From: Subject: Don't Buy a Bouvierr Date: Sun, 4 Feb 2007 16:58:33 -0600 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.bouviers.net/info/dontbuy.html X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3028 Don't Buy a Bouvierr

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=20 you will find instructions what to do if you know of a Bouvier in need = of=20 rescue. If you do call Pam and reach her answering machine, please speak = loudly=20 and clearly. Phone calls from out of area may be returned collect ; give = Pam an=20 idea of best time to return a call. Any e-mail messages about behavior = problems=20 or about rescue problems (esp need to place a dog or desire to adopt = one) should=20 go to the Bouvier=20 mailing list and not just to Pam individually. You may also send = such=20 requests to gaska@nilenet.com = and request=20 that your message be forwarded to the Bouvier list.

[This article is a must read for any prospective Bouvier owner. It = contains=20 more useful information than any Bouvier book I have seen and Pam Green = is=20 certainly one of the most knowledgeable Bouvier people alive. If you = find this=20 article useful, please consider giving a donation to one of the Bouvier = rescue=20 organizations. Visit: Donating to = Bouvier=20 rescue - Len Gaska]

(This article, written many years ago, has become a notorious classic = in=20 Bouvier circles. It has been reprinted many times by clubs to use for = the=20 education of prospective Bouvier owners. I give my permission freely to = all who=20 wish to reprint and distribute it in hopes of saving innocent Bouviers = from=20 neglect and abandonment by those who should never have acquired them in = the=20 first place.)

Interested in buying a Bouvier? You must be or you wouldn't be = reading this.=20 You've already heard how marvelous Bouviers are. Well, I think you = should also=20 hear, before it's too late, that BOUVIERS ARE NOT THE PERFECT BREED FOR=20 EVERYONE. As a breed they have a few features that some people find = charming,=20 but that some people find mildly unpleasant and some people find = downright=20 intolerable.

There are different breeds for different needs. There are over 200 = purebred=20 breeds of dogs in the world. Maybe you'd be better off with some other = breed.=20 Maybe you'd be better off with a cat. Maybe you'd be better off with = goldfish, a=20 parakeet, a hamster, or some house-plants.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO THE BREED *CHIEFLY* BY = ITS=20 APPEARANCE. The appearance of the Bouviers you have seen in the show = ring is the=20 product of many hours of bathing and grooming. This carefully = constructed beauty=20 is fleeting: a few minutes of freedom, romping through the fields or = strolling=20 in the rain restores the natural look. The natural look of the Bouvier = is that=20 of a large, shaggy farm dog, usually with some dirt and weeds clinging = to his=20 tousled coat. His esthetics are those of an unmade bed. Remember that = the Dutch=20 nickname for the breed, "Vuilbaard" means "dirty beard". The true beauty = of the=20 Bouvier lies in his character, not in his appearance. There are many = other=20 breeds whose natural beauty of appearance far exceeds that of the = Bouvier. Some=20 of the long-coated and most of the short-coated breeds' appearances are = less=20 dependent on grooming than is that of the Bouvier. (See also the section = on=20 grooming below.)

