The Southern Charm Gang

Dreams seem rarely to come true for people. About 14 years ago, Kodak aired a commercial with Bill Cosby. Bill was sitting on a couch and a very large, black dog was walking around the couch. Bill kept calling the dog, but the dog was doing a great job of ignoring him. I had fallen in love. I looked in every book I could to determine the dog's breed.

My search ended at a local pet supply store’s book section, where I found the gorgeous, intelligent creature was a Bouvier des Flandres. I fell even deeper in love and dreamed of the day I would be owned by such a dog. Later, I found the dog in the commercial actually belonged to Bill Cosby. The Bouvier’s behavior in that commercial gave me my first clue regarding the typical Bouvier personality!

A Little History

Everyone loves their breed. Each owner feels their breed is funny, loving, smart, talented, and worthy of only the highest praise. This certainly describes the Bouvier des Flandres. A breed we almost lost during both World Wars, many of whom lost their lives dodging bullets while carting wounded and dead off battlegrounds. A breed, like so many others from long ago, bred for many different jobs. Guarding, protecting, herding, vermin killing; just a general all round farm dog, much like my friend the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. I marvel at how much these two breeds have in common. Like the Wheaten Terrier, Bouviers are funny, charming, headstrong, stubborn, and extremely loyal.

Searching for the Right Breeder

Five years ago, I began my search for the right breeder. I knew what I wanted. A Bouvier with high drive and a talent for working. Greg and I owned two shelter dogs, a litter trained housebunny and two talking parrots at the time. Sissy, a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier mix, also known as SHS’s Sunshine and Cinnamon CGC TT TDI VCC was our first rescue. Adam, an Australian Shepherd, also known as MARL’s Jumpin’ Adam HIC CGC TT TDI VCC, was our second. We trained in obedience, agility, and tracking, and were active in pet therapy work. So, besides the obvious obedience and agility work, I wanted my Bouvier to be able to work in herding, pet therapy and search & rescue. It was also important that the breeder be interested in betterment of the breed by doing genetic testing and breeding with one eye on the standard and the other on the future of our breed. Equally important to me was a breeder who cared about each and every puppy produced. I came across an article in a dog magazine featuring a photograph of a Bouvier called CH Quiche's Maverick. He was one of the most gorgeous Bouviers I had ever seen and the photographer had really captured his intelligent eyes. I now knew the look I was looking for as well. Three years after my search began, with many new Bouvier friends, a very dear friend referred me to one of the most wonderful breeders I have come across. That was the beginning of the end of our journey for Casey and that dear friend, Marcia Harrison, is known as Aunt Marcia in our home. We consider her to be Casey’s godmother, and she has been a wonderful mentor for me. She has taught me so much about grooming and showing the Bouvier. With her 20 plus years of being involved in the breed, this lady has so much to give to those of us who love this breed. Her never-ending encouragement helped Casey and me to achieve so many of our goals.

There were many extraordinary things, not only about the breeder Marcia had suggested, but B.Witchn’s breeding program as well. Karen and I talked for over a year and became good friends. I loved the fact that she was a breeder whom I could talk to, but was also very active in Bouvier rescue, and cared so much about each and every puppy she bred. The first thing she looked for when placing her puppies was a warm, loving home. When she told me CH Quiche's Maverick would be the upcoming litter's great-grandfather, I knew this was the litter....this was OUR litter. She called to tell me the breeding had taken place and I waited with much anticipation for the birth day of our darling little Bouvier. B.Witchn's Justin Casey Howlz, "Casey", was born 2 days before Christmas 1995 and on that day a dream came true for me.

Our Little Bouv, Casey

Casey is VERY high drive, has a zest for life, and a wonderful sense of humor. Now known as CH B.Witchn's Justin Casey Howlz HIC CGC TT TDI VBB VCC, he finished his American championship at 19 months with 4 major wins and 17 points with limited showing. He is CERF clear, OFA Cardiac clear, and hip pre-lims at 12 months looked good! All of this accomplished by the age of 20 months! We have done puppy agility since he was 14 weeks and he loves it! Our only problem at this point is control, but with a little maturity and patience, this too shall pass. We are active in pet therapy, beginning work in competitive obedience, herding, and will continue with agility and tracking. He is a neat dog, with lots to give to the community as well as his family.

Bouv Things

Greg and I laugh our heads off at Casey ker-lumping, as we call it, up and down and all around. He looks like a big ol' bear full of life, vigor, and happiness. He has this wide smile when he is most full of that mischievous Bouvier nature. This is when he loves to give what we call "Casey Hugs", which he inherited from his mother, AM/CAN CH Quiche's Re-Lee Tight Jeans. Casey loves to put his front legs around your neck and give you a big bear hug! He also loves giving kisses. Some of his favorite people have, in his opinion, been lucky enough to have received his famous "ear kisses". The recipients do not feel as lucky, as there is always an affectionate nibble associated with these kisses!

