The berger de Picardie, also known as the Picardy shepherd or Picard berger, is a breed of sheepdog of French origin, classified in group I of the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale). It is a little known breed, but very loved by all those who treat it, do you want to know why? We will explain it to you in this breed file on our site in which we will talk in detail about the Picardie berger: its origins, characteristics, character or education, among others, do not miss it.
Origin of the Picardie berger
It is considered a particularly ancient breed and although its name refers to the Picardie region of northern France, it cannot be ensure in detail that it is endemic to that area. Even so, we know that it is distributed throughout Europe and that its characteristics fit with many of the most common shepherd-type dogs in this region.
The first recorded specimens competed in an exhibition in 1863, competing in the same category as Briards and Beacuerons. Years later, already in 1898, the breed grew in popularity and much later, in 1922, the first official standard was drawn up by Paul Megnin However, it was not officially and definitively recognized until 1925.
With the advent of the Second World War, breeders abandoned the keeping of the Picardie berger. Once finished, it was very difficult to find typical specimens of the breed and for this reason the Breed Club did not admit an official recognition of the Picardy shepherd. As a result, a fan of the dog breed, Robert Montenot, founded the "Club des Amis du Berger Picard" (CABP) in 1955.
Finally, in 1959 the breed was finally recognized and the official standard written by Mr. JC Larive, in collaboration with Mr. R. Triquet.
Characteristics of Picardie berger
The Berger de Picardie is a medium-sized dog, measuring between 60 and 65 cm. at the withers in male dogs and between 55 and 60 cm. to the withers in female bitches. It shows a pleasant and strong appearance at the same time, accompanied by a particularly friendly face. We highlight its ears, in the shape of a spitz, a well-distinguished black nose and a balanced body. We highlight the proportions of the dog, which must be between 5 and 8% longer than tall. The mantle of the face should not cover the eye and measures about 4 cm. long. The eyes are dark.
The tail is of a natural length and the coat, with rough semi-long hair, should be crisp to the touch. It has a very fine and dense undercoat, ideal to protect it from the cold. The outer layer measures between 5 and 6 cm. and may be in color fawn, fawn brindle, fawn with dark outer coat, or gray A small white patch on the forechest is permitted but no large markings.
Picardie berger character
The Picardie berger dog stands out for its character balanced, obedient and intelligent We are also talking about a very sociable dog, both with people as with other animals, although of course this will depend on their socialization process, which we will discuss in the next section. Due to its past (and present in certain regions) as a shepherd dog guarding sheep, the Picardy Sheepdog is usually a very faithful and protective dog, especially with the children, with whom he relates wonderfully.
Picardie berger care
The Picardy Shepherd needs to receive regular care of the coat, therefore we will brush him between 2 and 3 times a week approximately, increasing this frequency during the moulting seasons. As for the bath, we will do it when the dog is dirty or every 1 or 2 months. We will use specific products and accessories for dogs, never shampoo for human use.
We will also offer you a quality feed, whether based on dry feed, BARF diet or other homemade diets, yes, let's remember that homemade food is not synonymous with leftovers and that it should always be prescribed by a veterinarian to avoid nutritional deficiencies. We will consult with the specialist whenever we have doubts about it.
Finally, note that the Picardie berger is a very active dog, so he will need regular exercise. We can stimulate him with simple games, such as fetch the ball, or introduce him to more complex sports, such as Agility for dogs Let us remember, however, that impact sports practiced regularly can cause damage to the dog's body, so it is advisable to carry out veterinary check-ups more frequently.
Education of the Picardie berger
As we have already mentioned, the Picardy Shepherd is a particularly intelligent dog, so he will not have any difficulties in education and training. We will start this section talking about the puppy socialization, a particularly important process that begins at 3 weeks and ends at 3 months, in which the dog must learn to interact with all kinds of people, animals and environments. It is essential, therefore, not to separate the unvaccinated puppy from its mother and siblings until an optimal age (between 2 and 3 months), and to avoid any negative experiences.
The puppy must learn at that time to relieve himself in the newspaper and to manage the bite. It will also be important that at this stage we stimulate his mind with games and varied activities, always in a positive and very progressive way, to improve his cognition
Later on, when the puppy is up to date with his first vaccinations, we can teach him to urinate in the street and, when he starts to mature, we'll introduce him to the basic commands of obedience for dogs, essential for their safety and for proper communication with the owner. When the youth stage arrives, our dog will be able to start in more complex exercises and canine skills. And already in the adult stage we can start him in dog sports.
He alth of the Picardie berger
There is little information regarding the hereditary diseases that the breed can suffer from, however, we highlight as the most important and frequent hip dysplasia, common in medium to large sheepdogs, and the eye problems To prevent and detect them early, it is advisable to make regular veterinary visits, every 6 or 12 months at most, as well as strictly follow the vaccine schedule for dogs and the periodic deworming We will follow our veterinarian's instructions in this regard.
The life expectancy of the Picardie berger is approximately between 12 and 13 years.
