The Bouvier of my Boudoir

This is a song about my own dogs , Chelsea and Bones, written when Bones was still young and approaching his prime competition years and Chelsea was past mid-life and was gradually retireing from various forms of work. Our training and competition years were truly the Golden Age of my life. Not just because we always won the "gold", because in fact usually we didn't, but because there was always challenge and often some exhilerating accomplishment. Chelsea has been dead for over 10 years and I still miss her; Bones has been dead for over 3 years and I still miss him.

Incidentally, the phrase "boudoir Bouvier" had been used over and over, again by one working oriented breeder and writer as a term of contempt for dogs who were pretty but were not proven in work (by which he meant exclusively Schutzhund), ie a dog good for nothing but lying in idleness on silken pillows on the sofa. Since I found this particular writer to be a bit bigoted as well as fanatical, I took some pleasure in changing the meaning to something more reasonable, ie the dog who can work up a storm but who sleeps on my bed and lounges on the sofa. And of course I had a lot of fun with the French rhymes!

As for the line "he looks just like a mutt", that was the prounouncement of that "father of the modern Bouvier", Justin Chastel, when he did conformation evaluations at the SCBDFC Annual Working Trial : "he looks almost like a mutt, but he works better than any of the showdogs." I should add that at this time Bones was about 18 months , a gangling adolescent at the very nadir of his appearance. He was at maturity a dog whose excellent functional structure gave him stamina and kept him athletic way into his old age, so that he was still able to herd sheep at an age when most Bouviers are dead or in wheelchairs.

I am the partner of a Bouvier who exceeds my ev'ry goal :
She's adorable and smart, she's the Sov'reign of my heart,
And the Captain of my soul !
Sheep and cattle she will herd when I give her Outrun word,
"Allez gauche !" or "va a droit !"
She's the Guardian of my truck, she's the Goddess of my luck,
She's the Bouvier of my boudoir !

I am the partner of a Bouvier who taught me ev'rything I know:
The lessons that I've learned with each title that she's earned
Have forced my training skills to grow!
Though officially "Retired," by her sheep she's still inspired :
Why should she bid them "au revoir" ?
On her laurels let her rest, doing what she loves the best :
She's the Bouvier of my boudoir !

     So give three cheers, and one cheer more,
     For my precious Chelsea whom I so adore !
     Yes, give three cheers, hip-hip-hooray,
     For my precious Chelsea Bouvier !

I am the partner of a Bouvier who truly is a joy to teach:
With a temperment so bold, jaws of steel and heart of gold,
There's nothing that's beyond his reach !
For each and ev'ry task , all I need to do is ask :
He'll add it to his repetoire.
He's adoring and he's smart, he's the Dauphin of my heart
And the Bouvier of my boudoir !

I am the partner of a Bouvier who fulfills my ev'ry dream :
His ears are quite uncut and "he looks just like a mutt,"
But at Working he's supreme !
At Tracking he Excells , for the following of smells
He pursues with an esprit de joie.
In manwork he's a brute : he mutilates the suit !
He's the Bouvier of my boudoir .

     So give three cheers, and one cheer more ,
     For my darling Bonsey whom I so adore !
     Yes, give three cheers, hip-hip-hooray,
     For my darling Bonesy Bouvier !

I am the partner of 2 Bouviers who share my life by night & day:
Our lives are full of fun and when work is to be done
We regard each job as play !
If a burglar should invade , our night will be well made:
Our home will be an abattoir !
I slumber safe and warm, for I'm guarded from all harm
By the Bouviers of my boudoir !

     So give three cheers and one cheer more
     For my Bones and Chelsea whom I so adore !
     Yes,, give three cheers, hip-hip-hooray,
     For these Paragons of Bouvier !

SITE INDEX	BOUVIER	RESCUE	DOG CARE
PUPPY REARING	TRAINING	PROBLEMS	WORKING DOGS
BOOKS	VERSE	IMAGES	MISCELLANEOUS

site author Pam Green	copyright 2003
created 1990	revised 6/23/03
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THE BOUVIER OF MY BOUDOIR

(to tune of "Captain of the Pinafore ", Gilbert & Sullivan)

by Pam Green , © 1990