One of the first things Casey learned to do was play Hide and Seek under a pillow with Dad. Greg would put his hand under a pillow and make it move. Casey would pounce on it like a cat and then he would shove his head under the pillow to grab Greg’s hand! He would do this as long as Greg would continue playing. This is still one of his favorite games.

Casey loves balls. Any size, any color. If it is a ball, he is instantly drawn. Those eyes never leave the object. He also loves to retrieve anything; balls, sticks, rope toys, squeaky toys, balled up newspaper, you throw it, he will bring it back to you. He retrieved his first dumbbell at 5 months and has been at it ever since! We have even been able to teach Casey to bring items we point to....like the remote control and the TV program! What did we ever do without him!?

Our pets all have "pet" names. At our house, Casey is know as "The Case", "Casey Munster", and "Twister". "Twister" comes from the super fast circles he turns when excited and most playful. He is hilarious, with all four legs very close together, turning round and round as fast as he can! And sometimes, he will even add the Bouvier Bounce! All Bouvier people know this maneuver, as I am sure they have all witnessed this phenomenon. What a sight to see; a large, bear-like animal jumping straight up in the air, three to four feet off the ground!

Intelligence and the Bathtub Story

I am forever awestruck at the intelligence of Bouviers. One of my fondest memories of Casey's puppyhood is what we call the Bathtub Story. It all began when Casey was only 8 months old.

Normally, the nighttime routine is that Greg takes everyone outside at 10pm, then they all go to bed, leaving me up checking my email. The two older dogs sleep out in the bedroom, and Casey in his crate. We began having problems with Casey at bedtime. He would run back into the dark part of the house and just stand there for about 5 seconds like a child saying, "Hey, mom, I don't WANNA go to bed now". We worked with him, and began sending them off to bed with a puppy treat for everyone. This had been going on a couple of weeks. One night, after I was finished in the front part of the house and on my way to the back to check my email, I discovered I had left something in the den. The lights were out already and I sat down to gather up what I had left in the den. Greg had been trying to get Casey to go to bed and he was being stubborn. He came RUNNING in the den, circled around me, flopped down beside me and let out this huge sigh. I laughed and hugged him, talked to him a bit, asked him if Dad was being mean to him. I then told him we HAD to go to bed...I am sure he was saying, "Mom, YOU aren't going to bed right now, why do *I* hafta?". I got up, and made sure Casey was in front of me, and herded him down the hall to a waiting dad. In a few seconds Greg asked, "Where is he?" and I said, "He is back there with you".

"No he's not".

"Then, where IS he?"

Greg had no idea. Then I remembered a sound I heard seconds before and said, "Surely he did not go in his crate ON HIS ON?" He look in Casey's crate. Nope, no Casey in the crate. He checked one of the other bedrooms (where I was going to check my email), then the master bedroom, the master bath....no Casey. We could not figure out WHERE he was. I knew he had started down the hall. Finally, I looked at Greg and I said, "Wait a minute". There is a bathroom in the hall and the lights were out. The sound I had heard was Casey jumping IN the tub and he was HIDING behind the shower curtain!!!!!!! I started calling Casey...we mentioned the word ball and NOT A SOUND. For those of you who do not know the Case, this is UNHEARD of. We kept saying, "Where's Casey? I guess we'll have to give his treats to Adam." but nothing brought him out. I turned on the lights, and sure enough, there was a Bouvier silhouette. I even sat down, but he moved not one nail. Finally, I had to throw the curtain back.....he still did not want to go, but reluctantly off he went. He was so precious....we were laughing so hard, it was difficult to make him go to bed....so guess what? Now he stays up with mom, playing with his tennis ball and rope toy (favorites now) while I check my email. We figured he was a little upset about having to go to bed without his mom. He has been as happy as a little clam ever since. Is he spoiled or what? I think *I* am the one who is spoiled. I could not believe an 8 month old puppy would have such intelligence......I do now. And that is the Bathtub Story.......

Herding with Bouvier Style

When I was a little girl, living in Liberty, Mississippi, my dad was an Associate County Agent, working with the Extension service in Amite County. That area of the state was dairy country and we had friends with a large dairy out in the county. I spent a lot of time at Mr. W.L. and Miss Annie Mae Crawford’s place, and that is where my love of herding began. They imported Border Collies to work their farm and I could sit and watch Meg bring those cows in all day long. Her intensity and love for her job was so very apparent. I longed for the day when I would be able to work cows or sheep with my dogs.

