Bouvier des Ardennes is a rare dog breed from Belgium. Originating in
the Ardennes region these dogs were used to herd cattle. The loss of farms in
the area led to serious decline in the numbers of these dogs until 1985 when
some breeders found a few dogs and used the original breed standard as their
guide in re-introducing the dog.
History
In
the past, all the dogs that worked with cattle were called Bouvier (bovine
herder). Each region throughout the area had its own type. From ancient
rough-coated stock, these dogs were prized guardians and drovers. As the
motorized age arrived, the need for driving cattle to the market was gone and
so was the call that helped with the drives.
The
Bouviers were almost eliminated after the bloody fighting of World War I. Many
of the rarer types were lost altogether. The breeds that are a memory include:
Bouvier de Roulers, Bouvier de Moerman, and Bouvier de Paret. Still remaining
are the Bouvier de Ardennes and Bouvier des Flandres.
Appearance
The
Bouvier De Ardennes can come in any colour except white. It is usually found in
brindled or peppered variety. It has medium length, coarse, wiry hair, with a
"beard" and "eyebrows". This dog can be naturally short
tails and long tails (both allowed, the ideal of natural short), high ears and
a keen eye
Size
The
Ardennes Cattle Dog has an ideal height for males of 55 to 63 centimetres (22
to 25 inches), and 51 to 57 centimetres (20 to 22 inches) for females. The
ideal weight is 28 to 35 kilograms (62 to 77 pounds) for males with females
being 22–28 kilograms (49–62 pounds).
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