Sarah W:
Apologies if I'm relating info you're already hip to - Bouvs are awesome dogs. I was raised with them, and that experience has everything to do with why Meigs presently shares my life - I rescued him from the original owner, whose boyfriend didn't care for him.
Meigs is dog #2, for me. He fills the void left by the late, great, Sherman (English Springer Spaniel); put down at the age of 5 when his epilepsy raged out of control (I'm a self-styled martial artist tough-guy, and I cried like a bitch when I sent Sherman to the Rainbow Bridge).
In any event, ESSs & Bouvs are polar opposites, personality wise. Meigs will be by my side for the rest of his life, but I find myself missing the full-throttle affection typical of the ESS. Bouvs can be pretty aloof - not a complaint, just an honest observation. I'm currently looking to adopt an ESS as additional companion for me & Meigs.
On the other hand, Meigs is vigilant (as oppose to Sherman - you could've appeared on my doorstep with a severed head in one hand, and bloody machete in the other, and Sherman would've gleefully invited you in to play). I'm on 37 isolated acres where law enforcement is far enough away that all it can to is survey the aftermath. All my doors are unlocked, and Meigs is why.
You'll have a much better opportunity to blunt the Bouvier aloofness if you acquire a puppy & socialize him/her aggressively, as opposed to adopting an adult.
Again, apologies if you're already cognizant of all this. But Bouvs aren't for everybody. But Meigs is for me, and I'm for him! Woof!
Incidentally, what breed is the cutie patootie in your right arm?