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 des Roulers, Bouvier des Moerman, and Bouvier des Paret. Still remaining are the Bouvier des 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 naturally have short tails or long tails, high ears, and keen eyes.

Size

The Ardennes Cattle Dog has an ideal height for males of 55 to 63 cm, and 51 to 57 cm for females. The ideal weight is 28 to 35 kg for males with females being 22 - 28 kg.