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU ARE UNWILLING TO SHARE YOUR HOUSE AND YOUR = LIFE=20 WITH YOUR DOG. Bouviers were bred to share in the work of the farm = family and to=20 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=20 with you in your house and going with you when you go out. While they = usually=20 tolerate being left at home by themselves (preferably with a dog-door = giving=20 access to the fenced yard), they should not be relegated to the backyard = or=20 kennel. A puppy exiled from the house is likely to grow up to be = unsociable=20 (fearful and/or unprovokedly aggressive),unruly, and unhappy. He may = well=20 develop pastimes, such as digging or barking, that will displease you = and/or=20 your neighbors. An adult so exiled will be miserable too. If you don't = strongly=20 prefer to have your dog's companionship as much as possible, enjoying = having him=20 sleep in your bedroom at night and sharing many of your activities by = day, you=20 should choose a breed less oriented to human companionship. Likewise if = your job=20 or other obligations prevent you from spending much time with your dog. = No dog=20 is really happy without companionship but the pack hounds are more = tolerant of=20 being kenneled or yarded so long as it is in groups of 2 or more. A = better=20 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=20 obedience and household rules training is NOT optional for the Bouvier. = As an=20 absolute minimum, you must teach him to reliably respond to commands to = come, to=20 lie down, to stay, and to walk at your side, on or off leash and = regardless of=20 temptations. You must also teach him to respect your household rules: = e.g. is he=20 allowed to get on the furniture? is he allowed to beg at the table? What = you=20 allow or forbid is unimportant; but it is *critical* that you, not the = dog, make=20 these choices and that you enforce your rules consistently. You must = commit=20 yourself to attending an 8 to 10 week series of weekly lessons at a = local=20 obedience club or professional trainer and to doing one or two short (5 = to 20=20 minutes) homework sessions per day. As commands are learned, they must = be=20 integrated into your daily life by being used whenever appropriate and = enforced=20 consistently. Young Bouvier puppies are relatively easy to train: they = are eager=20 to please, intelligent, and calm-natured, with a relatively good = attention span.=20 Once a Bouvier has learned something, he tends to retain it well. Your = cute,=20 sweet little Bouvier puppy will grow up to be a large, powerful dog with = s=20 highly self-assertive personality and the determination to finish = whatever he=20 starts. If he has grown up respecting you and your rules, then all his = physical=20 and mental strength will work for you. But if he has grown up without = rules and=20 guidance from you, surely he will make his own rules and his physical = and mental=20 powers will often act in opposition to your needs and desires. For = example: he=20 may tow you down the street as if competing in a sled-dog race; he may = grab food=20 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=20 away to "boarding school", because the relationship of respect and = obedience is=20 personal between the dog and the individual who does the training. This = is true=20 of all dogs to greater or lesser degree, but definitely to a very great = degree=20 in Bouviers. While you definitely many want the help of an experienced = trainer=20 to teach you how to train your dog, you yourself must actually train = your=20 Bouvier. As each lesson is well learned, then the rest of the household = (except=20 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=20 that they have received little or no basic training, neither in = obedience nor in=20 household deportment; yet these same dogs respond well to such training = by the=20 rescuer or the adopter. It seems likely that a failure to train the dog = is a=20 significant cause of Bouvier abandonment.

If you don't intend to educate your dog, preferably during puppyhood, = you=20 would be better off with a breed that is both small and socially = submissive,=20 e.g. a Shetland Sheepdog. Such a dog does require training, but a little = bit=20 goes further than with a Bouv. In the opposite direction, if your goals = in=20 obedience training are oriented towards success at high level = competition (HIT,=20 OTCh, and Gaines), please realize that the Bouv is not among the half = dozen=20 breeds best suited to such highly polished performance. (Bouvs can, with = adequate training, excel at such working competitions as agility, = carting,=20 tracking, protection and herding.)

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU LACK LEADERSHIP (SELF-ASSERTIVE) = PERSONALITY. Dogs=20 do not believe in social equality. They live in a social hierarchy led = by a=20 pack-leader (Alpha). The alpha dog is generally benevolent, = affectionate, and=20 non-bullying towards his subordinates; but there is never any doubt in = his mind=20 or in theirs that the alpha is the boss and makes the rules. Whatever = the breed,=20 if you do not assume the leadership, the dog will do so sooner or later = and with=20 more or less unpleasant consequences for the abdicating owner. Like the=20 untrained dog, the pack-leader dog makes his own rules and enforces them = against=20 other members of the household by means of a dominant physical posture = and a=20 hard-eyed stare, followed by a snarl, then a knockdown blow or a bite. = Breeds=20 differ in tendencies towards social dominance; and individuals within a = breed=20 differ considerably. Bouviers as a breed tend to be of a socially = dominant=20 personality. You really cannot afford to let a Bouvier become your boss. = You do=20 not have to have the personality or mannerisms of a Marine boot camp = Sergeant,=20 but you do have to have the calm, quiet self-assurance and = self-assertion of the=20 successful parent ("Because I'm your mother, that's why.") or successful = grade-school teacher. If you think you might have difficulty asserting = yourself=20 calmly and confidently to exercise leadership, then choose a breed known = for its=20 socially subordinate disposition, such as a Golden Retriever or a = Shetland=20 Sheepdog, and be sure to ask the breeder to select one of the more = submissive=20 pups in the litter for you. If the whole idea of "being the boss" = frightens or=20 repels you, don't get a dog at all. Cats don't expect leadership. A = caged bird=20 or hamster, or fish doesn't need leadership or household rules.

