Subject: Don't Buy a Bouvierr
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Date: Sun, 4 Feb 2007 16:58:33 -0600

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER!

by Pam Green (c.1992)

If you wish to contact Pam Green about a rescue, please go to What to do... There
you will find instructions what to do if you know of a Bouvier in need of
rescue. If you do call Pam and reach her answering machine, please speak loudly
and clearly. Phone calls from out of area may be returned collect ; give Pam an
idea of best time to return a call. Any e-mail messages about behavior problems
or about rescue problems (esp need to place a dog or desire to adopt one) should
go to the Bouvier
mailing list and not just to Pam individually. You may also send such
requests to [email-masked] and request
that your message be forwarded to the Bouvier list.

[This article is a must read for any prospective Bouvier owner. It contains
more useful information than any Bouvier book I have seen and Pam Green is
certainly one of the most knowledgeable Bouvier people alive. If you find this
article useful, please consider giving a donation to one of the Bouvier rescue
organizations. Visit: Donating to Bouvier
rescue - Len Gaska]

(This article, written many years ago, has become a notorious classic in
Bouvier circles. It has been reprinted many times by clubs to use for the
education of prospective Bouvier owners. I give my permission freely to all who
wish to reprint and distribute it in hopes of saving innocent Bouviers from
neglect and abandonment by those who should never have acquired them in the
first place.)

Interested in buying a Bouvier? You must be or you wouldn't be reading this.
You've already heard how marvelous Bouviers are. Well, I think you should also
hear, before it's too late, that BOUVIERS ARE NOT THE PERFECT BREED FOR
EVERYONE. As a breed they have a few features that some people find charming,
but that some people find mildly unpleasant and some people find downright
intolerable.

There are different breeds for different needs. There are over 200 purebred
breeds of dogs in the world. Maybe you'd be better off with some other breed.
Maybe you'd be better off with a cat. Maybe you'd be better off with goldfish, a
parakeet, a hamster, or some house-plants.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO THE BREED *CHIEFLY* BY ITS
APPEARANCE. The appearance of the Bouviers you have seen in the show ring is the
product of many hours of bathing and grooming. This carefully constructed beauty
is fleeting: a few minutes of freedom, romping through the fields or strolling
in the rain restores the natural look. The natural look of the Bouvier is that
of a large, shaggy farm dog, usually with some dirt and weeds clinging to his
tousled coat. His esthetics are those of an unmade bed. Remember that the Dutch
nickname for the breed, "Vuilbaard" means "dirty beard". The true beauty of the
Bouvier lies in his character, not in his appearance. There are many other
breeds whose natural beauty of appearance far exceeds that of the Bouvier. Some
of the long-coated and most of the short-coated breeds' appearances are less
dependent on grooming than is that of the Bouvier. (See also the section on
grooming below.)

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU ARE UNWILLING TO SHARE YOUR HOUSE AND YOUR LIFE
WITH YOUR DOG. Bouviers were bred to share in the work of the farm family and to
spend most of their waking hours working with the family. They thrive on
companionship and they want to be wherever you are. They are happiest living
with you in your house and going with you when you go out. While they usually
tolerate being left at home by themselves (preferably with a dog-door giving
access to the fenced yard), they should not be relegated to the backyard or
kennel. A puppy exiled from the house is likely to grow up to be unsociable
(fearful and/or unprovokedly aggressive),unruly, and unhappy. He may well
develop pastimes, such as digging or barking, that will displease you and/or
your neighbors. An adult so exiled will be miserable too. If you don't strongly
prefer to have your dog's companionship as much as possible, enjoying having him
sleep in your bedroom at night and sharing many of your activities by day, you
should choose a breed less oriented to human companionship. Likewise if your job
or other obligations prevent you from spending much time with your dog. No dog
is really happy without companionship but the pack hounds are more tolerant of
being kenneled or yarded so long as it is in groups of 2 or more. A better
choice would be a cat, as they are solitary by nature.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU DON'T INTEND TO EDUCATE (TRAIN) YOUR DOG. Basic
obedience and household rules training is NOT optional for the Bouvier. As an
absolute minimum, you must teach him to reliably respond to commands to come, to
lie down, to stay, and to walk at your side, on or off leash and regardless of
temptations. You must also teach him to respect your household rules: e.g. is he
allowed to get on the furniture? is he allowed to beg at the table? What you
allow or forbid is unimportant; but it is *critical* that you, not the dog, make
these choices and that you enforce your rules consistently. You must commit
yourself to attending an 8 to 10 week series of weekly lessons at a local
obedience club or professional trainer and to doing one or two short (5 to 20
minutes) homework sessions per day. As commands are learned, they must be
integrated into your daily life by being used whenever appropriate and enforced
consistently. Young Bouvier puppies are relatively easy to train: they are eager
to please, intelligent, and calm-natured, with a relatively good attention span.
Once a Bouvier has learned something, he tends to retain it well. Your cute,
sweet little Bouvier puppy will grow up to be a large, powerful dog with s
highly self-assertive personality and the determination to finish whatever he
starts. If he has grown up respecting you and your rules, then all his physical
and mental strength will work for you. But if he has grown up without rules and
guidance from you, surely he will make his own rules and his physical and mental
powers will often act in opposition to your needs and desires. For example: he
may tow you down the street as if competing in a sled-dog race; he may grab food
off the table; he may forbid your guests entry to his home.

