AKA: Berger Picard, Picardy Shepherd, Bacardi Shepherd, Berger de Pacardie

Description: The Berger Picard is a medium-sized dog with a tousled appearance. The ears are set high on the head and erect and the eyes are dark almond shapes. The eyebrows are thick but do not entirely cover the eyes. The Berger Picard is a breed known for its smile. It also has a tail that reaches to the hock and forms a J-curve at the tip.

Dynamics: The Berger Pacardi has a lively and assertive personality. It is sensitive and intelligent and can be easily trained. This is an energetic and hardworking breed, and is content having to work. It gets along well with children, too! It is naturally protective of its family.

The Berger Picard needs lots of human companionship. It has an intelligent sens of humor and disposition that will make it easy on the family to love it. It can be very reserved with strangers, though. Socialization at an early age is important for the dog to get along well with other animals.

Breed Group: Herding

Weight: 50-70 lbs (23-32 kg)

Height: 21-25 ½ inches (53-65 cm)

Color: The Berger Picard comes in either fawn or grey, with a range of shade variations.

Country of Origin: The Berger Picard originated in France, and is considered as the oldest of the French Sheepdogs. It was brought to northern France and the Pas de Calais by the Celts in the 9th century.
Activities: The Berger Picard was bred to work on the fields. This breed is very athletic and energetic that boredom will only make it restless and destructive.

Grooming: In grooming the Berger Picard, no special care is really needed, since its rough and tousled appearance is natural and the coat doesn’t mat. Brush its coat once a month and bathe it only when necessary. Trimming is needed, especially around the ear edges. This breed has a little doggie odor.

Other Info: The Berger Picard is bred for outdoor work, but it can live well in the city and in an apartment so long as it receives lots of exercises and play sessions. It will be quiet and inactive indoors but will go all out outdoors. This breed can be used as a guard dog, although it doesn’t bark that much. The Berger Picard is also talented in agility, tracking, schutzhund, flyball, swimming, and the French Ring Sport.

Tags: berger de picard, breed, dog, picard, shepherd

This entry was posted on Monday, September 15th, 2008 at 4:00 pm and is filed under French Dogs, Herding Dogs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.