Leadership and training are inextricably intertwined: leadership = personality=20 enables you to train your dog, and being trained by you reinforces your = dog's=20 perception of you was the alpha.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU DON'T VALUE LAID-BACK COMPANIONSHIP AND = CALM=20 AFFECTION. A Bouvier becomes deeply attached and devoted to his own = family, but=20 he doesn't "wear his heart on his sleeve". Some are noticeably reserved, = others=20 are more outgoing, but few adults are usually exuberantly demonstrate of = their=20 affections. They like to be near you, usually in the same room, = preferably on a=20 comfortable pad or cushion in a corner or under a table, just "keeping = you=20 company". They enjoy conversation, petting and cuddling when you offer = it, but=20 they are moderate and not overbearing in coming to you to demand much = attention.=20 They are emotionally sensitive to their favorite people: when you are = joyful,=20 proud, angry, or grief-stricken, your Bouv will immediately perceive it = and will=20 believe himself to be the cause. The relationship can be one of great = mellows,=20 depth and subtlety; it is a relation on an adult-to-adult level, = although=20 certainly not one devoid of playfulness. As puppies, of course, they = will be=20 more dependent, more playful, and more demonstrative. In summary, Bouvs = tend to=20 be sober and thoughtful, rather than giddy clowns or sychophants.

A number of breeds retain into adulthood a more puppyish and playful=20 disposition, e.g. Australian Shepherd, Malamute, and others. Quite a few = are far=20 more dramatically demonstrative and/or more clingingly dependent, e.g. = the=20 Golden Retriever.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU ARE FASTIDIOUS ABOUT THE NEATNESS OF YOUR = HOME.=20 The Bouvier's thick shaggy coat and his love of playing in water and mud = combine=20 to make him a highly efficient transporter of dirt into your home, = depositing=20 same on your floors and rugs and possibly also on your furniture and = clothes.=20 One Bouvier coming in from a few minutes outdoors on a rainy day can = turn an=20 immaculate house into an instant hog wallow. His full beard soaks up = water every=20 time he takes a drink, then releases same drippingly across your floor = or=20 soppingly into your lap. (It is of course possible to cut the beard off = and to=20 keep the feet clean-shaven year-round to reduce mess.) Although it is=20 technically true that Bouviers do not shed, you will find that the = grooming=20 process usually results in balls of pulled out hair tumbleweeding their = way=20 about your house, unless you deposit same directly from comb into a = trash=20 basket. I don't mean to imply that you must be a slob or slattern to = live=20 happily with a Bouv, but you do have to have the attitude that your = dog's=20 company means more to you than does neatness and you do have to be = comfortable=20 with a less than immaculate house.

While all dogs, like all children, create a greater or lesser degree = of=20 household mess, almost all other breeds of dog (except the Old English = Sheepdog)=20 are less troublesome than the Bouvier in this respect. The Basenji is = perhaps=20 the cleanest, due to its cat-like habits; but cats are cleaner yet, and = goldfish=20 hardly ever mess up the house.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU ARE FASTIDIOUS ABOUT UNPLEASANT ODORS. = Bouviers=20 are one of the more flatulent breeds of dog. While the volume and aroma = of the=20 emissions depends partly on the diet, about half an hour after his meal = your=20 nose knows! (As the period of maximum emissions lasts only half an hour = to an=20 hour, it would not be unreasonable to put the dog outdoors in a fenced = yard for=20 this period.) The Bouvier coat, when damp, tends to smell rather swampy. = A wet=20 Bouv confined to a car or small room for an hour or so can create an = aroma even=20 the least sensitive will perceive. Some people consider the Bouvier = beard to=20 have noticeably unpleasant body odor even when dry and recently groomed. = The=20 Bouvier beard tends to retain particles of food, which soon become = offensive if=20 the beard is not washed frequently.

