The Berger Picard or Picardy Shepherd is a French breed of dog of the herding group of
breeds. Berger is the French word for shepherd and Picardie is the region of
France where they originate. Owners and fanciers call them simply Picards.
These dogs nearly became extinct after both World War I and World War II and
remain a rare breed. This breed of dog is people-oriented, loyal, and can make
a good family pet if properly socialized early in life.
The
producers of the 2005 American movie Because of Winn-Dixie brought five Picards
over from Europe .The trainer wanted a dog that resembled the scruffy mutt on
the original book's cover but needed several that looked alike so that
production could continue smoothly, thus he decided on this rare purebred dog
from France. It is this breed's rustic mutt-like appearance that has prevented
it from being rapidly popularized and exploited in the United States by the
movie release, as has been the fate of some other breeds. People often
mistakenly think "Winn-Dixie" is a mixed breed.
Like
any breed of dog, the Picardy Shepherd is not for everyone, and much thought
must be devoted to choosing the right dog. As more Picard puppies are imported
into the US from France and other countries, it is important that owners and
future breeders remain responsible; they will determine the fate of this breed
in the United States. In 2006 the Berger Picard Club of America was formed to
help promote and protect this breed. The Berger Picard was fully recognized in
the herding group by the American Kennel Club as of 1 July 2015.
Appearance
Berger
Picard overview
Weight: 23–32 kg (51–71 lb)
Height: Females 55–60 cm (22–24 in); Males 60–65 cm
(24–26 in)
Coat: Harsh, crisp, thick strong hair, about 5–6
cm (2.0–2.4 in)
Litter size: 2–10 pups
The
Berger Picard is a medium-sized, well-muscled dog, slightly longer than tall
with a tousled yet elegant appearance. Their ears are naturally erect, high-set
and quite wide at the base. Their eyebrows are thick, but do not shield their
dark frank eyes. They are known for their smile. Their natural tail normally
reaches to the hock and is carried with a slight J-curve at the tip. Their
weather-proof coat is harsh and crisp to the touch, not excessively long with a
minimal undercoat. Coat colors fall into two colors, fawn and brindle with a
range of shade variations.
Temperament
The
Berger Picard's attributes include a lively, intelligent personality and a
sensitive and assertive disposition that responds quickly to obedience
training. By and large, Picards are laid back and mellow but they are known for
having a stubborn streak and being reserved towards strangers. They require a
lot of socialization during the first two years of their lives.
Picards
are energetic and hard working, alert and are not excessive barkers. Some
Picards are notoriously picky eaters, and it may be difficult to decide on a diet
that you and the dog agree on.
The
breed also has a well-developed sense of humor, making them an endearing
companion, and they continue to be used very effectively as both sheep and
cattle herder in their native land and elsewhere.
Like
many herding breeds, Picards require human companionship and lots of it. Since
they can be demonstrative to their owners and enthusiastic friends towards
other animals, formal obedience training and plenty of positive socialization
is a must. Athletic, loyal and filled with a desire to work a long day, the
breed excels in any "job" as long as enthusiasm and praise is a part
of the task.
Health
Berger
Picards due to lack of over breeding are a relatively healthy breed. Hip
dysplasia is known, as are several eye disorders, including progressive retinal
atrophy or PRA. A reputable breeder will have hips certified by the Orthopedic
Foundation for Animals (OFA) or by PennHip with the results posted at the OFA
database. Eyes will be certified for hereditary diseases through the OFA as
well (previously through the Canine Eye Research Foundation) and results should
also be published on the OFA database.
The
Berger Picard also participates in the Canine Health Information Center. To
obtain a CHIC number, dogs must have their hips and eyes checked with the
results published on the OFA website and their blood banked for DNA plus one
elective, either elbows, thyroid or heart evaluated.
The
OFA Berger Picard health survey has been developed in cooperation with the
Berger Picard Club of America Health committee and the BPCA Board of Directors
to determine health concerns appearing in the Berger Picard. This survey is
hosted and managed by the OFA & CHIC, and is completely anonymous. It is
designed to gather health information on Picards anywhere in the world, and
make the cumulative results available to anyone who wants to see them. No
individual dogs are tracked. This is simply to report overall health of as many
dogs as possible. With this knowledge, breeders can work toward improving
overall health of the breed in future generations. Where warranted, the club
will encourage participation in research projects investigating diseases that
may appear in the breed.
The
breed's life expectancy is 12 to 14 years.
Care
Exercise and activities
Bred
to work the fields, Picards are very athletic and revel in exercise. A good
deal of exercise is therefore a must for this breed. Otherwise boredom will
give way to destructive behavior and rowdy play. They enjoy swimming, running
beside a bike, and nice long walks. The Berger Picard makes an excellent
jogging companion. The breed's intelligence and sensitivity have made it
increasingly popular in dog sports such as agility trials, Tracking, obedience,
showmanship, Schutzhund, Flyball, Lure coursing, French Ring Sport and herding
events. Herding instincts and trainability can be measured at noncompetitive
herding tests. Berger Picards exhibiting basic herding instincts can be trained
to compete in herding trials.
Living conditions
Despite
being able and ready to work outdoors, Picards can do surprisingly well in city
life provided they are given enough energy-releasing exercise. However, the
Picard always tries to stay close to its owner and family, so when given a
choice between being alone in a big yard or inside with its master the Picard
would rather be with his "shepherd." Inside the house the Picard is
usually a very quiet dog, waiting for its time to go out to run, play and sniff
around. They are very loyal and enjoy a lot of attention and may suffer from
separation anxiety . This is not a breed created to live outside year round.
They lack the layer of body fat that even a lean Livestock Guardian Dog has and
their coat is not dense enough to withstand fridge winter conditions of many
areas.
Grooming
The
Berger Picard is a low maintenance dog. The rough, tousled coat can mat if not
brushed on a regular basis but the coat does not require special care to yield
its rustic appearance. Bathing is rarely done. Their fur should never be
trimmed except possibly hand-stripping the ears. They do shed but not as much
as other breeds. Picards have low oil content in their fur and therefore have
little "doggie odor".
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