Mohr Bouviers

As most of you know Mohr Bouviers is anxiously waiting to meet Mohr About Me’s (aka Lola) first litter. Over the past week we have been reviewing our current list of potential owners and refreshing our memory of what each individual or family is looking for in a puppy. Finding the best match of human and dog is our responsibility. Lola’s responsibility is creating and nurturing wonderful puppies but she relies on Karl and me to find the loving homes for each of her puppies. It is a job we take very seriously.

Owning a Bouvier can be a wonderful experience but as with any breed there are breed traits that must be considered and addressed from day one. Being part of the “Herding Group” this breed has an extremely intelligent mind that should never be allowed to rule the household. Now I know what you are thinking, how can this cute, bouncy puppy ever be a challenge to control? When that cute little puppy grows up to be a 70 lb. to 95 lb. dog and wants to rule the house you will definitely understand that limits need to be set and the fact that the human is in charge needs to be established. This is true with all dogs but I cannot stress enough the importance of this being done when you have a Bouvier in your house.

Now there may be those of you reading this thinking this sounds difficult and I don’t want to be mean to my Bouvier. And that could not be further from the truth. Just like their Mom when they were a little puppy, she would swiftly correct them when they needed discipline and let them know that the behavior was not acceptable. And that was the end of it. She did not hold a grudge, it was dealt with immediately. When you take your puppy home and they are all settled in, you need to step into the role of being in charge not the other way around. Let the puppy know what type of behavior is allowed and what is not allowed. Keep in the back of your mind, this puppy will grow up to big much larger and what may be cute now may not be very cute when they are full grown. So set the ground rules from the beginning.

Any sign of aggression, whether it be growling, snapping or lunging at a human or animal is NOT acceptable behavior. This does not mean the dog has an aggressive personality it may just mean they are trying new things out. If allowed to get away with that behavior or even given attention when they exhibit that behavior, they will continue down that path. No one wants a dog people are afraid of or a dog that is out of control. Usually this is a clear sign that the owner has allowed this dog to be “in charge”.

If you ever find yourself in this position don’t stick your head in the sand and hope it goes away. It won’t and in fact it most likely will get worse. Ask for help from a reputable dog obedience trainer. Explain what is happening and talk about a plan to get you and your dog back on the right path. If you are in the Lehigh Valley area I would recommend the trainer we use, Bill Balch 404-433-4874. He has worked with many of our Bouviers and in fact owns one of our Bouviers from our 2007 litter. So he is very familiar with the breed.

Owning a dog, whether it is a Bouvier or another breed, can be a very rewarding experience. But, as everything else in life, you only get out what you are willing to put into the experience. And asking for help should be viewed as strength not as weakness or a sign of failure. We all need help from time to time so stop and ask. You and your dog will be very glad you did.

Obedience training is not only extremely beneficial but it can be fun for both dog and owner. It is a good way to brush up on old skills and learn some new ones. And if any of you have ever attended any group class you know the pride you feel when you and your dog learn something new and can demonstrate your new skill.

I encourage everyone to get out there and start working with your dog. Whether it is in a group setting or just one on one, teach your dog and yourself something new. Challenge that very intelligent Bouvier mind and watch them shine!!! And above all have fun and enjoy the companionship your Bouvier can provide.

The following YouTube video of Nobel, a highly-trained Bouvier from Portugal, depicts the intelligence and “eager to please” training factor of this incredible breed.  Enjoy!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qWIo2CHn1A[/youtube]

This time of the year brings a longing for beautiful spring days. Here in the Northeast we are imagining leaves taking bud on the trees and bulbs pushing through the ground to deliver a beautiful array of color. Now reality breaks through and we realize we have another few weeks of winter before our hopes for spring can be realized.

But I have a few suggestions that you can do with your Bouvier to help clear your head and give you something to focus on besides waiting for Spring.

• Look into getting your Bouvier involved in “Canine Good Citizen Program.” You can find out further information on this program by visiting www.akc.org.
• 
  For those who are admitted “Geeks” try your hand at Geocaching with your Bouvier. I know you are all familiar with Hussi and Kory (feel free to visit their Geocaching profile page) well I am told Hussi has become quite good at Geocaching. The fun thing is it is free, and who doesn’t love free. It gets you out of the house and gives you some bonding time with your Bouvier.
• 
  Bouviers make wonderful Therapy Dogs and there are Therapy Groups in every town. You will need to show proof of vaccination, negative heart worm test, the dog must be clean and well groomed and be able to sit, down and stay on command to pass the test. To find a Therapy Group in your area check with the local Kennel Club or Vet’s Office. Therapy Dogs can work in Hospitals, Schools, Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Homes and Hospice to name a few. It is a special bonding time with your Bouvier and is a way of giving back to the community by making a difference in someone’s life.
• For those of you who have a competitive streak check out Agility and Herding Competitions. Bouviers are natural herders and can be very quick on their feet. Here’s a short video of Hussi jumping an agility-type fence on command. Then there is the undeniable fact, the Bouvier is very smart. So put that brain to use by figuring out the quickest way around the agility course or getting the geese to move in the right direction.

