STANDARD DU BOUVIER DES FLANDRES ET COMMENTARIES
(Standard of the Bouvier des Flandres and Commentaries)
Translated by Edmee F. Bowles
This pamphlet has been published in order to make the physical and moral qualities of the Bouvier des Flandres better understood. It was produced through the efforts of both clubs: Bouvier des Flandres for France and the Club National Belge for Belgium in cooperation with the technical committees of both clubs: Messers. Thorp, Dr. LeLann, Malaquin and Martineau for France and Messers. Martinage, Chastel, Verbanck for Belgium. The drawings were done by M. Martineau, vice-president of the Bouvier des Flandres Club.
ORIGINS: The Bouvier des Flandres, as the name indicates, originated in Flandres, both French and Belgian, as no boundaries separate these two regions.
(Since the breed evolved by informal selection, its precise origins are lost. What is certain is that the shepherds and cattle herders of Flandres needed good dogs and selected locally for moral and working attributes rather than specific physical type. Today's Bouvier has inherited this. The Bouvier is thus the result of crossings amongst hardy and rustic dogs. These selections for utilitarian needs gave rise to a certain uniformity in type which was attractive to dog breeders, who in 1912 established the first standard. To maintain and fix type, that is, the purity of the breed, it was necessary to eliminate all faulty genetic attributes, both moral and physical.)
APTITUDES: In the beginning the Bouvier was used to herd cattle, draught and butter churning. The modernization of equipment has changed this and now the Bouvier is used as guard for home or farm, defense or police. His great physical and moral aptitudes, his excellent nose, initiative and intelligence makes him an excellent tracker, (liaison) and a game keeper's helper.
(Because of his strength, his volume, his gruff appearance, his intelligence, fidelity to his master and attachment to all that belongs to the family with whom he lives, the Bouvier is an extraordinary guard dog. He can defend with all his energy the house, factory, garden or car. Formidable guardian and protector of children and family, being at the same time their friend and playmate.)
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Cobby, short bodied and thickset on powerful and muscular limbs, gives the impression of power, without clumsiness as a whole. The fire in his eyes denotes intelligence, energy, and audacity. Calm, rational, prudently bold.
(The cobby length, in opposition to lank, we here have a blocky dog without excessive weight as he would lose his agility and mobility. A bouvier too heavy would be unfit for his work, one too light would not be a Bouvier. )
The moral qualities of the Bouvier are their heritage of his ancestors who were selected for their demanding work as herders. The Bouvier is a well-balanced dog, intelligent; that is, he is safe. He is bold, prudent, obedient to his master and very courageous in his defense.
(He only bites when necessary without meanness, and he does not maul. His keen nose, well developed, makes him a suitable war, police dog also gamekeeper's helper.)
THE HEAD: is massive, made more so in appearance by his beard and mustache; well proportioned to his body and size. To the feel, finely chiseled.
(The head by its shape and volume, is characteristic of the breed and has its own expression.)
THE SKULL: well developed and flat, longer than its width. The top lines of the skull and muzzle are parallel. The proportions of the skull to the muzzle are 3 to 2.
(These proportions of 3 to 2 must be adhered to, being a characteristic of the breed. A rounded or narrow skull is a fault.)
FRONTAL GROOVE: barely marked.
(A deep frontal groove changes the expression of the head and gives it a common expression.)
STOP: barely marked, more apparent than real, because of the raised eyebrows.
(The frontal-nasal angle should be between 140 deg and 150 deg. If too open, gives a receding profile, too sharp - a common expression.)
MUZZLE: wide, powerful, bony, straight in upper profile diminishing towards the nose, but never pointed. The muzzle is shorter than the skull - 2 to 3, and the perimeter, just below the eyes, about equal to length of head.
(The proportions 2 to 3 for length of skull to muzzle, must be adhered to and of cubic appearance. A pointed muzzle is a fault.)
NOSE: Is the continuation of the muzzle, is slightly convex at its extremity - must be well developed, rounded at its edges - and always must be black with well open nostrils.
(Whatever the color of the coat, the nose must always be black, without any spots which is a sign of degeneracy.)
CHEEKS: Flat and dry. (Flat cheeks as stated is standard shows up the fine chiseled look to the head: the rounded cheeks is too much like the fullness of the "Matin.")
EARS: Cropped in triangle, carried well up, attached high and very mobile. It is recommended that the size and shape should match the size of the head.