This training cannot be delegated to someone else, e.g. by sending the dog
away to "boarding school", because the relationship of respect and obedience is
personal between the dog and the individual who does the training. This is true
of all dogs to greater or lesser degree, but definitely to a very great degree
in Bouviers. While you definitely many want the help of an experienced trainer
to teach you how to train your dog, you yourself must actually train your
Bouvier. As each lesson is well learned, then the rest of the household (except
young children) must also work with the dog, insisting he obey them as well.

Many of the Bouviers that are rescued from Pounds and Shelters show clearly
that they have received little or no basic training, neither in obedience nor in
household deportment; yet these same dogs respond well to such training by the
rescuer or the adopter. It seems likely that a failure to train the dog is a
significant cause of Bouvier abandonment.

If you don't intend to educate your dog, preferably during puppyhood, you
would be better off with a breed that is both small and socially submissive,
e.g. a Shetland Sheepdog. Such a dog does require training, but a little bit
goes further than with a Bouv. In the opposite direction, if your goals in
obedience training are oriented towards success at high level competition (HIT,
OTCh, and Gaines), please realize that the Bouv is not among the half dozen
breeds best suited to such highly polished performance. (Bouvs can, with
adequate training, excel at such working competitions as agility, carting,
tracking, protection and herding.)

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU LACK LEADERSHIP (SELF-ASSERTIVE) PERSONALITY. Dogs
do not believe in social equality. They live in a social hierarchy led by a
pack-leader (Alpha). The alpha dog is generally benevolent, affectionate, and
non-bullying towards his subordinates; but there is never any doubt in his mind
or in theirs that the alpha is the boss and makes the rules. Whatever the breed,
if you do not assume the leadership, the dog will do so sooner or later and with
more or less unpleasant consequences for the abdicating owner. Like the
untrained dog, the pack-leader dog makes his own rules and enforces them against
other members of the household by means of a dominant physical posture and a
hard-eyed stare, followed by a snarl, then a knockdown blow or a bite. Breeds
differ in tendencies towards social dominance; and individuals within a breed
differ considerably. Bouviers as a breed tend to be of a socially dominant
personality. You really cannot afford to let a Bouvier become your boss. You do
not have to have the personality or mannerisms of a Marine boot camp Sergeant,
but you do have to have the calm, quiet self-assurance and self-assertion of the
successful parent ("Because I'm your mother, that's why.") or successful
grade-school teacher. If you think you might have difficulty asserting yourself
calmly and confidently to exercise leadership, then choose a breed known for its
socially subordinate disposition, such as a Golden Retriever or a Shetland
Sheepdog, and be sure to ask the breeder to select one of the more submissive
pups in the litter for you. If the whole idea of "being the boss" frightens or
repels you, don't get a dog at all. Cats don't expect leadership. A caged bird
or hamster, or fish doesn't need leadership or household rules.