If none of these suggestions fit your lifestyle you can also just enjoy the company of a warm soul who is happy just to be near you. And who of us could ask for anything more.

(Note: Please click the pictures for larger images.)

As humans we have long realized the benefits of having a dog as a member of our families. Dogs are used in hospitals, nursing homes, schools and rehabilitation facilities to aid in healing the spirit and soul of the humans they come in contact with. Whether it be sitting by the side of a patient battling a disease who needs that unconditional love or a child who lacks confidence in reading and needs a non-judgmental buddy to read aloud to, dogs are willing and able to lend a paw.

This is especially true with Bouviers. I don’t know if it is due to the herding instinct that causes the Bouvier to be one of the most intuitive breeds I have ever come in contact with but once you have had a Bouvier as a family member you will find this to be true. They instinctively know when they are needed by their humans.

As many of you know by meeting her, Belle can be one tough girl. I have seen her cause strangers who come onto our farm unannounced take a step back and wait for me to let her know it is ok. But I have also seen this same dog go up to a complete stranger and sit down next to them and offer comfort. This past year a couple came to look at our puppies. The woman sat on the floor to visit with the puppies. Prior to giving “the boys” the run of the living room this woman shared how much she missed her Bouvier that she had lost a couple of months ago. With this a tear rolled down her check and Belle walked over to her and sat right next to her and gave her a kiss. The same dog that would make a stranger stop in their tracks and wait for me to tell her ok was sitting there snuggling with this woman who missed her Bouvier so very much. Belle had never met this woman before but knew she needed to offer comfort and unconditional love to this stranger.

Living with a Bouvier means:

• You will never be alone in your home. I am surrounded by what I refer to as my entourage of Bouviers. If I am in the kitchen I have at least 2 of them lying near me but if I move, a sigh can be heard as they get up and follow me.
• 
  You will never have cold feet. Bouviers make great foot warmers. They love to sit or lay down on your feet.
• You will not have to worry about home security. We have a large yellow street sign on our farm that says “This Farm is Protected by Bouvier, Inc.” Truer words have never been spoken.
• Your children or grandchildren will always have someone to snuggle up with at nap time or to watch a good movie or read a book.

You will come to find out that once you have a Bouvier in your life, you will never want to be without one.

So you have done your research and decided that the Bouvier des Flandres is the dog for you. You have even selected the perfect puppy. The steps you take in the transition from the security of Mom and littermates to a brand new loving environment are extremely important. Below is a list of ideas we have suggested in the past and used ourselves to make the transition as stress free as possible.

• Bring a small blanket or towel with you when you pick up your puppy. That blanket or towel can be rubbed on Mom and littermates so their smell goes with your puppy.
• Plan on picking your puppy up either during the beginning of a weekend or when you will be home for a couple of days.
• Do not have company over for a couple of weeks. It is very important to allow the puppy time to not only bond with you but also get used to his new surroundings and explore. It is always very tempting to invite people over to meet the newest member of your family but try to wait and give the puppy some time to adjust.
• Have a crate ready for your puppy. Many people feel that putting a puppy in a crate is cruel but if you think of that puppy as a toddler, you would not allow a toddler to roam unattended throughout your home. Think of the danger they would be in with electrical cords to chew on and items they could ingest. When you cannot give your puppy your undivided attention you need to put him in his crate. This stage only lasts for little while, it won’t be forever but it is important to keep your puppy safe. The puppy will come to view their crate as their little den.
• Feeding time is best done in his crate. Again stressing that his crate is a safe, comfortable place.
• Housebreaking 101: when your puppy wakes up, pick him up and take him right outside. When he stops playing, pick him up and take him outside. And if the above 2 things have not happened and it has been 30 minutes, pick him up and take him outside. If he goes immediately praise him but don’t take him in right away. Puppies get distracted easily and he may have to go some more. Walk him around for awhile and give him some time to see if he needs to go any more.
• We have always had great success with getting down to our puppy’s level. Sit on the floor and encourage your puppy to climb in your lap and snuggling with you. This snuggle time may only last a few minutes but it will help form that bond that he will be longing for. Remember he had littermates to cuddle with and Mom to curl up with and he will miss that and look to you to provide that for him. This will in no way make your courageous Bouvier any less of a guard dog. On the contrary he will be more attached and ready to protect you.
• If you have small children have them sit quietly on the floor and let the puppy get used to them and their quick movements.

Realize that each situation is unique. These are just some ideas we have found to work well for us. If you ever have any questions always feel free to contact us.

We are committed to helping our beloved Bouviers have a rewarding and loving life with their families.

Little Sara and Houdini enjoying some bonding time.

Hello everyone! We’ve put together a new section on our website, “Paw Prints From Belle,” we hope our visitors will enjoy. The column-type section will periodically include tips and advice related to Bouviers, etc. If you have suggestions on upcoming articles, please contact us and let us know! Thanks for visiting!