Throughout his career, Humphrey Bogart defined the "tough guy." No matter what the role, Bogart brought a hard-bitten wisdom and attitude to the screen. Masculine yet sensitive, cavalier yet heroic, his ambiguities and contradictions combined to create a larger-than-life image, and he used this persona to great effect in classic movies such as "Casablanca," "The Maltese Falcon," "The African Queen" and many more.
Bogey often wasn't the best-looking actor in his movies, nor did he have the muscular body of today's leading man, but he was always the guy you turned to when the going got rough, and the going often got rough, for Bogart played men operating at the edge of society's boundaries - smugglers and soldiers, detectives and thieves. His characters knew what it took to get the job done, even if that sometimes meant crossing the line.
The bouvier des Flandres is the Humphrey Bogart of the dog world, for although this shaggy, sometimes ornery herding dog doesn't have the dashing looks of today's more popular breeds, the bouvier has a can-do demeanor and a bold, resolute courage that has enabled it to survive brutal, often violent environments. Like Bogey, the bouvier has played some of this century's toughest roles, including that of smuggler and spy, police officer and soldier.
A Mysterious Past
Bogey's characters often had mysterious pasts, just like the bouvier des Flandres. Documentation of the breed doesn't begin until the late 19th century, when veterinarians in Flanders - a region of Belgium and northeastern France - noted that many of the region's farm dogs were breeding loosely to type.
Breed historian Miranda Lucas notes that early in the breed's development there were three separate types of bouviers des Flandres. The original bouvier was found primarily in the Ypres and Warrenton region of northern France. This was a harsh-coated dog, standing approximately 25 inches high, used primarily by shepherds.
Lucas writes that this dog was probably a cross between the Matin - a large, smooth-coated breed often used as a draft dog - and the Berger Picard, a smaller, rough-coated dog. The smallest type was the bouvier d' Ardennes, which had prick ears and a short tail. The third breed prototype was the bouvier de Roulers, a large dog that also exhibited a strong Matin influence found primarily in the French city Roulers. The modern bouvier des Flandres is most likely a combination of these three earlier types, with a healthy dash of the region's generic, harsh-coated sheepdogs in the mix.
The breed first gained popularity in the beef trade, as the dog showed a unique aptitude for cattle driving. Bouvier means cowherd or oxherd in French, and the breed often went by the names koehond (cow dog) or toucheur de boeuf (cattle driver). Although not as large as other cattle dogs in the region, the bouvier was more adept at intimidating cattle and also possessed greater speed, agility and endurance.
Others soon recognized the talents of the bouvier and adopted it for several tasks, including general livestock work, turning milk churns and work as a draft dog. Horses were rare in this part of Europe, owned primarily by the privileged classes, and dogs were often employed to pull carts full of produce, milk, people and practically everything else.
The breed made its first dog show appearance in 1900, but the four dogs exhibited as bouviers at that show in Hasselt, Belgium, differed wildly in appearance. Development occurred slowly during the next 15 years but came to a halt with World War I, when the bouvier's Belgium home was turned into a battlefield.
Resistance Fighter
During the war, most large herding dogs such as the bouvier were either slaughtered or used as stretcher bearers and messengers - the kind of tough, unheralded roles Bogey would've admired. Not surprisingly, few bouviers survived the brutal conflict. Fanciers re-established the breed, however, and on January 15th, 1922, the Club National Belge du Bouvier des Flandres approved the first breed standard in the Belgium city of Ghent. Even this document did not end the debate about the breed's appearance, and although the bouvier continued to find a following throughout northern Europe during the '20s and '30s, there was still considerable variation in type.
Smugglers and poachers were among the many who used the dog. The bouvier's dark color, combined with its speed, endurance and intelligence, made it an excellent means of transporting illegal contraband or cutting out stock in the dead of night. Police officers and customs agents, impressed by the bouvier's courage and tracking abilities, also began using the breed during this period.
