About Mom, from Iris's Point of View . . .

As Queen Mother (Iris), let me give you a brief history of our Mom, Shelley Bowman. She owned Miniature Schnauzers many years (poor dear didn't know yet that she was a "big dog" person). When confronted with living alone for the first time and dogless, she visited the Colorado Kennel Club shows in 1989. While looking for a giant schnauzer (now at least she had a clue), she saw a bouvier. It was love at first sight and all the information she learned of our breed just confirmed it. Her first bouv was from American Bouvier Rescue League and truly gave her insight into the strength and resilience of the bouvier.



She learned a lot from dear Lizzie (see bio) which helped her to later raise a little boy puppy who she named Dutch Treat. Thinking she was training this puppy merely for obedience and companionship, she attended a few conformation shows and "got the bug". While competing with Dutch in conformation, obedience and then herding, along comes her next surprise, ME! She already had her "Mr. Perfect" in Dutch. I challenged her from day one (still do, though we are both a bit more mellow). Before she bred her first litter, with me as her foundation bitch, we went to work and earned four titles. Then it was time for "babies" (which I really loved since people treated me like the Royal Queen I am!). Since then we have added three more to our household and have seen two go ahead to the Rainbow Bridge. We all love to play at the different "games" Mom likes to play, whether it be Obedience, Herding (yeah yeah yeah), Agility, Tracking, Pet Therapy, Tracking, Carting and yes, some of us even enjoy the beauty shows (it's where the best treats are!). Temperament and attitude are really important in all of us. Mom believes that we should "be all that we can be".

She also works hard to be all she can be. She sits on the board of the ABdFC (American Bouviers de Flanders Club) and is Futurity Chair. She has served the Colorado Kennel Club as Treasurer for four years and board member as well as past Agility Chair and is currently Trophy Chair. She helped organize the Mile High Agility Club of Boulder, works as a Canine Good Citizen tester and has been a member of the Lutheran Hospital Pet Therapy Program. But she still has time to make sure that we get all the love and attention that we need. We have a great family!

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