(At attention the ears are well up. A dog which does not carry them up often is a sign of a shy dog or one out of condition. The standard states the cropping should be in proportion to the head. In general, 2/3 should be left, but this is only a counsel. Ears badly cropped, too long or too short change the expression of the dog - the same applies to ears carried poorly.)
EYES: Bold, energetic, neither prominent nor sunken. In shape slightly oval on a horizontal plane. The color should be as dark as possible in keeping with color of the coat. Light in color or haggard in expression should be severely faulted.
(The color of the eye is very important, as the tint modifies the expression. Eyes should always be dark, whatever the color of the coat and never lighter than a hazel nut. The light eye gives a haggard expression, a sign of degeneration. Rounded, protruding eye is a fault. The opening of the lids of the eyes slightly oval but not as much as the shape of an almond nor almost oriental.)
EYELIDS: black without a trace or lack of pigmentation, showing no haw.
(When the haw shows it changes the expression. Drooping tissues often indicate a soft and lymphatic temperament and often is the cause of accidents by irritation or accidents with infection of dust and grit.)
JAWS AND TEETH: The jaws should be powerful and of equal length; the teeth - strong, white and healthy. The upper incisors must meet the lower ones like the blades of scissors or fit like pincers. (Both jaws should be of equal length. If the upper ones are longer, the dog is overshot - while the opposite would be undershoot = Both these faults are due to shortening of upper or lower jaw and are serious as degenerate. Must be severely sanctioned. Scissor bites indicates the incisors of upper jaw slide on those of underjaw but very little but making contact, otherwise would be overshot. The pincer bite indicates perfect set of jaws. Number of teeth is 42. Those marked with brownish spots, showing depression, more or less marqued, and whose enamel is marred, indicates there must have been decalcification. These esthetic faults should be sanctioned. Some dogs have teeth covered with tarter and only need to have them scaled, being careful not to scratch them. With age, teeth can turn yellow and is a sign of age.
NECK: The neck should be free - strong, muscled widening into shoulders - length slightly less the head. Nape powerful and slightly arched - no dewlap.
(The power of attack of the Bouvier lies not only in the spring of his quarters, but in the power of his neck and jaws. The neck therefore must be powerful without being sunk into the shoulders. The head must be joined to the trunk by a continuous line without a sharp angle to the shoulders. The nape should be slightly arched.A good set of the neck is characteristic of a well-bred animal. A cylindrical neck such as a stove pipe is faulty.)
WITHERS: slightly prominent.
(The wither is point of shoulder blade. This bony point is used to measure the height of the dog. The height at the withers is determined by dropping a perpendicular line to the floor, passing at point of elbow. It is indicated in centimeters.)
BODY OR TRUNK: Powerful, cobby and short. The length of the point of the shoulder to ischium should be about equal to height at withers. The ischium is the point of the rump. The chest should reach to level of elbows, and never cylindrical though the ribs well sprung. The depth, that is the distance between the sternum and the last rib must be great - about 7/10 height at the withers.
The length of the trunk is measured between the two bony points which does not vary! point of the shoulder to ischium.
RIBS: The first ribs are slightly curved, the others well sprung and well inclined to the rear giving desired depth of the chest. Flat ribs must be greatly penalized.
(The Bouvier being a powerful dog must have bulk, that is, a well developed thoracic cage with a deep chest almost barrel. Flat ribs narrow the chest by reducing its volume, the opposite a barrel like appearance. The depth of chest should be such that the back of the sternum reaches the level of the elbows, and of enough volume not to appear out at elbows.)
FLANK: The flank, between the last rib and haunch - must be very short, especially in males. There is very little tuck up. (Seen from the side, the sternum with the belly makes a slight curve rising into the line of the flank. The flank must be short, the belly full. The dog that shows much daylight under him, that is like a coursing hound, must be penalized.)
BACK: short, wide, muscled and firm - showing no weakness but remaining flexible. (The Bouvier being exceptionally cobby, it implies that the back must be short, powerful and firm. The back that is swaybacked or roached implies that there is a malformation of the spine and is therefore defective.)
LOIN: Sort, wide and well muscled must remain flexible but without any weakness.
(This description, very clear, needs no explanation.)
CROUP OR RUMP: Must follow as closely as possible the horizontal line of the back and follow smoothly into the curve of the rump. Wide without excess in the male, more developed in the female. Descending croup is a serious fault.
