adopted.
This dog breed has been recognized by American Kennel Club (AKC) as a herding dog in 1931, Canadian Kennel Club, FCI, National Kennel Club, and more.
Bouvier Des Flandres Fun Facts
What do Bouvier des Flandres look like?
The Bouvier dog's build and rugged appearance is the main feature of this dog breed. The hair on their head, ears, and all over their body give them a look of strong-willed nature with no problems of heaviness.
They have a double coat, and their outer coat gives them a look that is different.
Their head is the main feature that has a mustache and beard all over. The tails of these dogs were docked so that they can be prevented from getting hurt from cart-pulling and herding, but the cropping of their ears is like a new fashion.
How cute are they?
Dogs are always cute. A Bouvier des Flandres puppy is really adorable with its hairy appearance. A mature dog will also catch your attention with its appearance. The nature of this dog is really good and hence, can become your friend very soon.
How do they communicate?
Like other breeds, Flanders communicate with the help of vocalizations and body language. They bark, growl, whimper to show their behavior to their owners.
They also wag their tails, get alert, or behave differently if they have to say something. The puppy will have its ways of communicating as well, just as adults do. You have to be familiar with your dog to know what they are saying and understand their language.
How big is a Bouvier des Flandres?
Bouviers are large dogs that can have their weights ranging between 60 -88 lb (27-40 kg) and their lengths ranging between 23-27 in (59-68 cm). Females are few inches shorter than males. Some other large dogs include the Great Dane, English mastiff, and Spanish mastiff.
How fast can a Bouvier des Flandres run?
Being herding dogs, these breeds of dogs can run at a good speed. So although the speed at which this dog runs isn't mentioned, it can still be thought that this dog runs at a good speed because they have been a part of herding trials and search and rescue.
How much does a Bouvier des Flandres weigh?
The males weigh a little heavier than the males. The weight of these dogs ranges between 60-88 (27-40 kg). Females are a little shorter in inches and a little lighter in weight.
What are the male and female names of the species?
Generally, the males are called dogs, whereas the females are called bitches. The dog breeds have other names as well. They are known as Bouvier, Koehond (cow dog or cow herder), Toucheur de Boeuf (cattle driver), and Vuilbaard (dirty beard).
What would you call a baby Bouvier des Flandres?
Bouvier dogs give birth to their offspring, and their offspring is called a Bouvier des Flandres puppy. The breed gives birth to such an adorable puppy that you want to have it as your pet. Their coat is soft, and they are great with children. The puppies will tug at your heart for sure.
What do they eat?
The breeds group should eat high-quality food that meets their daily requirement of energy level. As they have high energy levels, they run and stay alert a lot. Therefore, the food that they eat should be able to meet their needs.
While feeding, take care of their weight. The increase in weight is a health problem for almost every dog.
Their weight, being one of the health problems, should always be taken care of so that they don't have to compromise their health just for food. Other than this, they have various health conditions, including hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is also a very common health problem in almost every dog breed.
Are they slobbery?
The dog is slobbery to some extent like every other dog is.
Would they make a good pet?
Bouviers will make a really good pet. They are great if you have a farm as they love to herd cattle. They are really easy to train as they want to impress their masters.
Their coat might give them a look of dirty beard breeds, but they are really good with their work. They are great at their work of herding a group of animals. They are also good for search and rescue purposes.
Did you know...
These dogs have been not only recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) but also by various other kennel clubs.
These dogs need a lot of grooming because of their hair growth.
The personality of the Flanders breed allows them to live happily with their owners and children.
They are hypoallergenic dogs.
Are Bouviers good family dogs?
The dog is a good family dog. They have a really good temperament and are amazing with an adult or children. Keeping them as a family companion is a good choice.
There are few things you should keep in mind. First, it is better to train them when they are at an early age or is a puppy. The puppy is easier when it comes to training the dogs.
The training of these dogs is not tough even if they become an adult, but it is better to get a puppy and train it. Second, their coat can grow much, and therefore, grooming is needed.
You can get their ears cut off if you want to, but it is not very important. These dogs also need exercise along with their coat grooming. Finally, their characteristics include protective nature.
Are Bouviers aggressive?
These dogs are fearless, loyal, and protective in nature. The dog's daily dose of exercise is needed so that it can stay within its limit of the characteristics you are familiar with.
These dogs are not very aggressive, but if the dog's daily requirement of exercise is not fulfilled, they can get aggressive and might bark a lot. The head is an important feature; it gives them a rugged look that can be taken care of starting from an early age.
This rescue dog can be trained by giving them training. The protective nature of the dog can be seen around its masters, children, or cattle.
They can be herding a group of people if they cannot herd a group of livestock because of their nature. The training can help them control their aggressive nature if they have it.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals from our red fox facts and blue-eyed darner facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Bouvier des flandres coloring pages.