AKA: Karakachan

Description: The Bulgarian Shepherd Dog is a compact and well-constructed dog with a well-balanced body. It has a broad and massive head which slightly narrows at the muzzle. The nose is black, the eyes deeply placed and dark brown in color. The ears are slightly set high. The jaws form a scissors bite.

The Bulgarian Shepherd Dog’s body consists of a strong neck with folds of skin, a broad chest, and a strong, straight back. The tail is carried curved or ring-shaped over the back. The legs are powerful, straight and parallel to each other. The coat is of medium length to long. Short hair covers the face and front of the legs but a fluffy layer of hair covers the rest of the body.

Dynamics: The Bulgarian Shepherd Dog is an easy, alert, and careful working dog. It has an independent mind, and is mildly aggressive, although this aggressiveness increases when it is threatened. It is very reserved towards strangers, and gets along well with children (at worst it is tolerant with children). Strangers aside, it is devoted and loyal to its family and the people it grew up with.

The Bulgarian Shepherd Dog is a true working dog, and not the usual family pet. It has a well-developed sense of smell, hearing, and sight. It can easily adapt to any environment and quickly react to any situation. It is a guard dog by heart, bred to protect and defend pets, the farm, and its family. When socialized since puppyhood with the farm animals and pets, the Bulgarian Shepherd Dog will not be a threat to them.

Breed Group: Flock Guardian

Weight: males 99-125 lbs (45-57 kg), females 88-114 lbs (40-52 kg)

Height: males 26-30 inches (65-75 cm), females 25-28 inches (63-72 cm)

Color: The Bulgarian Shepherd Dog can come in any color, although usually its coat is white with big black spots.

Country of Origin: The Bulgarian Shepherd Dog came from Central Asia, from the Afghanistan and Iran area, where migrations of the Bulgarians started. It can be said that the breed originated in Bulgaria.

Activities: The Bulgarian Shepherd Dog is a moderately active dog, very calm and cautious in guarding and working. It only needs to do its job, and is a very serious breed.

Grooming: The Bulgarian Shepherd Dog only needs to be brushed every 2-3 days. Bathe only when necessary.

Other Info: The Bulgarian Shepherd Dog has a life expectancy of 12-14 years. It is a generally healthy breed and there is no disease specifically threatening to it.

AKA: Chodsky Pes, Chodenhund, Czech Sheepdog, Bohemian Herder

Description: The Bohemian Shepherd is a medium-sized dog with long thick fur and rich undercoat. Its body is longer than it is tall, and has a great build. It is compact and well-proportioned. Its ears stand erect and pointed, highly set on its head. This breed has a fluid gait, light and patient.

Dynamics: The Bohemian Shepherd is a patient yet active dog. It is not aggressive and can be easily trained. It has a patient temperament and gets along well with children and other dogs and pets. It is not prone to any unstable behavior. It is friendly and devoted to its family and children but is reserved with strangers.

The Bohemian Shepherd makes a great watch dog and companion dog. It has an excellent nose, is agile and is very obedient. It also excels as a guide dog and is excellent in working alongside handicapped people.

Breed Group: not recognized by any kennel club

Weight: 35-55 lbs (16-25 kg)

Height: 19-22 inches (48-56 cm)

Color: The Bohemian Shepherd’s coat color is black and tan.

Country of Origin: The Bohemian Shepherd originates in the Czech Republic. It has been known to exist there since the 1300s and has been professionally bred since the 1500s.

Grooming: The Bohemian Shepherd is easy to groom despite its long hair. Occasional brushing is enough. Like any other shepherd dog, it udnergoes normal shedding in the summer.

Activities: The Bohemian Shepherd is very active, hardworking, and loves a great challenge. This breed is used for herding, search and rescue, service-training, agility, and sledding. It is also an excellent watch and guard dog, as well as a patient companion dog.

Other Info: The Bohemian Shepherd can live indoors and outdoors. What is important is that it can connect with the people it is with since this breed is people-oriented.

AKA: Pyrenean Shepherd, Petit Berger, Labrit, Pyrenees Sheepdog, Pyr Shep

Description: The Pyrenean Shepherd, as the Berges des Pyrenees is also called, is a medium-sized dog with its head a smaller proportion of its whole body. It has a flat skull and a short triangular muzzle. It has an expressive face and intelligent dark eyes. The ears are generally cropped. Others prefer them semi-prick or rose ears. Naturally prick ears are considered incorrect for the breed.

The Pyrenean Shepherd has a long and lean body. The legs are well-proportioned, and the hocks well-angulated. The tale can either be docked or left to be naturally long with a crook in the end.