One of the most unusual attributes of a Bouvier is their herding style. It is like none other I have ever seen. Bouviers use their bodies, literally. Poor Adam has been herded by Casey since his March arrival. He reminds me very much of a Border Collie in the beginning of the "herding". He presses himself as close to the ground as he can, barely crawling towards Adam, trying to escape notice. Once he is ready to pounce, the chase is on and he begins to use his body to make Adam do what he wants. And if that does not happen, he actually moves his entire body into Adam, making him move in the correct direction. Of course, Adam has his day, too, when he takes his turn with Casey. And of course, Sissy just laughs and laughs at how they are doing all that work for nothing.

For several years I had heard the glory stories of the infamous Bob Vest and his herding clinics. More recently, I began hearing how good he was with Bouviers. These things made me want to attend one of his clinics even more. Bob’s clinics are difficult to get into, because everyone wants to attend and while he has been in Mississippi several times, each time I have failed to obtain a place.

When Casey went before Jim New of Risco, Missouri for his HIC, Jim was very impressed with Casey’s instincts. Casey and Adam both passed their HIC with flying colors and once again, I was struck with "herding fever". Jim also ranted and raved about how great Bob was, insisting I make it to one of his clinics as soon as possible. I continued trying to obtain a place in one of Bob’s seminars with no luck; they were always full. Six months before Jim’s December Bob Vest weekend, knowing I had just missed out on another one in Mississippi, Jim asked if I would like a place in his clinic. I jumped at the chance and am I ever glad I did.

If I wasn’t before, after this clinic I am hooked on herding and I promise, I WILL have some sheep or SOMEWHERE to work soon! Currently, I have to drive two to three hours to go herding! If there is anyone who’s never had the opportunity to attend one of Bob's clinics, run, don’t walk, even if the only option is to sit in on it and not work a dog, there is much to be learned about behavior, both livestock and canine, from Mr. Bob Vest.

With Casey’s drive and his intensity with movement, I was so afraid that he was going to do nothing but chase the sheep and EAT them; Bob knew I was afraid of this. He put this halter he makes out of a string on Casey; something he uses on most first-timer Bouvs and other strong dogs. The way he ties it, he says the knots are on "pressure points" and this causes the dog to relax. Bob also has a unique way of teaching the dog where he is supposed to be by using a plastic garden rake. So, between the halter and the fact that he was afraid of the rake because of a bad experience with it, Casey was much calmer than I thought he would be!!! One thing was apparent throughout; Bob knows his stuff. He knows how to read dogs and livestock better than anyone I have ever had the opportunity to train with. He was able to tell me, and others with their own dogs, what Casey was going to do before the behavior occurred.

Our two sessions on Saturday went real well, with Bob working Casey with the rake and the line. When we finished the second session, Bob grinned at me and said we would have him off line the next day!!! I laughed and said, "If you say so!!". Well, he was right, *I* worked Casey on those sheep the next morning and I thought I was going to FAINT! From exhaustion! I looked at Bob and said, "You said we would not have to run!!" and he laughed and said, "Well, you wouldn't if you would stay with your sheep like I told you to!".

We really had a ball! Sunday afternoon, Casey acted as if he had never had a problem with that rake, and I was not out of breath; I just got so CONFUSED!!!! With this last session, things were going so fast, I got confused about where I was supposed to be! Bob came out to help me and said he wanted Casey to get what I call the "go around" where he was actually going around the sheep and keeping them together. Even with all my confusion, he got it!! I finally got that when he comes towards me I am to stop and when he goes away from me I am to walk forward. Everyone was cheering me on and that really helped! I have found most people in herding to be so supportive and encouraging, which helps so much and is refreshing in competitive dog sports.

I also learned how to better control Casey's problem with movement without causing him to have any negative feelings, and that alone was worth the drive to Missouri!!! Before we went to this seminar, Casey would be just beside himself when seeing any kind of fast movement. Bob's advice makes so much sense, and it is exactly what we do in any situation that we want to get the dog accustomed to. That simply is "socializing" the dog with whatever we are trying to get him used to. By Sunday afternoon, Casey would lie at my feet, calmly, on loose lead with all the dogs and sheep moving. Now, he did show LOTS of interest and you could tell it was not easy for him, when the dogs were really stirring those sheep up, but Sunday he was lying there, not up and in the air! What a difference being around sheep for a while makes!!

Bob and Jim let me bring Adam out to work him and with Bob's direction, we were able to take him off lead and work those sheep!! I was not sure how he would react, since he did GREAT with his HIC, was actually wearing a bit, but the last time he was on sheep, he totally ignored them!! Bob showed us how to get the dog's attention on the sheep and in a few minutes, he was right behind them, taking a few sniffs, and even a nip! I was very pleased with his progress in one lesson with Bob! We will be back there in 6 months for the next one, as I already have our place reserved!!!

