GENERAL APPEARANCE  
Shoulder height: 59-68cm (23”-27”).
Colour: Fawn or grey - often brindle or charcoal.
Coat: Rough, crisp and dry - about 6cm (2½”) with bushy eyebrows, moustache and beard. Undercoat to be a fluffy mass of fine hairs.
Gait: Free, easy and proud. Powerful. Ambling permitted in slower paces,but not desirable.
Except for the wider skull and shorter, powerful muzzle, this rugged breed is not dissimilar to the Giant Schnauzer. The high set ears are flexible and hang close to the side of the face, although in countries where cropping is permitted, they are erect. The body is broad and compact. The tail is carried up - however, dogs born without a tail are acceptable. Fore and hindquarter angulation is moderate and the well boned legs end with thick compact feet.
CHARACTERISTICS AND CARE
Bouviers should be lively, intelligent and audacious, and as guard dogs they have no equal. They make sensible and calm family companions, but as their herding instinct is strong, they sometimes have been known to round up children. Only periodic brushing of the coat is required with occasional clipping. If being shown, the coat is normally stripped by hand.
HISTORY
Like many of the Belgian farm dogs, the Bouvier was called on to fulfil many duties from cattle droving to pulling milk carts. As the farmers were more interested in the utilitarian purpose of their dogs, little interest was paid to developing a distinctive breed type. Due to the efforts of some enthusiasts, by 1910 uniformity in the breed had been established. During World War 1, Bouviers served as messenger and ambulance dogs for their country, but the war took its toll with” the result that the breed almost became extinct. With peace restored, a nucleus of owners resuscitated their Bouviers and through their efforts, the breed was re-established. They are now found in many parts of the world.