War intervened in the bouvier's development again in the late '30s, as the forces of Nazi Germany swept through the dog's homeland. It was during this period when many bouviers accepted their most dangerous task yet, serving as couriers for the Nazi resistance movement in Holland and other areas of northern Europe. The dogs proved so successful at this treacherous role that sometimes a whole street would contribute scraps of valuable food for their upkeep so that they could continue their resistance efforts. The Nazis were aware of the bouviers' use in covert operations, however, and often shot the dogs on sight.
In many ways, the breed owes its American presence to these resistance efforts. The first recorded bouviers arrived in the United States in 1927, and the breed was formerly recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1929, but aside from the work of a few dedicated breeders, the dog remained relatively obscure outside of northern Europe. That changed in 1942 with the arrival of Edmee Bowles and her bouvier, Belco. The owner of a prestigious bouvier kennel, Bowles was driven from her family estate near Antwerp, Belgium, by the Nazis for establishing a resistance communication network by sending information fastened inside the collars of her bouviers. Bowles and Belco escaped by working their way through France and Spain to Portugal, where they found passage to New York.
Once in the United States, Bowles worked for the "Dogs for Defense" program training American-bred bouviers, and many of these dogs went on to make a contribution to the war effort. In 1946, Bowles founded Belco Farms near Collegeville, Pennsylvania, where she became an influential breeder and well-known personality at dog shows.
Tough Love
After the war, bouvier breeders on both sides of the Atlantic restored the breed from war-time devastation. The American Bouvier de Flandres Club was established in 1963. Of the 148 breeds registered the bouvier is the 77th most popular dog in the United States, in terms of new AKC registrations for the year 2000. Although the majority of bouviers are now household companions, breeders diligently maintain the dog's working heritage, both here and abroad - a bouvier cannot win the title of champion in Belgium unless it has also won a prize in a work competition as a police, defense or army dog.
The modern bouvier de Flandres is a powerful but compact dog. Height, measured at the withers, ranges from 241/2 to 271/2 inches for males and from 23 1/2 to 261/2 inches for females. Weight varies from 65 to 95 pounds for adults. The bouvier possesses great agility and speed, which complements an alert, bold disposition.
Like Bogart, the bouvier often appears disheveled, but this appearance is by design, creating a "tough-guy" image that has served the breed well in its many difficult occupations. The dog's thick, waterproof coat helped guard it against northern Europe's damp, cold winters.
The outer hairs are rough and harsh, with the undercoat being fine, soft and dense. The breed's characteristic gruff expression is created, in large part, by the heavy mustache and beard on the upper lip and chin. Like the rest of the coat, this facial hair should be trimmed only lightly so that the rugged appearance is preserved. This does not relieve the owner of grooming responsibilities - the coat needs combing one or twice weekly, as well as an occasional bath.
Where the bouvier most resembles Bogey is in its disposition, for like the great film star, the typical bouvier is no choir boy. Untrained, they can be domineering, independent and reserved, especially when bred from working bloodlines - show lines tend to be calmer and more subdued. Even a properly socialized bouvier might not get along with other dogs. Any faults, however, are made up for by the breed's intense devotion and loyalty to its family. Naturally protective, they take the job of guardian - or any other job - very seriously.
Because the bouviers' natural intelligence and vigor can lead to behavioral problems if improperly trained and socialized, it is probably not a good choice for the casual or first-time dog owner. Give your bouvier training and attention, particularly when young, and chances are you will be rewarded with a loving family companion. Without that attention, you may have your hands full.
Exercise should be an important component of the bouvier's life. Natural athletes, they require plenty of exercise for happy, healthy lives. As with many large breeds, the bouvier is prone to hip dysplasia. Stock should be purchased from a reputable breeders with excellent health records. A healthy bouvier des Flandres has a typical lifespan of 10 to 12 years.
Being the tough guy was never easy for Bogey - his characters came out on the losing end as often as they won - and it hasn't been a piece of cake for the bouvier either. The breed has endured unimaginable war and devastation, but through it all, the bouvier des Flandres has retained its courage, work ethic and zest for life, allowing it to emerge from a difficult past into a future filled with promise. Although this strong-willed, scruffy dog might not be for everyone, it's the kind of loyal and courageous pooch a tough guy like Bogart would've loved.
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