Leadership and training are inextricably intertwined: leadership personality
enables you to train your dog, and being trained by you reinforces your dog's
perception of you was the alpha.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU DON'T VALUE LAID-BACK COMPANIONSHIP AND CALM
AFFECTION. A Bouvier becomes deeply attached and devoted to his own family, but
he doesn't "wear his heart on his sleeve". Some are noticeably reserved, others
are more outgoing, but few adults are usually exuberantly demonstrate of their
affections. They like to be near you, usually in the same room, preferably on a
comfortable pad or cushion in a corner or under a table, just "keeping you
company". They enjoy conversation, petting and cuddling when you offer it, but
they are moderate and not overbearing in coming to you to demand much attention.
They are emotionally sensitive to their favorite people: when you are joyful,
proud, angry, or grief-stricken, your Bouv will immediately perceive it and will
believe himself to be the cause. The relationship can be one of great mellows,
depth and subtlety; it is a relation on an adult-to-adult level, although
certainly not one devoid of playfulness. As puppies, of course, they will be
more dependent, more playful, and more demonstrative. In summary, Bouvs tend to
be sober and thoughtful, rather than giddy clowns or sychophants.

A number of breeds retain into adulthood a more puppyish and playful
disposition, e.g. Australian Shepherd, Malamute, and others. Quite a few are far
more dramatically demonstrative and/or more clingingly dependent, e.g. the
Golden Retriever.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU ARE FASTIDIOUS ABOUT THE NEATNESS OF YOUR HOME.
The Bouvier's thick shaggy coat and his love of playing in water and mud combine
to make him a highly efficient transporter of dirt into your home, depositing
same on your floors and rugs and possibly also on your furniture and clothes.
One Bouvier coming in from a few minutes outdoors on a rainy day can turn an
immaculate house into an instant hog wallow. His full beard soaks up water every
time he takes a drink, then releases same drippingly across your floor or
soppingly into your lap. (It is of course possible to cut the beard off and to
keep the feet clean-shaven year-round to reduce mess.) Although it is
technically true that Bouviers do not shed, you will find that the grooming
process usually results in balls of pulled out hair tumbleweeding their way
about your house, unless you deposit same directly from comb into a trash
basket. I don't mean to imply that you must be a slob or slattern to live
happily with a Bouv, but you do have to have the attitude that your dog's
company means more to you than does neatness and you do have to be comfortable
with a less than immaculate house.

While all dogs, like all children, create a greater or lesser degree of
household mess, almost all other breeds of dog (except the Old English Sheepdog)
are less troublesome than the Bouvier in this respect. The Basenji is perhaps
the cleanest, due to its cat-like habits; but cats are cleaner yet, and goldfish
hardly ever mess up the house.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU ARE FASTIDIOUS ABOUT UNPLEASANT ODORS. Bouviers
are one of the more flatulent breeds of dog. While the volume and aroma of the
emissions depends partly on the diet, about half an hour after his meal your
nose knows! (As the period of maximum emissions lasts only half an hour to an
hour, it would not be unreasonable to put the dog outdoors in a fenced yard for
this period.) The Bouvier coat, when damp, tends to smell rather swampy. A wet
Bouv confined to a car or small room for an hour or so can create an aroma even
the least sensitive will perceive. Some people consider the Bouvier beard to
have noticeably unpleasant body odor even when dry and recently groomed. The
Bouvier beard tends to retain particles of food, which soon become offensive if
the beard is not washed frequently.

Almost all of the short-haired breeds, other than hound breeds or afield-bred
(oily coated) Chesapeake, are less likely to offend the nose through general
coat/body odor. I'm sure many other breeds are less flatulent, but it is
difficult to get reliable information on this as few owners care to discuss the
issue.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU DISLIKE DOING REGULAR GROOMING. The thick shaggy
Bouvier coat demands regular grooming, not merely to look tolerably nice, but
also to preserve the health of skin underneath and to detect and remove
foxtails, ticks, and other dangerous invaders. For "pet" grooming, you should
expect to spend 10-15 minutes a day (e.g. while listening to music or watching
television) on alternate days or half an hour twice a week. Of course any time
your Bouv gets into cockleburs, filigree, or other coat-adhering vegetation, you
are likely to be in for an hour or more of remedial work. During "oxtail"
season, (western US), you must inspect feet and other vulnerable areas daily. In
Lyme disease areas during tick season, you will need to inspect for ticks daily.
"Pet" grooming does not require a great deal of skill, but does require time and
regularity. Keeping the dog in a short or semi-short "working clip"
substantially reduces grooming time, but does not eliminate the need for
regularity. "Show" (beauty contest) grooming requires a great deal of skill and
considerably more time and effort or expensive professional grooming.