I still have a LOT to learn, and have millions of questions, but am really hooked. The most exciting part of all this, is seeing your dog do something his breed originated for. It is so thrilling to see him click and move, my eyes fill with tears thinking of it. I could watch a herding dog forever, seeing him think on his feet, watching him slip so easily into the task, as if this were something he had done all his life. It’s a wonderful feeling seeing those instincts kick in.

Agility with the Black Bear

Agility is fun no matter how you slice it. That’s why I got started in agility. But add the Bouvier to agility, and the fun is just beginning!

Since I teach agility classes, Casey started puppy agility at 13 weeks. I use no jumps, but get them used to going through winged jumps, stepping over the bar. I have a plank on milk crates for the "puppy walk", another plank with a small piece of wood underneath for a teeter, a tire placed on the ground, and a tunnel. Casey excelled in puppy agility. He seemed as if this was his purpose in life. And what a joy to see him have so much fun! He ran his first agility course, off lead, at 5 months. There were no jumps, but he did the course, MUCH to Mom’s surprise!

He barks for every command; I just cannot give them quick enough for him. As soon as that big black nose has entered the tunnel, he is barking for his next command. I am so glad I can give this kind of joy back to my dogs, who give us so much joy on a daily basis.

Messy, Messy Bouviers!

Bouviers aren't for everyone and they are certainly not for the faint of heart! For someone who has an immaculate home, free of dirt and mess, DO NOT BUY A BOUVIER! One of the highlights of Casey's life is to share half the bowl of water with his mom and dad after a good long drink. How you may ask? By soaking up all of the water he can in his beard, then running as fast as he can to PLOP his face on your leg, or in your ear if you happen to be lounging on the sofa! And of course, there is a trail of water on the floor all the way from the water bowl to you! It is so nice to have tile and hardwood floors!

Grooming? Grooming!

And the grooming! For show, Bouviers must be hand stripped. I think I am finally getting the hang of it, thanks to our good friend Aunt Marcia Harrison down in Abita Springs, Louisiana. Grooming Casey was something I looked forward to learning. I am very lucky to have had Marcia, Casey's godmother, take me under her wing and teach me how to groom. Between Marcia and Casey's Aunt Diane Sutherland, I learned so much! I am still learning, but I can now groom Casey entirely and not be nearly so afraid! I have learned to hand strip his coat, and use the clippers. I was MOST afraid of learning to use the clippers, but once I tried them a time or two, there was really nothing to it. I still have much to learn, and am so lucky to have such good friends willing to lend a little of their time to teach me.

Bouvier Dreams Do Come True

With our Bouvier dreams came many wonderful friends who have supported us along the way. Without them, we could never have accomplished so much. Aunts Carrie Keith, Dorothy Kent, Rosalie Kent, Kitty Korth, Diane Sutherland, Sandra, and Uncle Lannie to name but a few. And there’s our BeBe (Karen Brown), Mimi (Millie Sims), and Aunt Marcia, our greatest supporters of all.

Of course, I fell and fell hard. Not only have I become a member of the American Bouvier des Flandres Club and the American Bouvier Rescue League, but I assisted our Health and Genetics Committee with research regarding health registries. I am also currently serving as the ABdFC Webmaster.  Please visit the ABdFC Web Site and let us know what you think.

Everyone who knows me knows my love and work for shelter and mixed breed dogs. That will never change as there will always be a shelter/rescue dog in our lives. Now there is another that I will always have in my life; a Bouvier des Flandres.

My dream of owning a Bouvier is finally a reality, but even I could not have imagined life with a Bouv would be so wonderful. Casey’s fire and enthusiasm are contagious to all who meet him. Watching him work his magic with his sister and brother, I find myself engrossed; a little butt wag here, an engaging smile there, play, play, play all day long. When he uses that booming bark to warn the dangers away, even if it is a harmless spirit, I softly smile at my friend. And there is nothing better than being on the receiving end of sweet "dirty beard" kisses and hugs. At those times, I believe Casey’s Bouvier Dreams have come true for him as well.

M. Suzanne Sims is a Technology Consultant in Jackson, MS. She has conducted housebunny seminars for the Mississippi Animal Rescue League, taken Pet Photos With Santa, as well as weekly photos for the state newspaper featuring a homeless pet at MARL. In her spare time, she trains  in obedience, agility, and herding, does pet therapy work, has taught puppy and basic agility, is a certified CGC evaluator for Therapy Dogs International,, and offers assistance with pet behavioral problems.  She also serves as webmaster for the American Bouvier des Flandres Club and the Jackson Obedience Training Club.  You may email her at threedogfarm@bigfoot.com.  To learn more about the Bouvier des Flandres, visit the ABdFC (American Bouvier des Flandres Club) web site.

Comments or Questions?  Email Webmaster M. Suzanne Sims

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