Almost all of the short-haired breeds, other than hound breeds or = afield-bred=20 (oily coated) Chesapeake, are less likely to offend the nose through = general=20 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=20 issue.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU DISLIKE DOING REGULAR GROOMING. The thick = shaggy=20 Bouvier coat demands regular grooming, not merely to look tolerably = nice, but=20 also to preserve the health of skin underneath and to detect and remove=20 foxtails, ticks, and other dangerous invaders. For "pet" grooming, you = should=20 expect to spend 10-15 minutes a day (e.g. while listening to music or = watching=20 television) on alternate days or half an hour twice a week. Of course = any time=20 your Bouv gets into cockleburs, filigree, or other coat-adhering = vegetation, you=20 are likely to be in for an hour or more of remedial work. During = "oxtail"=20 season, (western US), you must inspect feet and other vulnerable areas = daily. In=20 Lyme disease areas during tick season, you will need to inspect for = ticks daily.=20 "Pet" grooming does not require a great deal of skill, but does require = time and=20 regularity. Keeping the dog in a short or semi-short "working clip"=20 substantially reduces grooming time, but does not eliminate the need for = regularity. "Show" (beauty contest) grooming requires a great deal of = skill and=20 considerably more time and effort or expensive professional = grooming.

Almost every Bouvier that is rescued out of a Pound or Shelter shows = the=20 effects of many months of non-grooming, resulting in massive matting and = horrendous filthiness, sometimes with urine and feces cemented into the = rear=20 portions of the coat. It appears that unwillingness to keep up with coat = care is=20 a primary cause of abandonment.

Many other breeds of dog require less grooming; short coated breeds = require=20 very little. The Rottweiler has a temperament and personality similar to = the=20 Bouvier, yet requires little grooming.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU DISLIKE DAILY PHYSICAL EXERCISE. Bouviers = need=20 exercise to maintain the health of heart and lungs and to maintain = muscle tone.=20 Because of his mellow, laid-back, often lazy, disposition, your Bouvier = will not=20 give himself enough exercise unless you accompany him or play with him. = An adult=20 Bouvier should have a morning outing of a mile or more, as you walk = briskly,=20 jog, or bicycle beside him, and a similar evening outing. For puppies, = shorter=20 and slower walks, several times a day are preferred for exercise and=20 housebreaking.

All dogs need daily exercise of greater or lesser length and vigor. = If=20 providing this exercise is beyond you, physically or temperamentally, = then=20 choose one of the many small and energetic breeds that can exercise = itself=20 within your fenced yard. Most of the Toys and Terriers fit this = description, but=20 don't be surprised if a Terrier is inclined to dig in the earth since = digging=20 out critters is the job that they were bred to do. Cats can be exercised = indoors=20 with mouse-on-a-string toys. Hamster will exercise themselves on a wire = wheel.=20 House plants don't need exercise.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU BELIEVE THAT DOGS SHOULD RUN "FREE". = Whether you=20 live in town or country, no dog can safely be left to run "free" outside = your=20 fenced property and without your direct supervision and control. The = price of=20 such "freedom" is inevitably injury or death: from dogfights, from = automobiles,=20 from the Pound or from justifiably irate neighbors. Even though Bouvs = are=20 home-loving and less inclined to roam than most breeds, an unfenced Bouv = is=20 destined for disaster. Like other breeds developed for livestock = herding, most=20 Bouvs have inherited a substantial amount of "herding instinct". which = is a=20 strengthened and slightly modified instinct to chased and capture = suitable large=20 prey. The unfenced country-living Bouv will sooner or later discover the = neighbor's livestock (sheep, cattle, horses, poultry) and respond to his = genetic=20 urge to chase and harass such stock. State law almost always gives the = livestock=20 owner the legal right to kill any dog chasing or "worrying" his stock, = and=20 almost all livestock owners are quick to act on this! The unfenced city = Bouv is=20 likely to exercise his inherited herding instinct on joggers, = bicyclists, and=20 automobiles. A thoroughly obedience-trained Bouvier can enjoy the = limited and=20 supervised freedom of off-leash walks with you in appropriately chosen=20 environments.