Almost every Bouvier that is rescued out of a Pound or Shelter shows the
effects of many months of non-grooming, resulting in massive matting and
horrendous filthiness, sometimes with urine and feces cemented into the rear
portions of the coat. It appears that unwillingness to keep up with coat care is
a primary cause of abandonment.

Many other breeds of dog require less grooming; short coated breeds require
very little. The Rottweiler has a temperament and personality similar to the
Bouvier, yet requires little grooming.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU DISLIKE DAILY PHYSICAL EXERCISE. Bouviers need
exercise to maintain the health of heart and lungs and to maintain muscle tone.
Because of his mellow, laid-back, often lazy, disposition, your Bouvier will not
give himself enough exercise unless you accompany him or play with him. An adult
Bouvier should have a morning outing of a mile or more, as you walk briskly,
jog, or bicycle beside him, and a similar evening outing. For puppies, shorter
and slower walks, several times a day are preferred for exercise and
housebreaking.

All dogs need daily exercise of greater or lesser length and vigor. If
providing this exercise is beyond you, physically or temperamentally, then
choose one of the many small and energetic breeds that can exercise itself
within your fenced yard. Most of the Toys and Terriers fit this description, but
don't be surprised if a Terrier is inclined to dig in the earth since digging
out critters is the job that they were bred to do. Cats can be exercised indoors
with mouse-on-a-string toys. Hamster will exercise themselves on a wire wheel.
House plants don't need exercise.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU BELIEVE THAT DOGS SHOULD RUN "FREE". Whether you
live in town or country, no dog can safely be left to run "free" outside your
fenced property and without your direct supervision and control. The price of
such "freedom" is inevitably injury or death: from dogfights, from automobiles,
from the Pound or from justifiably irate neighbors. Even though Bouvs are
home-loving and less inclined to roam than most breeds, an unfenced Bouv is
destined for disaster. Like other breeds developed for livestock herding, most
Bouvs have inherited a substantial amount of "herding instinct". which is a
strengthened and slightly modified instinct to chased and capture suitable large
prey. The unfenced country-living Bouv will sooner or later discover the
neighbor's livestock (sheep, cattle, horses, poultry) and respond to his genetic
urge to chase and harass such stock. State law almost always gives the livestock
owner the legal right to kill any dog chasing or "worrying" his stock, and
almost all livestock owners are quick to act on this! The unfenced city Bouv is
likely to exercise his inherited herding instinct on joggers, bicyclists, and
automobiles. A thoroughly obedience-trained Bouvier can enjoy the limited and
supervised freedom of off-leash walks with you in appropriately chosen
environments.

