The Flanders Cattle Dog is among 10 of the different Cattle Dog breeds. The one in question is a large dog whose body is compact and robust, which curiously does not present any agility problem in its movements even with its size.
The head is quite large where a prominent beard stands out, the long whiskers and abundant eyebrows that completely cover the eyes making its appearance, without a doubt, very unique and easy to distinguish. If you are curious to know more about this breed of dog, we invite you to continue reading.
Origin of the Flanders cowherd
Its origin goes back to the mountains of Flanders where Belgian and French nationality is shared. The original name of this breed of dog is bouvier, which means cattle keeper.
But the reality is that the Flanders herder has been given several types of tasks in addition to that of cowboy in charge of herding the cattle, among which is that of protection, watchdog, charge dog and of course escort.
In times of the First World War, this breed was used to do messaging functions and they also carried him as a transfer dog in ambulances. At that time Flanders suffered severe damage due to the conflict and the breed was seriously depleted.
After the culmination of the war, the breed could be recovered from the few specimens that survived. From there they made progress in the adjustments, promotion and homogenization of the standards of the breed that we know today, this being a fairly common breed in dog shows and herding events, they rarely see themselves as companion dogs but they do exist.
Features
Its enormous size allows it to reach the maximum 45 kilos in its adult stage, although not all reach this weight. If something is very typical of the breed, it is precisely the long coat and rough texture behind which its true forms are hidden and provides it with a very peculiar movement.
According to the FCI indications, the ears of these dogs should be cut in a triangular shape, although this practice is less and less applied. The color of the coat varies between the different specimens, in this sense it is possible to find some with completely black fur, others with a brown mantle, in gray tones and there are some black and white speckles.
Their weight ranges between 30 and 40 kg regardless of whether they are male or female, the coat is long, rough, strong and in any of the aforementioned shades. Their life expectancy is 10 to 12 years.
Character
The specimens of this breed turn out to be quite balanced in character, however the socialization as part of their training at an early age is paramount to avoid problems in the future.
Do not lose sight of the fact that they have a past that leads them to be excellent and protective guard dogs to the extreme with their family circle, Likewise, he demands company and continuous attention because he does not like to be alone.
They stand out for their great intelligence and cognitive abilities that facilitate the development of memory and understanding, as well as their great predisposition to learning. In summary, everything in the dog is formulated so that your learning is fast and very profitable.
His personality denotes a lot of seriousness and he tends to be quite protective according to what we have described before. But far from what the animal can pretend, enjoys a lot of company and daily activities as a family.
On the other hand, as it is a herding and surveillance dog, activities that occur very naturally, it is very possible that it is somewhat suspicious and shows defensive attitudes that even lead to being aggressive with other dogs in the area. same sex.
This is where socialization from a very young age has a lot of relevance., since it is the most reliable way so that you can always have good relationships with strangers to your family circle, with children and with other animals. This also makes it a very reliable pet.
It is a large dog and therefore requires activities that keep it active, even though he knows how to manage his energy very well. It is recommended for them to have a wide and open space where it is possible to move and exercise at least one hour a day.
They tend to get bored easily so it is highly advisable to keep it active with tasks, games, challenges, tricks and a lot of exercise so you won't get bored. In those moments where they are more calm, take advantage of promoting games that exercise their brain and that provide great benefits.
Health
They are characterized by having very good health and are generally not prone to diseases, but when their health is affected these are the pathologies that appear most frequently:
Cataract
The falls They are a degenerative disease that dulls the eye which turns white, when it reaches an advanced stage it causes blindness. In these dogs it is recommended carefully clean the dirt accumulated in the eyes because of the length of the eyebrows, daily.
Hip dysplasia
Hip dysplasia it is very common in young and adult large dogs. It is degenerative and is caused by excessive exercise or being overweight.
And now let's talk about that beautiful and abundant fur and how you have to take care of it so that it always looks beautiful, bright and without tangles. Undoubtedly, the coat deserves frequent attention since it is abundant, in addition to being very long and arranged in a double layer where the inner is soft and thick and the outer is rough and long.
Regular brushing is vital to avoid knots and dirt and some particles from accumulating on the coat. You do not need to bathe very often, as this causes damage to the scalp and hair.
It requires visits from time to time to the hairdresser, where they will remove the fur that is dead. Keep in mind that due to the length of the coat, a lot of dirt will accumulate on the legs. and in the beard, but this does not have to warrant recurrent baths or cleanings, brushing will be enough.