If you don't want the responsibility of confining and supervising = your pet,=20 then no breed of dog is suitable for you. A neutered cat will survive = such=20 irresponsibly given "freedom" somewhat longer than a dog, but will = eventually=20 come to grief. A better answer for those who crave a "free" pet is to = set out=20 feeding stations for some of the indigenous wildlife, such as raccoons, = which=20 will visit for handouts and which may eventually tolerate your close=20 observation.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY, FEED, AND PROVIDE = HEALTHCARE=20 FOR ONE. Bouviers are not a cheap breed to buy, as running a careful = breeding=20 program with due regard for temperament, trainability, and physical = soundness=20 (hips especially) cannot be done cheaply. The time the breeder should = put into=20 each puppy's "pre-school" and socialization is also costly. The = "bargain" puppy=20 from a "back-yard breeder" who unselectively mates any two Bouvs who = happen to=20 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=20 occasional adult or older pup is available at modest price from a = disenchanted=20 owner or from a breeder, shelter, or rescuer to whom the dog was = abandoned; most=20 of these "used" Bouviers are capable of becoming a marvelous dog for you = if you=20 can provide training, leadership, and understanding. Whatever the = initial cost=20 of your Bouvier, the upkeep will not be cheap. Being large dogs, Bouvs = eat=20 relatively large meals. (Need I add that what goes in one end must = eventually=20 come out the other?) Large dogs tend to have larger veterinary bills, as = the=20 amount of anesthesia and of most medications is proportional to body = weight.=20 Spaying or neutering, which costs more for larger dogs, is an essential = expense=20 for virtually all pet Bouviers, as it "takes the worry out of being = close",=20 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=20 to treat: hip dysplasia and bloat. (Your best insurance against = dysplasia is to=20 buy only from a litter bred from OFA certified parents and [if = possible],=20 grandparents. Yes, this generally means paying more. While bloat may = have a=20 genetic predisposition, there are no predictive tests allowing selective = breeding against it. Your best prevention is not to feed your dog too = soon=20 before or after strenuous exercise.) Professional grooming, if you use = it, is=20 expensive. An adequate set of grooming tools for use at home adds up to = a tidy=20 sum, but once purchased will last many dog-lifetimes. Finally, the = modest fee=20 for participation in a series of basic obedience training classes is an=20 essential investment in harmonious living with your dog; such fees are = the same=20 for all breeds, though conceivably you will need to travel a bit further = from=20 home to find a training class teacher who is competent with the more = formidable=20 breeds, such as Bouvier. The modest annual outlays for immunizations and = for=20 local licensing are generally the same for all breeds, though some = counties have=20 a lower license fee for spayed/neutered dogs.

All dogs, of whatever breed and however cheaply acquired, require = significant=20 upkeep costs, and all are subject to highly expensive veterinary = emergencies.=20 Likewise all cats.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU WANT THE "LATEST, GREATEST FEROCIOUS = KILLER ATTACK=20 DOG". Although the Bouvier's capability as a personal protection dog and = as a=20 police dog have been justifiably well publicized, and occasionally = dramatically=20 over-stated, the Bouvier is not any more capable in these respects than = are half=20 a dozen other protection breeds. Nor are all Bouviers equally capable: = some are=20 highly so and some moderately so, but many have insufficient natural = capacity=20 for such work. Due to his laid-back disposition, the Bouvier is, if = anything, a=20 bit slower to respond aggressively to a threat than are most other = protection=20 breeds. For the same reason, however, The Bouv is perhaps somewhat more = amenable=20 to control by the handler and somewhat more willing to refrain from = biting or to=20 stop biting when told to do so. Whatever the breed, before the dog can = be safely=20 protection trained, he must have great respect for the leadership of his = handler=20 and must be solidly trained in basic obedience to that handler. Equally=20 essential, he must have a rock-solidly stable temperament and he must = also have=20 been "socialized" out in the world enough to know that most people are = friendly=20 and harmless, so that he can later learn to distinguish the bad guys = from the=20 good guys. Even with such a dog, safe protection training demands = several=20 hundred hours of dedicated work by the handler, much of it under the = direct=20 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=20 work that will be required of you personally. Also talk to your lawyer = and your=20 insurance agent first.

In contrast to the protection-trained dog, trained to bite on direct = command=20 or in reaction to direct physical assault on his master, the "deterrent = dog"=20 dissuades the vast majority of aspiring burglars, rapists, and = assailants by his=20 presence, his appearance, and his demeanor. Seeing such dog, the = potential=20 wrong-doer simply decides to look for a safer victim elsewhere. For this = job,=20 all that is needed is a dog that is large and that appears to be = well-trained=20 and unafraid. The Bouvier can serve this role admirably, with the added = assets=20 of generally dark color and shaggy "bestial" appearance adding to the = impression=20 of formidability and fearsomeness. If the dog has been taught to bark a = few=20 times on command, eg "Fang, watch him!" rather than "Fifi, speak for a = cookie",=20 this skill can be useful to augment the deterrent effect.

