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DON'T
BUY A BOUVIER!
(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 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.
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