Bouvier des Flandres Breed Magazine - Showsight

Q&A bouvier

may not be appreciative of a full body massage from a stranger. With the amount of coat, what you see may not be what is there. Don’t be fooled by pretty grooming. There is no excuse for any product in the coat. DEBBIE LONG GSCHWENDER 1. In order, name the five most important traits you look for in the ring. Square dog, nice reach and drive, level topline and tail- set, head in proportion to body and good coat. 2. What, if anything, do you feel non-breeder judges get wrong about the breed? Most non-breeder judges get fooled by the grooming or just don’t understand the need to put up a SQUARE dog, one with a short loin. Over emphasizing the coat proper- ties, it’s an owner/handled breed with owner/handlers doing the grooming. And most of them do not know how to properly maintain a coat for the show ring. Also, Bou- viers are not necessarily a flashy breed and most judges go for the flash, not correct structure and movement, they need a well laid back shoulder with a moderate rear. 3. What do handlers do in presentation that you wish they would not? Move the dogs too fast. 4. Cropped or uncropped ears? Do undocked tails affect judging? I prefer cropped, but uncropped ears do not bother me. I do not care for an undocked tail. 5. What traits do you see popping up these days that are going in the wrong direction? What’s better? Wrong direction: straighter shoulders and overangulated rears, LONG loins. Better: coat texture and cleaner mov- ing dogs on the down and back. 6. Has your Bouvier competed in performance events? Did that experience affect judging decisions? Can today’s show Bouvier still perform the functions for which he was bred? Yes, I have competed with a couple Bouviers in Herding Trials. Yes, it has affected what I look for in the ring. And yes, the Bouvier can still perform many of the func- tions he was bred to do. He was and still is an all-round farm dog. 7. What previously campaigned Bouvier come close to your ideal? Please explain. Ch. Avalon Frontier Sleeping Lady Webber. He had a won- derful temperament, good substance, good coat and was a very nice moving dog. 8. How does the breed in North America compare to other parts of the world? I think there are some breeders in North America who do a very nice job of trying to improve the breed. Here

in the US, we are most definitely producing Bouviers that are equal to anywhere in the world. 9. Do you have anything else to share? Handlers/Owners need to take the time to learn the proper way to trim a coat. The jacket is to be 2 ½ inches long and should be tousled. RICK GSCHWENDER 1. In order, name the most important traits you look for in the ring. 1. Temperament equable, steady,

resolute, fearless character 2. Compact, short-coupled 3. Powerfully built, strong boned, well muscled 4. Back short, broad, well mus-

cled, firm level topline 5. Harsh double coat 6. Expression bold and alert 7. Free, bold, proud gait, reach in balance with driving power 8. Shoulder blade and humerus form angle slightly greater than 90 degrees 9. Chest broad, brisket extending to elbow 10. Proportions of skull to muzzle 3 to 2 11. Hindquarters firm, well muscled with large, powerful hams 12. Moderate angulation at the stifle 13. Scissor bite 14. Toplines of muzzle and skull parallel 15. Feet rounded, compact, toes close and well arched 16. Beard and mustache 2. In order, name the most serious faults. 1. Color chocolate brown, white, or parti-color 2. Deviating from minimum or maximum size limits 3. Undershot or overshot 4. Long-bodied 5. Skull not well developed 6. Coat too long, too short, silky, or woolly

7. Sickle or cow-hocks 8. Topline weakness 9. Slabsidedness 10. Steep shoulders 11. Slanted croup

12. Yellow or light eyes 13. Short, squatty neck 14. Upper thigh too straight or too sloping 15. Snipey muzzle 16. Ears too low or closely set 3. Which movement characteristic is most important?

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