(A descending croup, like a desk, is due to excessive inclination of the pelvis and a grave fault. Indeed, if the pelvis is too inclined, the rear legs are much under the body, reducing thus the reach in moving. In this, the feel being too far forward, the thrust of the rear tends to raise the body with a waste of energy, more rapid fatigue and defective gait. A descending croup is either an insufficiency in muscles in that region or excessive slope of the pelvic bones with accompanying low set tail. A croup like a mule, sharp spine and lateral falling away is also a fault. A tail carried gaily should not be to a right angle with the spine, but rather the continuation of the spine.)
FOREQUARTERS: The forequarters should have strong bony structure, well muscled and perfectly straight.
SHOULDERS AND FOREARMS: The shoulders are relatively long, well muscled, not loaded and moderately oblique. The humerus and shoulder blades are almost the same length.
(The shoulders must be sufficiently oblique to permit free action of the elbows. The Bouvier is a trotting dog, the angle of the shoulder blade with horizontal should be 58Degrees. An angle too open would mean too straight a shoulder and would hamper forward thrust.)
ELBOWS: Close to the body and parallel. Elbows our or too close are faults. In action must remain parallel to median line of the body. (If the elbows are out and are not on a parallel plane of the median line of the body then its weight sways in an oblique line.)
FOREARMS: Seen from profile or front they remain straight and parallel to each other and perpendicular to the ground. They should be well-muscled and of powerful bony structure. (The length of the forearm should be about 1/3 of the height at the withers. Forearms that are concave or convex are a sign of rickets.)
CARPAL(KNEE): Perpendicular with forearms, except for the accessory carpal at back. Strong and with heavy bone.
(Carpal represent the wrist, which permits the junction of the forearm to the hand.)
METACARPALS: of strong bony structure, very slightly inclined forward.
(If the metacarpals or pasterns are inclined too far forward it gives the appearance of leaning on the wrists; too straight often causing a bulge at the carpals and the curtails suppleness in gait.)
FRONT FEET: short, round and compact. The toes should be close and hard soles.
( Feet flat and open toed are a fault.)
POSTERIOR MEMBERS: Powerful, pronounced musculature. They must move in the same plane as anterior members.
THIGHS: wide, well muscled. The direction will be parallel to the median plane of the body. The femur neither too straight nor too inclined. The buttock will be well let down, good firm breeches. The knee cap or patella, in line perpendicular to highest point of the hip.
( The rump should be thick, but not like a leg of mutton - a narrow and flat rump is a fault. The slope of the femur should be about 70degrees to the horizontal.)
LEGS: Moderately long, neither too straight nor too inclined.
(The average inclination of the tibia should be about 60 degrees to the horizontal and the length of the leg in position, "stand and stay" and seen from behind, the tip of the hock is in vertical from ischium tip. The vertebral column remaining horizontal. )
HOCKS: rather close to the ground, broad, well muscled and stretched. Seen from the back will be straight and parallel in position "stand." In action remaining parallel.
(Seen from behind, the hocks whether in stand or action remain parallel - otherwise he is close or out. )
METATARSI: Strong and dry, rather cylindrical, perpendicular to the ground when in the stand position. No dewclaws.
(The metatarsi or shanks form with the tarsus - the posterior shank, when in the "stand, stay" position is seen from profile, must be perpendicular to the ground. The correct angulation: croup, buttock, leg and shank, makes for a good rear.)
POSTERIOR FEET: round, strong, toes close and arched. Strong, black nails - thick hard soles.
(The posterior feet must be free from dewclaws and surely not double ones - which would be a far recessive. The presence of these could cause accidents if torn off.)
COAT: the coat is very full, the top coat with the dense undercoat makes a perfect wrap adapted to the abrupt climatic changes in the region of origin of the breed.
(The bouvier is equipped with a true mantle made of an outer coat on which rained drips off, and lined with a dense undercoat truly water proof. This equipment makes him really resistant to inclemencies and assures his rusticity.)
COLORS: The coat of the Bouvier des Flandres is generally fawn or gray, often brindle or dark gray; the black is also allowed but not to be preferred. The light coats, washed our colors - not desirable.
(The standard does not allow white, yellow, pepper and salt which is a fault. Dark brindle is the ideal color. At the moment, many have a tendency to have lighter and lighter colors, called washed out, a throw back to ancient ancestors. We have to fight this and select very dark brindle for breeding.)