If you don't want the responsibility of confining and supervising your pet,
then no breed of dog is suitable for you. A neutered cat will survive such
irresponsibly given "freedom" somewhat longer than a dog, but will eventually
come to grief. A better answer for those who crave a "free" pet is to set out
feeding stations for some of the indigenous wildlife, such as raccoons, which
will visit for handouts and which may eventually tolerate your close
observation.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY, FEED, AND PROVIDE HEALTHCARE
FOR ONE. Bouviers are not a cheap breed to buy, as running a careful breeding
program with due regard for temperament, trainability, and physical soundness
(hips especially) cannot be done cheaply. The time the breeder should put into
each puppy's "pre-school" and socialization is also costly. The "bargain" puppy
from a "back-yard breeder" who unselectively mates any two Bouvs who happen to
be of opposite sex may well prove to be extremely costly in terms of bad
temperament, bad health, and lack of essential socialization. In contrast, the
occasional adult or older pup is available at modest price from a disenchanted
owner or from a breeder, shelter, or rescuer to whom the dog was abandoned; most
of these "used" Bouviers are capable of becoming a marvelous dog for you if you
can provide training, leadership, and understanding. Whatever the initial cost
of your Bouvier, the upkeep will not be cheap. Being large dogs, Bouvs eat
relatively large meals. (Need I add that what goes in one end must eventually
come out the other?) Large dogs tend to have larger veterinary bills, as the
amount of anesthesia and of most medications is proportional to body weight.
Spaying or neutering, which costs more for larger dogs, is an essential expense
for virtually all pet Bouviers, as it "takes the worry out of being close",
prevents serious health problems in later life, and makes the dog a more
pleasant companion. Bouviers are subject to two conditions which can be costly
to treat: hip dysplasia and bloat. (Your best insurance against dysplasia is to
buy only from a litter bred from OFA certified parents and [if possible],
grandparents. Yes, this generally means paying more. While bloat may have a
genetic predisposition, there are no predictive tests allowing selective
breeding against it. Your best prevention is not to feed your dog too soon
before or after strenuous exercise.) Professional grooming, if you use it, is
expensive. An adequate set of grooming tools for use at home adds up to a tidy
sum, but once purchased will last many dog-lifetimes. Finally, the modest fee
for participation in a series of basic obedience training classes is an
essential investment in harmonious living with your dog; such fees are the same
for all breeds, though conceivably you will need to travel a bit further from
home to find a training class teacher who is competent with the more formidable
breeds, such as Bouvier. The modest annual outlays for immunizations and for
local licensing are generally the same for all breeds, though some counties have
a lower license fee for spayed/neutered dogs.

All dogs, of whatever breed and however cheaply acquired, require significant
upkeep costs, and all are subject to highly expensive veterinary emergencies.
Likewise all cats.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU WANT THE "LATEST, GREATEST FEROCIOUS KILLER ATTACK
DOG". Although the Bouvier's capability as a personal protection dog and as a
police dog have been justifiably well publicized, and occasionally dramatically
over-stated, the Bouvier is not any more capable in these respects than are half
a dozen other protection breeds. Nor are all Bouviers equally capable: some are
highly so and some moderately so, but many have insufficient natural capacity
for such work. Due to his laid-back disposition, the Bouvier is, if anything, a
bit slower to respond aggressively to a threat than are most other protection
breeds. For the same reason, however, The Bouv is perhaps somewhat more amenable
to control by the handler and somewhat more willing to refrain from biting or to
stop biting when told to do so. Whatever the breed, before the dog can be safely
protection trained, he must have great respect for the leadership of his handler
and must be solidly trained in basic obedience to that handler. Equally
essential, he must have a rock-solidly stable temperament and he must also have
been "socialized" out in the world enough to know that most people are friendly
and harmless, so that he can later learn to distinguish the bad guys from the
good guys. Even with such a dog, safe protection training demands several
hundred hours of dedicated work by the handler, much of it under the direct
supervision of a profoundly expert trainer. Please don't buy any dog for
protection training unless you are absolutely committed to the extreme amount of
work that will be required of you personally. Also talk to your lawyer and your
insurance agent first.

In contrast to the protection-trained dog, trained to bite on direct command
or in reaction to direct physical assault on his master, the "deterrent dog"
dissuades the vast majority of aspiring burglars, rapists, and assailants by his
presence, his appearance, and his demeanor. Seeing such dog, the potential
wrong-doer simply decides to look for a safer victim elsewhere. For this job,
all that is needed is a dog that is large and that appears to be well-trained
and unafraid. The Bouvier can serve this role admirably, with the added assets
of generally dark color and shaggy "bestial" appearance adding to the impression
of formidability and fearsomeness. If the dog has been taught to bark a few
times on command, eg "Fang, watch him!" rather than "Fifi, speak for a cookie",
this skill can be useful to augment the deterrent effect.