This breed has two varieties of coats. The smooth-faced, or demi-long, has short hairs on the muzzle and a ruff around the face and neck. There is feathering along the legs, tail, and belly. The rough-faced, or long-haired, consists of longer and shaggy hair on the muzzle and face. Semilong or long hair is distributed over the rest of the body. It can also have cords over his hind quarters and front legs.

Dynamics: Bred as a sheepdog, the Pyrenean Shepherd is an energetic and athletic dog. It is a hardworking breed that is loyal and dedicated to its owners. It is also watchful and observant, sensing every mood and seeming to know what’s on its owner’s mind. It is easy to train and socialization is needed to avoid excessive shyness or aggressiveness in the breed.

Breed Group: Herding

Weight: 15-32 lbs (7-15 kg)

Height: males 15 ½-22 inches (39-56 cm), females 15-20 inches (38-51 cm)

Color: The Pyrenean Shepherd comes in shades of fawn (can have a black mask or overlay), brindles and shades of grey, and sometimes rare are merles and black coated Pyrenean Shepherds.

Country of Origin: The Pyrenean Shepherd originated in France, native to the Pyrenees mountains. It is bred mostly for herding but also used as couriers, search and rescue dogs, watch dogs, and company mascots.

Activities: The Pyrenean Shepherd is famous for its herding abilities, and has been so since medieval times. It is now also used as a search and rescue dog, a guard dog, watch dog, and as a companion dog.

Grooming: It may have a shaggy coat and a rough appearance but the Pyrenean Shepherd only needs to be brushed once a week. Regular checks for knots is needed, though, to keep the coat in show condition.

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.

AKA: Bergamaschi, Bergamese Shepherd, Cane da Pastore Bergamasco, Bergamo Shepherd Dog

Description: The Bergamasco Shepherd is an ancient dog breed which can be traced back to at least 2000 years. It is a medium-sized dog, well-proportioned, and well well-balanced. It has a rustic appearance, distinctly set apart from the other breeds by its unique coat.

The Bergamasco Shepherd’s coat has three types of hair that forms mats or flocks. The mats would start from the spin and grow down each year reaching for the ground. The dog also has a thick curtain of hair covering its eyes, acting as a visor against the sun’s reflection off the snow in the mountains.

Dynamics: The Bergamasco Shepherd is an intelligent and peaceful dog. It gets along really well with its own kind and grow up in harmony with them. It has no natural impulse towards rivalry and domination and avoids provoking one another. It can be seen to have great respect for other Bergamasco Shepherds.

The Bergamasco Shepherd is attentive at the same time reserved. It would appear to be asleep or uninterested but it will participate in everything that goes around it. It is an excellent watch dog because it keeps an eye on its environment and doesn’t really like strangers appearing suddenly. When it comes to children , the Bergamasco Shepherd shows a very touching spot. It is patient, tolerant, and encouraging to the children, at the same time protecting them. This breed is actually used as therapy dogs for handicapped children.

While generally, the Bergamasco gets along with other dog breeds, it is better not to have it near a very protective breed. The Bergamasco also gets along with cats and other pets as long as it is socialized with them at an early age. Regarding strangers, it will all depend on how the Bergamasco senses him or her.

Breed Group: Herding

Weight: males 70-84 lbs (32-38 kg), females 57-71 lbs (26-32 kg)

Height: males 23 ½ inches (60 cm), females 22 inches (56 cm)

Color: The Bergamasco Shepherd can come in anything ranging from from gray or silver gray to anthracite. This color served as a camouflage for the breed when working in the mountains.

Country of Origin: The Bergamasco Shepherd officially originated in Italy. It is a very ancient breed, though, that its bloodline is traced from shepherds and cattle dogs from the Orient and the West, in the time when migration among nomad populations were happening. The first Bergamasco Shepherds was said to have been commonly found in the Alpine Arc and in the Po Basin of Piedmont and Lombardy, where they went in the winter.

Grooming: The Bergamasco Shepherd will not need so much grooming when it is fully flocked. Bathing and brushing is still needed, of course.

The three types of hair the Bargamasco Shepherd has are: the undercoat, which is fine, dense, and oily, forming a waterproof layer; the goat hair, which are long strands of hair similar to the coat of a goat; and the woolly top coat, which is soft and finer than the other two types of hair. It is when the woolly hair weaves together with the goat hair that flocking happens. The flocks continues to grow throughout the dog’s life, reaching the ground at its age of five years.

Activities: The Bergamasco Shepherd loves and enjoys the outdoors. It will be content on herding the sheep or playing with the children.

Other Info: The Bergamasco Shepherd has a life expectancy of 13-15 years. The Bergamasco Shepherd is perfect for seasonal to cold climates, as their dense coats will provide protection from the cold elements. This breed is not suitable for an apartment life and would sometimes prefer sleeping outdoors.