COAT: must be rough to the touch, harsh and dry - neither too long nor too short (about 2 1/2 inches), slightly tousled without ever being woolly or curly. On the head the coat is shorter and almost shaved on the outside of the ear, but the inside is protected by fairly long hair. On the top of the back the coat is harsh or dry; it becomes shorter on the lower legs, while still harsh. A flat coat is to be avoided showing lack of undercoat.
(One of the characteristics of the breed is the coat, which; while harsh to the touch all over the dog should be dry and dull, neither too long nor too short (about 2 1/2 inches) besides should be slightly tousled without being flat nor curly. It must not be woolly ins spite of the dense waterproof undercoat. Many paradoxes here are hard to reconcile. To maintain some sense of balance in this seeming controversies, the breeder must make constant adjustments. He will have to watch so the coat does not become too long and thereby too soft, nor too short thereby too smooth and too close, but he must obtain a dog with a harsh and slightly tousled coat as the standard requires.)
UNDERCOAT: a wadding made of fine and close hair grows under the outer coat and forms with this a waterproof mantle.
(The undercoat of the Bouvier can be compared to the lining of a raincoat which protects him from the weather. This is one of the characteristics of the breed which permits him to resist the tough climatic changes of his native land and is conducive to his hardiness. The absence of undercoat is therefore a fault, and consequently gives a flat coat.)
MUSTACHE AND BEARD: fully dry, shorter and harsher on top of muzzle. The upper lip has mustache and the chin has a full, harsh beard which gives the gruff expression so characteristic of the breed.
(The Mustache and beard form he furnishings of the head giving to the Bouvier that gruff expression so characteristic of the breed.)
EYEBROWS: These are made of upstanding hair which accentuate the arch of the eyebrows, without ever hiding the eyes.
(At the level of the stop there is a lock of hair bent forward but without falling on the muzzle which would give the appearance of a Briard, be an major fault.)
SKIN: Firm, without excessive laxity, visible mucous membranes always very dark.
(The skin of the Bouvier should neither be too tight nor too lose. The pigmentation of the lips should always be very dark. The pink exterior lips is a sign of loss of pigmentation and is faulty.)
EXTERNAL SEXUAL ORGANS: well developed. In the male the testicles must be in place.
(In the males, monorchid or bilateral cryptorchids are disqualifying.)
HEIGHT AND WEIGHT
HEIGHT: Height at the withers for males is 24 3/8 to 26 3/4 inches. Females 23 1/4 to 24 5/8 inches. In each sex the average between limits, that is 25 1/2 for males and 24 1/2 for females.
WEIGHT: Approximately 77 to 88 pounds for males; 60 to 77 pounds for females.
GAIT: The Bouvier des Flandres as a whole must be harmoniously proportioned to permit a gait free, proud and bold. Walk and trot are habitual gaits though ambling pacing is also correct.
(The gait of the Bouvier is most characteristic, it is that of a determined and bold dog, that is free and harmonious. It shows the functional conformation of the dog but also his temperament, thus is very important. The dog which shows himself shyly, with stilted movement, head and ears low, tail down surely is shy and should be eliminated from the breeding program in spite of good conformation. The gait of the Bouvier is that of the trotter. This gait is conditioned by his conformation, the articulator angles of his limbs, which have to move in parallel planes and perpendicular tot he ground. Bad stance, both front and rear, either too out or too close are the consequence of poor conformation which is reason for poor gait and therefore seriously faulty. )
GRAVE FAULTS
CONFORMATION: LONG IN BODY
EYES: LIGHT
EARS: NOT ERECT
BITE: OVERSHOT OR UNDERSHOT
RIBS: FLAT, TOO LONG OR OVERLY ROUNDED AND SHORT
CROUP: DESCENDING
COAT: WASHED OUT COLORS
HAIR: SOFT, WOOLLY, SILKY, TOO LONG OR TOO SHORT
SERIOUS FAULTS
BUILD: SWAY BACK
COAT: LACK OF UNDERCOAT
HAIR: WHITE STAR ON CHEST ALLOWED BUT NOT DESIRABLE
DISQUALIFYING FAULTS
EYES: WALL EYED, HAGGARD EXPRESSION
NOSE: SPOTTED OR BUTTERFLY
COAT: CHOCOLATE BROWN - TOO MUCH WHITE
SEX ORGANS: MONORCHID OR BILATERAL CRYPTORCHID