Other breeds of dog which are equally suitable for protection or for
deterrence include the Doberman, Rottweiler, German Shepherd, Briard, Belgian
Sheepdog, Belgian Tervuren, and Belgian Malinois. Of these the first 3 are
recognized by the general public as "police dogs" and are probably far more
feared by most potential criminals than is the Bouvier. The Malamute, though not
suitable for protection, is quite effective for deterrence due to his highly
wolf-like appearance.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU WANT A TOTALLY UNAGGRESSIVE AND UNPROTECTIVE DOG.
Most Bouviers have an assertive and confident personality. When confronted with
a threat, a proper Bouvier will be somewhat more ready to fight than to flee.
Thus he may respond aggressively in situations where many other breeds back
down. Most Bouviers have some inclination to act aggressively to repel intruders
on their territory (i.e. your home) and to counter-act assaults upon their pack
mates (you and your family). Without training and leadership from you to guide
him, the dog cannot judge correctly whom to repel and whom to tolerate. Without
training and leadership, sooner or later he may injure an innocent person who
will successfully sue you for more than you own. With good training and
leadership from you, he can be profoundly valuable as a defender of your home
and family. (See also remarks on stability and socialization above.)

If you feel no need of an assertive dog or if you have the slightest doubts
of your ability and willingness to supply the essential socialization, training
and leadership, then please choose one of the many breeds noted for thoroughly
unaggressive temperament, such as a Sheltie or a Golden Retriever.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO COMMIT YOURSELF FOR THE DOG'S
ENTIRE LIFETIME. No dog deserves to be cast out because his owners want to move
to a no-pet apartment or because he is no longer a cute puppy or didn't grow up
to be a beauty contest winner or because his owners through lack of leadership
and training have allowed him to become an unruly juvenile delinquent with a
repertoire of undesirable behaviors. The prospects of a responsible and
affectionate second home for a "used" dog are never very bright, but they are
especially dim for a large, shaggy, poorly mannered dog. A Bouvier dumped into a
Pound or Shelter has almost no chance of survival -- unless he has the great
good fortune to be spotted by someone dedicated to Bouvier Rescue. The prospects
for adoption for a youngish, well-trained, and well-groomed Bouvier whose owner
seeks the assistance of the nearest Bouvier Club or Rescue group are fairly
good; but an older Bouv has diminishing prospects. Be sure to contact your local
Bouvier club or Rescue group if you are diagnosed as terminally ill or have
other equally valid reason for seeking an adoptive home. Be sure to contact your
local Bouvier club if you are beginning to have difficulties in training your
Bouvier, so these can be resolved. Be sure to make arrangements in your will or
with your family to ensure continued care or adoptive home for your Bouvier if
you should pre-decease him.

The life span of a Bouvier is from 10 to 15 years. If that seems too long a
time for you to give an unequivocal loyalty to your Bouvier, then please do not
get one! Indeed, as most dogs have a life expectancy that is as long or longer,
please do not get any dog!

In Conclusion

If all the preceding "bad news" about Bouviers hasn't turned you away from
the breed, then by all means DO GET A BOUVIER! They are every bit as wonderful
as you have heard!

If buying a puppy, be sure to shop carefully for a *responsible* and
*knowledgeable* breeder who places high priority on breeding for sound
temperament and trainability and good health in all matings. Such a breeder will
interrogate and educate potential buyers carefully. Such a breeder will continue
to be available for advice and consultation for the rest of the puppy's life and
will insist on receiving the dog back if ever you are unable to keep it

However as an alternative to buying a Bouvier puppy, you may want to give
some serious consideration to adopting a rescued Bouvier. Despite their
responsibility of their previous owner, almost all rescued Bouviers have proven
to be readily rehabilitated so as to become superb family companions for
responsible and affectionate adopters. Many rescuers are skilled trainers who
evaluate temperament and provide remedial training before offering dogs for
placement, and who offer continued advisory support afterwards. Contact local
Bouvier breeders or Bouvier club members to learn who is doing Rescue work.

An Afterward

I first wrote this article nearly 10 years ago. Since then it has become a
classic of Bouvier literature, reprinted many times. Since then I have spent
nearly 5 years in Bouvier Rescue, personally rescuing, rehabilitating, and
placing 3 or 4 per year and assisting in the placement of others. Very little
has needed revision in this new addition.

For more information about rescuing a Bouvier des Flandres, please
contact:
Pam Green
du Clos de la Fourriere
9269 Mace Blvd.
Davis, CA
95616-9602
(530) 756-2997