Other breeds of dog which are equally suitable for protection or for=20 deterrence include the Doberman, Rottweiler, German Shepherd, Briard, = Belgian=20 Sheepdog, Belgian Tervuren, and Belgian Malinois. Of these the first 3 = are=20 recognized by the general public as "police dogs" and are probably far = more=20 feared by most potential criminals than is the Bouvier. The Malamute, = though not=20 suitable for protection, is quite effective for deterrence due to his = highly=20 wolf-like appearance.

DON'T BUY A BOUVIER IF YOU WANT A TOTALLY UNAGGRESSIVE AND = UNPROTECTIVE DOG.=20 Most Bouviers have an assertive and confident personality. When = confronted with=20 a threat, a proper Bouvier will be somewhat more ready to fight than to = flee.=20 Thus he may respond aggressively in situations where many other breeds = back=20 down. Most Bouviers have some inclination to act aggressively to repel = intruders=20 on their territory (i.e. your home) and to counter-act assaults upon = their pack=20 mates (you and your family). Without training and leadership from you to = guide=20 him, the dog cannot judge correctly whom to repel and whom to tolerate. = Without=20 training and leadership, sooner or later he may injure an innocent = person who=20 will successfully sue you for more than you own. With good training and=20 leadership from you, he can be profoundly valuable as a defender of your = home=20 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=20 of your ability and willingness to supply the essential socialization, = training=20 and leadership, then please choose one of the many breeds noted for = thoroughly=20 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=20 ENTIRE LIFETIME. No dog deserves to be cast out because his owners want = to move=20 to a no-pet apartment or because he is no longer a cute puppy or didn't = grow up=20 to be a beauty contest winner or because his owners through lack of = leadership=20 and training have allowed him to become an unruly juvenile delinquent = with a=20 repertoire of undesirable behaviors. The prospects of a responsible and=20 affectionate second home for a "used" dog are never very bright, but = they are=20 especially dim for a large, shaggy, poorly mannered dog. A Bouvier = dumped into a=20 Pound or Shelter has almost no chance of survival -- unless he has the = great=20 good fortune to be spotted by someone dedicated to Bouvier Rescue. The = prospects=20 for adoption for a youngish, well-trained, and well-groomed Bouvier = whose owner=20 seeks the assistance of the nearest Bouvier Club or Rescue group are = fairly=20 good; but an older Bouv has diminishing prospects. Be sure to contact = your local=20 Bouvier club or Rescue group if you are diagnosed as terminally ill or = have=20 other equally valid reason for seeking an adoptive home. Be sure to = contact your=20 local Bouvier club if you are beginning to have difficulties in training = your=20 Bouvier, so these can be resolved. Be sure to make arrangements in your = will or=20 with your family to ensure continued care or adoptive home for your = Bouvier if=20 you should pre-decease him.

The life span of a Bouvier is from 10 to 15 years. If that seems too = long a=20 time for you to give an unequivocal loyalty to your Bouvier, then please = do not=20 get one! Indeed, as most dogs have a life expectancy that is as long or = longer,=20 please do not get any dog!

In Conclusion

If all the preceding "bad news" about Bouviers hasn't turned you away = from=20 the breed, then by all means DO GET A BOUVIER! They are every bit as = wonderful=20 as you have heard!

If buying a puppy, be sure to shop carefully for a *responsible* and=20 *knowledgeable* breeder who places high priority on breeding for sound=20 temperament and trainability and good health in all matings. Such a = breeder will=20 interrogate and educate potential buyers carefully. Such a breeder will = continue=20 to be available for advice and consultation for the rest of the puppy's = life and=20 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=20 some serious consideration to adopting a rescued Bouvier. Despite their=20 responsibility of their previous owner, almost all rescued Bouviers have = proven=20 to be readily rehabilitated so as to become superb family companions for = responsible and affectionate adopters. Many rescuers are skilled = trainers who=20 evaluate temperament and provide remedial training before offering dogs = for=20 placement, and who offer continued advisory support afterwards. Contact = local=20 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=20 classic of Bouvier literature, reprinted many times. Since then I have = spent=20 nearly 5 years in Bouvier Rescue, personally rescuing, rehabilitating, = and=20 placing 3 or 4 per year and assisting in the placement of others. Very = little=20 has needed revision in this new addition.

For more information about rescuing a Bouvier des Flandres, please=20 contact:
Pam Green
du Clos de la Fourriere
9269 Mace = Blvd.
Davis, CA=20 95616-9602
(530) 756-2997